How much should I really weigh?

Question
Hi. I am a 25 year old male.  I am 5'11" and I currently weigh 305 lbs.  When people guess my weight, they always say about 220-230lbs.  I do not look like a typical 300lb man. What is my ideal weight and how do I get there?  I have a membership to the YMCA, but I don't know what excersises I need to focus on.

Answer
The weight charts are just general indications for average slices of society.  Even the BMI charts are painfully wrong when it comes to the portion of society that gets regular exercise and/or has more than 'average' muscle tone.  Bruce Willis, Sly Stallone, The Rock and so on will register as overweight or even "obese" according to the charts because muscle weighs more than fat, increasing their weight on the scale (which only knows that a pound is a pound).
Generally, a man of medium bone structure should weigh 110 lbs for his first 5' in height and 5-6 lbs for each inch over that.  So, at 5'11", a totally middle of the road male would weigh, ideally, 165-176 lbs.  
Obviously, you are most likely large framed (and so, can carry extra weight and no one sees it as much) and if you work out regularly, that muscle tone can increase those numbers by as much as 1/3, putting you into that 'guessing' range people are saying.

Anyone's ideal workout isn't as complicated as one may think.  A newbie would start with 15 minutes of cardio (the best is walking/treadmill).  Distance is insignificant, what matters is getting heart rate up to where you can have a conversation, but are breathing deeply to do so.  If you can barely talk or are limited to one word thoughts, you're going too fast and working too hard.  
Weight resistence should encompass the limbs and middle.  A pull down 'machine' can work everything but the legs, depending on stance/position and focus.  Any of the other machines at the Y that you're comfortable with will take care of the legs.  Use what you LIKE using or you'll be more likely to quit, rush, skimp on it.  

My site has all sorts of free (no signing in, no sales) info AND weight charts, as well as food choices, etc..

By the way, GOOD FOR YOU!!!!  I admire your choice to be healthy and be smart about it!

http://www.geocities.com/thereverend1investigates/

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