what weight should i be

[henshaw11]

I'd imagine you're about right, but I guess it depends on your frame. I'm 5'9 - 5'10 and ~75kg (11st 11) and don't look skinny (39" chest and 32 waist) - I've been the same weight for years - about 7 years ago I was a bit leaner, but have lost a bit of muscle to a little more fat all over.
In my mid 20's (20+ yrs ago) when I was doing a fair bit of running I was about the 10st 10 mark, and the OH (who I knew then) thought I was a little on the light site (relatively) - tho' I suspect losing much of the excess fat I currently have would bring me down to a similar point.

Re looking drawn - that may just be the impression if you've noticeably lost weight from your face - if the rest of you looks fine I wouldn't worry.

About starving yourself...you need to make sure you're eating enough that you've not losing muscle mass at the same time..

 

[30yroldclunker]

This thread has been an interesting read. I am 5'9" and have always been heavy for my height. Even at my fittest playing/training footy and rugby every day in High School I have never been under 80kg (12 1/2 stone). I would say I have a solid build - always had massive legs and glutes (ok ass...but it's all muscle I tells you). This would put me just into the fat zone on a BMI chart. Now 42 and have been 92kg (14 1/2 st) at my heaviest which I knew was a problem. Lost about 7kg in the last 6 months mainly as a result of being more aware of what I was eating - no snacks, no munching late at night, eating smaller portions etc, Now I have had more than a few people saying I didn't look well, and was I feeling ok etc! I know I can still go down another 5 or so kg, I think aiming to be at the weight I was at in high school at my fittest is a good goal to have. I guess it'll take people a while to adjust to seeing a lighter me.

My point is, I feel like I know what my best weight should be and you will probably know too, go for that and don't read too much into what people around you say, as a few folk have said on this thread they may be some amount of envy mixed in with their comments.

 

[ColinJ]

My point is, I feel like I know what my best weight should be and you will probably know too

I agree.

I'm the same height and body type as top pro cyclist Fabian Cancellara. In theory, I'd be the same weight as him if I was really fit. In fact, I am aiming to be about his weight - 78 - 82 kg (12 st 4 lbs - 12 st 13 lbs) but the reality is that even if I achieve a weight in that range again, I'm going to have less muscle and more fat than him.

Fair enough - I look too gaunt below 12 stone and my skin goes see-through, which isn't nice! I'll put up with an inch or two of flab round the waist, but I'll not freeze in the winter or catch all the bugs I caught last time I was scrawny. My climbing speed won't be quite as good as it could be but I'll be pretty fit and healthy. That'll do me.

 

[delport]

I'm 6ft 4 ,13 stone, never been fat in my life time [40+ years].I'd like to be less than 13 stone, 12 seems better.
Been vegeterian for 27 years, and only used to have 1 meal a day.
For cycling i eat quite a lot, especially going long distances.
No longer smoke, gave up more than 2 years ago, was a 60 roll up a day person for nearly 20 years, rarely drink alcohol.Seen too many alcoholics in my life, it put me off i guess.

In an ideal world i'd like more arm muscle, and be shorter.

 

[L.E.D.]

its because i used to be 14and a half stone rugby player but now im a 11st 13 and it doesnt suit me because every body saying i look ill

Everybody ?

I bet everyone in your club thinks you look better

 

[monnet]

If you're thinking of racing your wife might have to get used to the idea of you being a bit skinnier. Even among the 4th cats the riders are generally pretty slender.

Cycling is a funny one with regards to weight. I look at some guys on a bike and think 'he's massive, a real power rider' see them off the bike and suddenly they look skinny. The other one is people saying you look gaunt and ill, until you turn up at a club run and people say, 'you're looking fit'.

FWIW - I'm about 5'10'' and 63kg (a touch over 10stone, I think). That might go up a couple of kilos in winter and certainly I'm not as lean as during the summer. Some of my clubmates happily put on 5 or 6kgs over winter. I have the unfortunate affliction of finding it very difficult to put weight on which means winter is a pretty tough time for me in terms of feeling the cold and picking up bugs. I do like that I do a sport where my clothing size is medium or large as opposed to shopping on the high street and 'small' being like a tent!

 

[Zoiders]

63kg at 5'10"?

Sorry but that's not in any healthy range weight wise even if you do race, BMI is load of rubbish in general but the extremes are simple common sense.

I hate these threads I really do.

 

[JonnyBlade]

I'm 5' 7" and weigh 9 stone 8lbs. It suits my running and cycling. Come competition time I do look drawn and the rest of it but that's just a sign of all the hard work. Gaunt is the new chic

 

[zigzag]

I do like that I do a sport where my clothing size is medium or large as opposed to shopping on the high street and 'small' being like a tent!

i see what you mean, as i have similar problem even being 4-6kg heavier. i've talked to few sports retailers, and they confirmed that clothing sizes are increasing while numbers/letters on the labels - not. the average waist size ballooned dramatically in the last decade. there are plenty men smaller than me - i wonder where they buy their clothes? in childrens, teenagers departments?

 

[monnet]

63kg at 5'10"?

Sorry but that's not in any healthy range weight wise even if you do race, BMI is load of rubbish in general but the extremes are simple common sense.

I hate these threads I really do.

I'm not sure what it is about my physique that upsets you, but everyone comes in different sizes.

I am perfectly healthy - HR/ blood pressure/ cholesterol etc. I'm not a big guy, but then I never have been and I've a very slight frame. The heaviest I've ever been - no exercise, loads of beer, not eating especially healthy - was 67kg in my mid 20s. I currently eat healthily - both in terms of calorific intake in relation to the exercise I do and in the sense that I eat the 'right' foods without being obsessive about it. I'm not trying to make any kind of point, you've not seen me so you've no basis to say may weight is extreme.

Like you, I don't hold much with BMI, but as you seem to think it shows I'm unhealthy, let's check. 5'10/ 63kg puts someone on the BMI scale as a touch under 20, where 18.5 is regarded as underweight. I'm very lean, some might say thin, but no one says skinny or that I look unhealthy, quite the contrary.

My point was that different people come in different sizes and exercise, in this case cycling, can play a part in that. I've tried to put on more weight in winter - I can't.

 

[monnet]

i see what you mean, as i have similar problem even being 4-6kg heavier. i've talked to few sports retailers, and they confirmed that clothing sizes are increasing while numbers/letters on the labels - not. the average waist size ballooned dramatically in the last decade. there are plenty men smaller than me - i wonder where they buy their clothes? in childrens, teenagers departments?

I've often wondered where the smaller guys shop too- I can get away with some clothes due to my height but if small is loose on me, what about on someone who's 5'7 or shorter but does endurance sport? Knowing this will sound ludicrously pretentious but I've found that it's best for me to buy Italian or Spanish clothes when on holiday/ via the internet as they're cut to the more 'petit' figure!

 

[Boatman]

My wife thinks I am skinny! 5 foot 8" and about 10 stone 10lbs. My weight hasn't changed since i've been riding, thighs have been become more muscular which is good. Downside I hoped my waist measurement would go back to 20-30 year olds, nothing has changed! But feel fit so probably need to give stop drinking beer! Main thing is how you feel, thats more important than measurements we are all different.

 

[Zoiders]

I'm not sure what it is about my physique that upsets you, but everyone comes in different sizes.

I am perfectly healthy - HR/ blood pressure/ cholesterol etc. I'm not a big guy, but then I never have been and I've a very slight frame. The heaviest I've ever been - no exercise, loads of beer, not eating especially healthy - was 67kg in my mid 20s. I currently eat healthily - both in terms of calorific intake in relation to the exercise I do and in the sense that I eat the 'right' foods without being obsessive about it. I'm not trying to make any kind of point, you've not seen me so you've no basis to say may weight is extreme.

Like you, I don't hold much with BMI, but as you seem to think it shows I'm unhealthy, let's check. 5'10/ 63kg puts someone on the BMI scale as a touch under 20, where 18.5 is regarded as underweight. I'm very lean, some might say thin, but no one says skinny or that I look unhealthy, quite the contrary.

My point was that different people come in different sizes and exercise, in this case cycling, can play a part in that. I've tried to put on more weight in winter - I can't.

I find it disturbing that you think 67kg is heavy or in line with an unhealthy diet.

You are right on edge weight wise and I don't think you are going to stand up very well to any possible injury sustained on the road or any period of illness. Teenagers might weigh 63kg at 5'10" but they are still growing and putting on muscle, staying that way into adulthood is in no way good for you.

I also bet your immune system is depressed.

I don't like these threads because they put forward this warped idea that healthy or "fast" for a male cyclist means having the figure of a 17 year old supermodel who starves her self - it's about power to weight, not weighing as little as possible.

Everyone being a different size or shape size doesn't wash, you are the same height as me and I am not by any stretch of the imagination heavily built, I wear 30 or 32 trousers and maybe a 40 chest, there is no way on earth I should outweigh you by almost 20kg, sure I ride fixed and work in a job that means I have to be strong but I don't hit the weights for fun and I am certainly not muscle bound or carrying any extra fat.

Like I said - I hate these threads because they put forward very wrong messages about body image for cyclists.

 

[brockers]

I've often wondered where the smaller guys shop too- I can get away with some clothes due to my height but if small is loose on me, what about on someone who's 5'7 or shorter but does endurance sport? Knowing this will sound ludicrously pretentious but I've found that it's best for me to buy Italian or Spanish clothes when on holiday/ via the internet as they're cut to the more 'petit' figure!

That's me! I have a very petite build (5'7'' and although I'm back to 9st 7-10/~60kg these days, I still have love-handles !), but even so, I'm right at the upper end of 'small' wrt the Euro cycling clothing manufacturers. Small is a tight fit for me. I am perfectly-formed mind

 

[MacB]

I find it disturbing that you think 67kg is heavy or in line with an unhealthy diet.

You are right on edge weight wise and I don't think you are going to stand up very well to any possible injury sustained on the road or any period of illness. Teenagers might weigh 63kg at 5'10" but they are still growing and putting on muscle, staying that way into adulthood is in no way good for you.

I also bet your immune system is depressed.

I don't like these threads because they put forward this warped idea that healthy or "fast" for a male cyclist means having the figure of a 17 year old supermodel who starves her self - it's about power to weight, not weighing as little as possible.

Everyone being a different size or shape size doesn't wash, you are the same height as me and I am not by any stretch of the imagination heavily built, I wear 30 or 32 trousers and maybe a 40 chest, there is no way on earth I should outweigh you by almost 20kg, sure I ride fixed and work in a job that means I have to be strong but I don't hit the weights for fun and I am certainly not muscle bound or carrying any extra fat.

Like I said - I hate these threads because they put forward very wrong messages about body image for cyclists.

Do you have some sort of special filter on your computer screen? coz you always seem to be responding to stuff in threads that I just can't see. Chill out man, I promise if I ever meet you I won't use the term 'chunky monkey' to refer to you