The FastDay Forum

I can't remember who asked the question, nor can I remember which topic on this forum it was... however someone mentioned that they wondered what ideal weight was way back when.

I collect old magazine that have sewing patterns in them. Other than the sewing patterns I love reading them for old advertisements and recipes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nihilsinedeo/8709872134/in/photostream

A chart from a weight loss ad "Youth O Form" with a what you should weigh chart.

I couldn't make the image work so until I figure that part out I shall leave the url link and dig out the recent post by Dominic on inserting images.



Ok it is sort of there... it's a bit hard to read. I'll type it up b/c it is worth it.

Glad I get to add 3lbs for every 5yrs over 40!

Food rationing would still be on then so I suppose the temptation wasn't around, no snacking in those days, just 3 healthy meals if you we're one of the lucky ones.

Thanks for posting, makes interesting reading.

Oh my Goodness! I've put on 6 st since then! Oh, it was the middle of the last century, I was only a toddler, so, not so bad after all, phew!

Ballerina x

Ballerina

The woman in the picture looks slim by modern standards, but the weights are higher than fashionable now. I wonder if it's not a combination of both the then desirable curves and people generally being more fit and active back then - walking and biking more, doing more strenuous work around the house and at one's job.

What you should Weigh (1951)

This is taken from Australian Home Journal (1951). It is from an advertisement for some slimming tablets that are no longer available. As this is an ad I do not know how close it was to being inline with medical thinking of the time but it is interesting nevertheless.

As my scan isn't that great and you can't read the detail I am typing up the info. The chart shows height and weight for age. The metric conversion is more for my benefit as stones and pounds mean nothing to me and I have just taken it to the whole kilo and cm for height. What I found very interesting was that when I set my target weight I was not familiar with the details on this chart but my target weight that I entered on this forum is the same as the target weight found on this chart. *cue spooky music*

Here goes...

According to 1951 advertising...

If you are between 15-19 years old:
5 foot 1 inch (155cm) 7st 9lb (49kg)
5'2" (157) 7 12 (50)
5'3" (160) 8 1 (51)
5'4" (163) 8 4 (53)
5'5" (165) 8 7 (54)
5'6" (168) 8 11 (56)
5'7" (170) 9 1 (58)
5'8" (173) 9 5 (59)

If you are between 20-24 years old:
5'1" 7 12 (50)
5'2" 8 1 (51)
5'3" 8 4 (53)
5'4" 8 7 (54)
5'5" 8 10 (55)
5'6" 9 0 (57)
5'7" 9 4 (59)
5'8" 9 8 (61)

If you are between 25-29 years old:
5'1" 8 1 (51)
5'2" 8 3 (52)
5'3" 8 6 (54)
5'4" 8 10 (55)
5'5" 8 13 (57)
5'6" 9 3 (59)
5'7" 9 7 (60)
5'8" 9 11 (61)

If you are between 30-34 years old:
5'1" 8 4 (53)
5'2" 8 6 (54)
5'3" 8 9 (55)
5'4" 8 13 (57)
5'5" 9 3 (59)
5'6" 9 7 (60)
5'7" 9 11 (61)
5'8" 10 1 (64)

If you are between 35-40 years old:
5'1" 8 7 (54)
5'2" 8 10 (55)
5'3" 8 13 (57)
5'4" 9 3 (59)
5'5" 9 7 (60)
5'6" 9 11 (61)
5'7" 10 1 (64)
5'8" 10 5 (66)

Add 3lb for every five years over forty.

How funny. I've put my goal weight as 10 stones which according to your chart is what I should be for 5ft 7". Mind you if I added on all the extra 3lbs for age I'd be a lot more at 60 years of age.
I think I'll stick with the 10 stones!
Thanks for posting. I would have thought the weights would have been less around the time I was born.

Very interesting!

Where are the days that I was 19...and yes I weight 58kg and now just over 40 I am 64kg..still wanting to loose 6kg..is an attempt at the back of my mind to get my youth back?

Thanks for posting this TheFrog! We were discussing it on the Mimi Spencer thread where there were some differing opinions on where in the BMI scale we wanted to be.
According to the chart there were no women over 5'8" in 1951, lol.
I am 5"8" so according to the chart I should be 10 stone 9 instead of 9 stone and Îd certainly look a lot fatter than the photo shown there.
Very interesting to see how things havr changed.

Thanks for typing that up couldn't read it at all, my ideal weight according to that is 1kg less than my target weight

Fascinating - thanks for that post - I'd reach target much quicker if I followed those guidelines !!!

Interestingly, I can relate this chart to my MIL who is 72 and has to monitor her food and drink intake extremely carefully as she has kidney disease, and dialysis three times a week. Seis weighed before each session so the machine knows how much fluid to take off. Her dialysis sessions run smoothly unless she has over eaten, and although it has taken some time to fine-tune things, she has for the last couple of years maintained a weight of 60kg and feels very well on it. The Drs have told her they can raise the weight (this usually gets offered after Christmas when she understandably struggles a little) but she refuses, as she is very aware what a slippery slope weight gain can be... Her weight, without the allowance on your chart for extra years over 40, is precisely what it says she should be at her height.

The other interesting point is that she generally manages to maintain her weight quite easily because she doesn't drink alcohol, eats lightly over the weekend (when she has two consecutive days off dialysis), and due to the rigours of the dialysis treatment, has three days a week when she skips at least one meal. Sound familiar?

On the other hand, according to that, I should be 9st 3 I simply cannot imagine myself that thin!

I think the weight difference comes down to BMI. When I put my numbers into a BMI calculator the result on this chart does fall with the healthy BMI for my height albeit at the lower end. I have a small build so I can see how the number on the chart would be ok for me. For someone of the same height but a medium or large build the number on this chart may be a bit on the low side.

Having said that I posted the chart for a bit of fun not to have it taken as gospel. Remember the chart was published as an advertisement not as scientific data and we all know what ads are meant to do - push the product. That point alone makes me suspicious of the data in the chart.

It's about 20 - 22.5 BMI in the few cases I calculated, so no different to today really ?

No woman under 55 shall weigh over 11 stone. LOL.

[janeg]

...and no woman will be under 5'1" !

...and no woman will be under 5'1" !

Or over 5'8".