How much do you weigh? (Page 4)

There are plenty of methods to measure body fat / determine obesity, but these are all either inaccurate or impossible to deploy on a large scale or both. 

Height/waist ratio is an easy alternative to BMI, which doesn't identify muscular people as overweight, but otherwise suffers the same problems.

Using a caliper is difficult and there is discussion about where and how many measurements you need and how to convert this into % body fat. It's laborious to use and prone to error when taking measurements.

Electrical conductivity tests gives different results depending on other factors such as hydration which varies greatly during the day. Some scales measure this from conductivity through the feet only which is less accurate than those that can combine conductivity through your hands as well. And the whole method makes assumptions on body composition, bone, nerves, fat, blood and muscles all contribute differently, the measurement measures the combined conductivity.

Volume vs. weight requires a pool with the ability to measure water displacement. Definitely not easy to deploy large scale.

Fact is that the only method you can get accurate numbers is by autopsy. 

So what leads you to say the 60% is more accurate result?

BMI is a good method despite it's limitations. One should know these when interpreting the result and do adicional measurements if the result contradicts the mirror.

Thanks on the comments on the weight loss

Something to keep in mind is that as your weight goes down you do lose some power.  So each person has that sweet spot vs. less weight to lug around and a loss of power.  Get too skinny and your numbers will suffer because your power goes down.  So each person has to experiment just by trying out different weights.

Im glad this topic came up as its one I am some what concerned about. Im 35, 5'11 and about to come into my 3rd year of doing triathlons. My weight has taken a drastic change:

Couch - 195lbs + 20 cigarettes a day

Year 1 - l65-179 + 20 cigarettes a day

Year 2 - 185-190 + NO cigarettes a day

About to go into year 3 and im currently sitting at 193lbs - but im in much better condition all round. However my run times have slowed down, but my swim times and bike times have decreased.

All very strange. 

No surprise, initially you've shed some weight (presumably fat) making your run faster, then you've built up muscle which benefit you on the bike and swim as these are non-weight bearing but penalize you on the run.

And there it is: When you run long distances shedding that extra weight you get faster, until you reach that sweet spot. Add swim and bike and things changes, and it's the overall result that counts.

Before beginning endurance sports 237

Start of IM in 2011 182.

Currently 205.

185-190 is a nice weight for daily life.  My calves each weigh about 10 lbs.

Around 175. I'm almost 5'4.  I'm a chubby.  I have a hard time losing weight, because I'm always hungry. Suffice it to say, people are amazed that I can get through any sort of race without dying. 

I will join you in that hatred of running.  It just doesn't like me and I don't like it much either.

5'11" and mid 160's here.  Right around 160 in the middle of last season; probably closer to 166-168 now.

5'10"  starting wieght--282

first tri/season one 242

post injury mid season two and currenlty 270 and dropping again.

2013 HIM target weight 225

I started doing tri's last year and have always been farily thin.

I'm 28, 6'-1" and I hover around 175lbs. I just started training for my first HIM and I'm hoping I don't drop "too much" weight.

Wow, at 5'11 and 188#, I think of myself as a "big" guy, and for tris, I am. . .

Those dumb weight charts seem to apply to just about nobody.  And I'm not talking re the nation's obesity epidemic.  There are some charts you can find that will give you weights for small, medium, and large-framed athletes, and they're a bit more reasonable.

Not to get to into science, but this is called "Allen's Rule". Compare what a polar bear looks like, Large volume and small surface area to prevent losing heat, but them look at animals in africa, like a gazelle, very small volume and large surface area to dissipate heat. It applies to humans aswell, compare a native american in Alaska to African tribes.

I am 6'1 and I currently weight 157, and I went down to ~150.

The BMI thingy says I can go all the way to 140 and still be in normal weight, but 10 poudns would be hard to loose and family will freakout, I do look skinny at 150 but I dont really care since I do become a little faster =)