As a teenager, you are constantly worried about fitting in and maintaining an "average" weight. But let's face it - what is average these days? With all of the food options available, it can be challenging to know how much you should weigh at 17 years old.
The Reality Check
It's important to embrace your body shape instead of trying to conform to some impossible ideal. Your height, age, gender, and lifestyle habits will influence what is considered healthy for you. So before we get into specifics on pounds or kilos or stones (oh my!), take a moment to remember that individual differences matter more than anything else when discussing weight.
Height Matters
Your height has a significant impact on your correct weight range since taller individuals have larger bone structures and higher muscle mass compared with shorter people. Therefore, there isn’t one 'perfect' number for what someone weighs at 17; however, healthcare professionals suggest using Body Mass Index (BMI) as an indicator of whether someone falls within their normal BMI range.
Understanding BMI
The relatively misunderstood method - known as Body Mass Index (BMI) – measures the amount of fat versus muscle in the body based only on height and weight measurements. It’s important though not always accurate as it doesn’t account for dietary factors nor does it distinguish between body fat due to poor diet/exercise from those due to genetic predispositions so do not panic if you fall outside ‘the prescribed ranges.’
Working Out Your Own Score
To find out where yours sits currently sit according:
| Measurement: | US unit | Metric Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Height | Inches | Centimeters |
| Weight. | Pounds(my preferred option) | Kilograms |
Calculating
(mass(kg))/(height(m))^2 = BMI
E.g., [68 kg )/(1.8m)2= 20.98 BMI.
The Averages
Let’s debunk that age-old myth to 'Weigh X at Y height' because, once again, this isn’t accurate due to variation among body types and genders.
As a rough guide:
- Men – their peak phases usually vary between the ages of 25-30.
- Women – earlier around 19-25 yrs
However, there are still some basic guidelines for what's considered healthy:
| Weight Range | BMI |
|---|---|
| Underweight | <18.5 |
| Normal Weight | 18.5–24.9 |
| Overweight | > = +25 |
| Obesity Grade I | >= +30 |
| Obesity Grade II | >=+35 |
| Extreme Obesity | >=40 |
Remember though; people do gain weight depending on different lifestyle factors such as exercise frequency/eating habits etc., so always take this with a grain (or six!) of salt.
Factors Influencing Your Ideal Body Weight at Age Seventeen
There are many different factors influencing your ideal body weight and overall health regardless-of-age/gender which include but not limited to;
- Muscle mass - those involved in regular physical activity will have more muscle mass making them heavy comparative to someone who does less or no physical activity.
- Bone Density: How much bone density you have can change weight quite drastically. Younger individuals tend to be lighter than older people since bones become denser over time.
- Gender - Males tend generally towards having heavier/fat-free muscle tissues compared with females hence why males weigh slightly higher despite being taller or shorter than women.. Generally speaking that is;
- Genetics - Heristic traits also influence how bodies behave in certain areas and can cause fluctuations especially when it comes down food allergies/ intolerances/etc..
All these factors contribute to what can be considered a 'healthy weight' but ultimately, it’s really up to you how healthy/active/fitter you want to feel at whatever age.
The Healthy Habits
Aim for a lifestyle that nurtures health rather than seeming forced. This includes:
- Eating nutrient-dense foods such as fruits and vegetables (aim for lots of colours), calcium-rich products such as dairy/yogurts and whole grains.
- Staying hydrated by consuming adequate fluids like water, herbal teas etc., daily
- Limiting or even cutting out completely sugar-laden drinks/snacks, red meat options with higher saturated fat content e.g. some fast foods
And last but not least...
People do underestimate the importance of exercise on maintaining good health - both mentally and physically! Aim for at least an hour's worth each day; whether that's walking around your neighbourhood, going hit gym classes or team sports – bonus points if these are things that you too find ACTUALLY enjoyable!
Myths Busted
Allow us here to bust some classic myths about ‘how much should a 17-year-old weigh’ accordingly;
Myth #1: Muscle Only Adds Weight
This is far from reality! Natural muscle gain tends only to increase size since they carry/heavier enough mass per unit volume in comparison with pure fatty tissues hence leading others thinking it has increased their original net-weight mistakenly when in actuality they're just feeling more toned-up overall!
Myth #2: You Must Consume Fewer Calories Every Day To Stay Lean
This is false! Your body needs calories - hunger pangs give off signals indicating needful intake so cut them off entirely unnatural leads starvation mode- which slows metabolism subsequently making losing excess fat difficult into the future generally.
Myth #3: Weigh Yourself Regularly To Track Progress
Although tracking progress is essential, this doesn't always mean weigh-ins. It's widely documented that some individuals tend to feel demotivated when they step off and see the scale hasn't shifted. Remember, there are other effective ways to track progress where ditching just the weekly scales can boost confidence levels while still on a healthy journey towards goals.
Conclusion
In short, it’s important to remember that age is but a number and what matters most is working/maintaining a healthy BMI score range for you determined by intentional physical activities paired with stress-less broadened diet options improved hydration habits - this will lead towards happier/ healthier life generally speaking!