August 2020
Have you ever done one of those average-height-and-weight-for-a-male searches? I did one recently and ended up at one particular site which said I was heavy for my height. I'm around 80kg/176lb as of the date of this article but a year ago I was 93kg/205lb, which probably would have meant I was obese. Tui moment: yeah right. I was a lot of things but obese wasn't one of them.
Hm.
If you visit the above link you'll see it it has three weight categories next to height divided into small frame, medium frame and large frame. I turned up in the large frame category -- wouldn't you know? -- though truth be told I'm not large-framed at all (I think "large frame" means wider, longer, deeper and lots of other words ending in -er). I've never been a "big" guy and still aren't.
Yet another site says I should be 136-178lb for my height (love the fact there's a 40lb+ differential there by the way, one which covers all possibilities!) in which case I'm well and truly over-weight. Hilariously, my body-weight last year puts me at a 6"3 height according to this second site so one thing is becoming clear: these sites are generalising. I'm 5"11 still and can't see that changing any time ever.
It makes sense to generalise on these sites.
...what doesn't make sense is believing these generalisations are scientific facts.
They're not. They'll be based upon a certain ethnic population and working on averages for said populace.
What's more, according to wikipedia the "average" height for we kiwi males is 5"9 so I'm above average height and weight. Again, not true: most my male colleagues are my height and body-size if not bigger (size-wise). Apparently we kiwis are getting heavier since whenever too, which I imagine has more to do with food quality and lifestyle; in other words, we eat more processed shit and do far less physical anything.
That I can believe.
AVERAGE IS AWESOME
Where am I going with this? Well, height is something none of us can change, so if you've always wanted to be taller you never will. If you have little-man-syndrome grow the fuck up and learn decorum. If you're a tall individual and have been self-conscious of this through-out your life, stop bending down to reduce your height -- you'll get a hunchback like a mate of mine who spent his life compensating for his height.
We are who we are folks, so own it.
Bonus: you'll only be in your current form some 80yrs give or take, so you might as well enjoy it.
Size on the other hand is something we can change to a definite degree either via increase or decrease. Losing weight always comes down to diet first and foremost whilst gaining lean muscle -- come to think of it, who even wants "lean" muscle? What about thick, solid muscle, hm? Now you're talking, kemosabe -- comes down to strength training first, eating well second. Remember, this is my opinion and others will disagree. Whatever.
WHEN IT COMES TO AVERAGE HEIGHT AND WEIGHT, VIEW THE WORD "AVERAGE" WITH THE AWARENESS YOU AND I MAY NOT FIT IT. ASK YOURSELF THIS: IS THE AVERAGE NIGERIAN IDENTICAL IN HEIGHT AND WEIGHT TO THE AVERAGE KOREAN? IS THE AVERAGE PERUVIAN IDENTICAL IN HEIGHT AND WEIGHT TO THE AVERAGE POLE? ME THINKS NOT
But wanting to turn into the next insert_your_online_body_crush_here needs to be dispelled or at least thoroughly dissected: none of us is ever going to become the next Arnie without having started in our late teens/early adulthood as he did and having decades behind us of hard work, sacrifice, knowledge, drive, ego, time and fantastic genetics. As for becoming the next mass monster, you need to thoroughly understand and accept the role steroids/illegal chemicals are going to play in this.
Which brings me round to the fact that y'know what? Being average is pretty darn awesome.
THE BEST YOU
The internet is cluttered with memes exhorting us one and all to "be the best version of yourself" or some such and whilst this isn't new, the link between it and mainly physicality is. Truth be told, being the best version of yourself is one's life journey and something most enlightened people determined early on in their own existence; it's not some recent discovery this side of 2000. No-one recently said, "hey, we should be the best version of ourselves."
Said thinking has been around for Centuries.
What's more, your "best version" should never be limited solely to the physical.
Developing strength, maintaining fitness, health, flexibility and vitality contributes towards our quality of life, yes. Absolutely. But being well-read, thoughtful, considerate of others, open to new ideas and aware of our strengths and weaknesses aids in even temperament and having an alert, agile mind. Developing characteristics of humour, perseverance, commitment and their like leads to a well-rounded individual. Remember: we make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give.
All these things and more besides contribute towards the best you.
Not just looking gawwww-juss.
...darl.
Recently I experienced a negative patch whereby I was facing a situation that was draining, stressful and worse, ongoing. So I chose to be objective rather than emotion-led and asked myself: what is this situation teaching me right now? As I began to mentally list these I also began to mentally identify my responses (not reactions) to them. This process became increasingly positive and I became increasingly encouraged which in term fermented hope and hope does not disappoint.
We call the above "wisdom" and Lord knows we need more of that across all societal levels. But the real secret here is recognising and accepting the diversity of strands, ideas, thoughts, experiences and actions that make us up as individuals. I'm a father, son, brother, cousin, husband, employee, writer, hunter, dog-owner the list goes on and on. So are you. So don't be a dick and just try to "look" good. Be a human and strive to be good, do good, follow good and promote good.
Grow some balls and decide today not to be dictated too by a shitty past.
Truth is, that decision itself is testimony to bettering one's self.
...and all that sort of stuff.
CONCLUSION
Reading back through this article I think it fair to say I lost my train of thought early on but y'know what? Sometimes you just have to roll the dice and accept the numbers. Let me recap some of the above for you:
• Averages differ between people groups. WowSo there you go, more randomness from left-field just when you weren't looking. Enjoy, whanau. Enjoy.
• At the end of the day, disregard "average" I mean, it's not even an entity just an idea. Be you
• Height you cannot change. Size you can. Usually
• Don't let ANY online site -- including this one -- dictate your opinion of yourself. That's all kinds of dumb
• Do be the best version of yourself rather than fit the "average". That would be cool (and original)
• The best version of yourself is A) a life journey and B) not at all limited to the physical aesthetic
• Eat ice-cream. I know this isn't mentioned above but seriously, eat ice-cream
• Drink vodka too. Jesus drank vodka only no-one knows this but me
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