What's a good (healthy) weight range to be at for a female runner 5'6'' (more on the muscular side, than on stick figure side). Just curious if I'm at good range or need to lose 5lbs. And by runner, I mean 35-40 miles a week.
What's a good (healthy) weight range to be at for a female runner 5'6'' (more on the muscular side, than on stick figure side). Just curious if I'm at good range or need to lose 5lbs. And by runner, I mean 35-40 miles a week.
Anything over 85lbs and you need to put down the carrot sticks and get serious about shedding the weight!!!
But first post a pic so I can judge better
I saw the heading and first thought was "this girl is asking for trouble..." but I didn't think it would be the first response!
Pig wrote:
Anything over 85lbs and you need to put down the carrot sticks and get serious about shedding the weight!!!
But first post a pic so I can judge better
What is your body fat%?
good question, I don't know...
Well, it's a good sign that you're not taking the 85lbs comment seriously.
if your body fat is less than 12 percent, then you're fine.
10 percent is probably better.
weight doesn't matter that much.
Should I ask them to test my body fat at the gym? Or is there a more accurate way? 10% for a girl really? That sounds super low!
10% is very low.
12-14% sounds safe.
A GOOD coach should know better than to give an athlete a complex about her weight just because he's hellbent on better performances and/or team titles.
over 100 lbs
10 percent fat is EXTREMELY low for a female, even a runner. Only the very very leanest are that lean, and it depends on your natural build. If you are smalled boned you're likely to have a slightly higher body fat PERCENTAGE, since you have less muscle and bone weight. Heavier, more muscular girls have lower BF but that doesn't make them better distance runners.
I had the lowest BF on my college team and I sucked.
115. I'm 5'7" and about 110 but thats too low
PS- people are going to say more but i'm giving you the honest truth
Jill's right. I'm also 5'6", and I've got a really low BF% (~12, last time I checked), but if you saw me, you'd call BS if I told you how much I weighed. Count me among the "heavier, muscular girls with low BF who suck" club.
For what it's worth, I've always heard that the "average" range for a healthy, medium-boned female is something like the following:
5'0" = 95-105 lbs.
5'1" = 100-110 lbs.
5'2" = 105-115 lbs.
etc.
Let's say distance runners subtract ~10 lbs from that scale; that'd put you somewhere around 115, on the lowest end. Remember, you've got to be STRONG as well as light, so if you're trying to lose weight, make sure that you're doing what it takes to keep the muscle, too. And if that means that you have to stay at 120, just be okay with that, and know that the extra 5 pounds of muscle is what's helping you kick ass.
if you are muscular naturally (But not large boned) I'd actually say closer to 117-120. That can still be pretty thin . 115 might be fine, or it might be too low. I think 110 is too low if you are not naturally super slender.
Also: might be higher/can't really give advice online
125, no less 145 no more End Discussion.
Anyone who gives her a number should be banned for life. There is no healthy number everyone is different.
Thanks y\'all for your insight. I\'m actually 135lbs (last time I checked) and get comments that I \"have buff soccer legs\" which sometimes bugs cuz I\'m a runner, not a soccer chick. Sometimes I just wonder if losing 5lbs would help me be faster. I run a \"decent\" 5k (18:58), but as the distances get longer I totally suck. 1:30 half marathon and 4 hour marathon. Most of the time when I show up at 5k\'s the skinny chicks look at me weird when I start up at the front of the 5k race but then I end up kicking at least half their asses. I just want to be able to kick \'em all so if 5lbs would help then I would lose it.
Picking a numerical weight that's best for running is putting the cart before the horse. Train well, eat well, and your weight should sort itself out.
I second the advice: do not put the cart before the horse. Train hard, eat right, and train smart. I started doing all of those things and slimmed down a lot over the past 8 months - it was really gradual, but the end result has been great: I am lean, in shape, and running better than ever before. DO NOT focus on the number on the scale. My body found its perfect racing weight through hard work and healthy eating. It sounds like you are already kicking ass anyway!