Why is my BMI so high?
st476
Posts: 357 Member
I'm 5'4, and (now) 137 pounds. When I started, I was 150 pounds. This is just out of curiously, but why was my BMI so high for my size? When I was 150 pounds, My BMI was 25.7 (which is considered overweight).
Most people say that BMI is accurate for most people, with the exception of people who do a lot of strength training. I don't do strength training, so it should be accurate for me, right?
By the way, my profile picture is me at around 150 pounds. I didn't think I looked overweight, which is why I'm confused why I was considered overweight according to BMI.
Most people say that BMI is accurate for most people, with the exception of people who do a lot of strength training. I don't do strength training, so it should be accurate for me, right?
By the way, my profile picture is me at around 150 pounds. I didn't think I looked overweight, which is why I'm confused why I was considered overweight according to BMI.
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25.7 is just barely overweight, and people "carry" their weight differently. I look like a beach ball from the side, at BMI 30.
BMI is a way to classify populations, and is pretty accurate and a helpful guideline for most people, but not for everybody. It's just one of those puzzling things that we don't have to understand deeply, but need to accept.7 -
Overweight and obese are medical classifications, not appearance guidelines. A large number of people today cannot identify the difference between overweight and normal weight because so many people are overweight. I'm guessing that fewer could, visually, guess if a person is obese instead of overweight.15
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BMI sucks as a measurement of fitness. I'm 5'10", 185 lbs, and muscular. It says I'm overweight. That's just wrong, since I have visible abs. BMI assumes you have very little muscle mass. Go with body fat % as your indicator of where you want to be for a fitness level. That measurement is independent of weight and looks at overall body composition.5
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Somewhat at just over 25 isn't necessarily going to look overweight, especially given what we are used to today. I'm 5'3 and IMO look best around 120, but when I'm around 140 (BMI of around 25) no one seems to think I look overweight either, and I feel like I look pretty normal.
You look perfectly fine in that photo, but it doesn't surprise me that the BMI is 25-26 -- seems about right. That's not "so high," however. Good job on the weight loss, also!0 -
It really depends on how you carry your weight. I'm right at the overweight range but if you looked at me, you wouldn't see it because I don't have a belly. My weight goes to my boobs, hips and upper thighs.0
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I guess it depends on how you carry it. I started at 149 (I'm just under 5'4") and I was definitely overweight. I'm now at 122 and still carrying some ab fat and love handles.1
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BMI sucks as a measurement of fitness. I'm 5'10", 185 lbs, and muscular. It says I'm overweight. That's just wrong, since I have visible abs. BMI assumes you have very little muscle mass. Go with body fat % as your indicator of where you want to be for a fitness level. That measurement is independent of weight and looks at overall body composition.
Which is why it's a pretty decent indicator for 80-90% of the population.10 -
BMI is a joke. Mine is 28 - 29 and I'm in pretty fair shape.0
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BMI is the measurement I used to set my goals long ago. I finally got myself down to 'normal' BMI just a couple of months ago and started to build muscle. I pretty much expect as I build more muscle that my BMI will creep back up to closer to overweight, but by then it won't matter as I'll have the body I want. There are some updated BMI calculators out there you can also use, the original has been around for longer than we've been alive. It's seriously outdated.2
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They change the guidelines couple years ago. My healthy bmi of 24.9 has me in a uk size 60
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Most people have forgotten what we're suppose to look like. In many Asian countries, that BMI would be considered obese and would be seen as obese in those countries. It's different standards for different types of bodies. You may not think you look overweight but by the look of your thighs it looks that way for me. American ideal beauty is of a larger woman or curvier woman, so that's why you may not see it.
Another point can be that people also carry weight differently. For example, your fat can go to your butt & breasts more than an average person and you may like that look. Compare that to someone of your height at 150lbs with their fat going to their stomach. In terms of health, both have different implications.
However, at 25.7, I don't think you needed to worry too much. If you're happy with how your body looks at a reasonably healthy weight, I don't think it's a big deal.4 -
Try using a frame size calculator like this one - https://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/fsz
The reason we say BMI works differently for some people than others really comes down to frame size- my husband is 5' 11 but he has a large frame- 200 pounds is 'fit' on him, whereas for most men his height, it would be overweight.
As to 'looking overweight', it all depends on where you carry your weight, as others have mentioned, and on our perceptions of what healthy weight is.0 -
Most people have forgotten what we're suppose to look like. In many Asian countries, that BMI would be considered obese and would be seen as obese in those countries. It's different standards for different types of bodies. You may not think you look overweight but by the look of your thighs it looks that way for me. American ideal beauty is of a larger woman or curvier woman, so that's why you may not see it.
Another point can be that people also carry weight differently. For example, your fat can go to your butt & breasts more than an average person and you may like that look. Compare that to someone of your height at 150lbs with their fat going to their stomach. In terms of health, both have different implications.
However, at 25.7, I don't think you needed to worry too much. If you're happy with how your body looks at a reasonably healthy weight, I don't think it's a big deal.
That's because Asians are shorter and have smaller frames than caucasians and other races.5 -
Being able to "carry weight well" doesn't make a person not overweight. Appearance isn't the same as health. BMI doesn't always work, mostly for people who have a lot of muscle. As others have mentioned, as well, we grow used to seeing larger people, so we often can't tell what is overweight anymore.3
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heatherheyns wrote: »Being able to "carry weight well" doesn't make a person not overweight. Appearance isn't the same as health. BMI doesn't always work, mostly for people who have a lot of muscle. As others have mentioned, as well, we grow used to seeing larger people, so we often can't tell what is overweight anymore.
While it doesn't make a person not overweight, it doesn't mean they always look overweight.0 -
Not really sure why everyone is telling me that I just have a distorted view of myself. I think anyone on here would agree that I don't look overweight. I'm sure I sound like I'm saying it in a "look at me" type of way but I'm not. I'm just looking for reasons why my BMI seems high for someone my size other than that "we are used to seeing bigger people so it seems like a normal weight". I don't see how I'm considered big.0 -
Not really sure why everyone is telling me that I just have a distorted view of myself. I think anyone on here would agree that I don't look overweight. I'm sure I sound like I'm saying it in a "look at me" type of way but I'm not. I'm just looking for reasons why my BMI seems high for someone my size other than that "we are used to seeing bigger people so it seems like a normal weight". I don't see how I'm considered big.
You look perfect to me, and not at all overweight!!2 -
BMI is stupid mine is 31 or something
I weigh 188 pounds and wear size m jeans. its telling me i am obese
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Take the BMI calculator.....throw it out and never look at it again. BMI is for classifying populations not individuals. When I was about 16 my doctor told me I had to lose about 20lb (I was around 160lb) to be in my healthy BMI. I played a few sports, but nothing crazy. I was likely around a size 10-12. Fast forward to my early 20's when I got really sick and lost about 30lb in one month and was around 150lb and a size 8 I looked sick, you could see all my bones and I thought to myself, how the hell would I have gotten to and maintained 140lb?!?!?!?! Just be the healthiest you can be and love yourself.1
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I've honestly never payed attention to the BMI number, it means nothing to me. I go by scale weight, the mirror and how my clothes fit.0
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If I was, maybe I would be posting my pictures in the success stories section. Or not trying to lose weight.shellen007 wrote: »
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I don't really let it bother me but I decided to calculate my BMI just out of curiosity, I expected to be in the normal range so I was just confused!Christine_72 wrote: »I've honestly never payed attention to the BMI number, it means nothing to me. I go by scale weight, the mirror and how my clothes fit.
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Christine_72 wrote: »
Not really sure why everyone is telling me that I just have a distorted view of myself. I think anyone on here would agree that I don't look overweight. I'm sure I sound like I'm saying it in a "look at me" type of way but I'm not. I'm just looking for reasons why my BMI seems high for someone my size other than that "we are used to seeing bigger people so it seems like a normal weight". I don't see how I'm considered big.
You look perfect to me, and not at all overweight!!
Sorry, just ignore this. I commented on your comment accidentally.0 -
Not really sure why everyone is telling me that I just have a distorted view of myself. I think anyone on here would agree that I don't look overweight. I'm sure I sound like I'm saying it in a "look at me" type of way but I'm not. I'm just looking for reasons why my BMI seems high for someone my size other than that "we are used to seeing bigger people so it seems like a normal weight". I don't see how I'm considered big.
That's you at 150lbs? You look skinnier than your profile picture in this one. If that's 150lbs for you, I wouldn't really worry.0 -
tbh it's pretty hard to tell how overweight someone is through 1 photo, especially if they pose well7
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Colorscheme wrote: »Most people have forgotten what we're suppose to look like. In many Asian countries, that BMI would be considered obese and would be seen as obese in those countries. It's different standards for different types of bodies. You may not think you look overweight but by the look of your thighs it looks that way for me. American ideal beauty is of a larger woman or curvier woman, so that's why you may not see it.
Another point can be that people also carry weight differently. For example, your fat can go to your butt & breasts more than an average person and you may like that look. Compare that to someone of your height at 150lbs with their fat going to their stomach. In terms of health, both have different implications.
However, at 25.7, I don't think you needed to worry too much. If you're happy with how your body looks at a reasonably healthy weight, I don't think it's a big deal.
That's because Asians are shorter and have smaller frames than caucasians and other races.
Yup, I'm well aware. Their medical history is different to ours. Other than health, their preferred body image is also a lot smaller to ours. I've met some Korean women who would be called a good size in the west and seen as fat in Korea.2 -
Not really sure why everyone is telling me that I just have a distorted view of myself. I think anyone on here would agree that I don't look overweight. I'm sure I sound like I'm saying it in a "look at me" type of way but I'm not. I'm just looking for reasons why my BMI seems high for someone my size other than that "we are used to seeing bigger people so it seems like a normal weight". I don't see how I'm considered big.
BMI is calculated through a mathematical formula based on your height and weight . I don't understand why it is so difficult for you to understand that your result puts you in the overweight zone based on that calculation.
Different pictures don't change your BMI outcome. My profile has has pictures of me showing my lower body and you can look at them and seek my legs are very lean and wonder why I'm trying to lose fat. But then look at the picture showing my upper body (beige t-shirt dress) and see that I have stomach fat to lose. Same weight and bf% and BMI in all those pictures. Changing the angle of the shot didn't make me more or less fat. It just hid it less or more.12 -
An overweight BMI is an overweight BMI for the majority of non-body building folk, even if you don't "look it". I think in your case (going off your profile picture because I'm assuming the newest photo in thread is a current weight photo) you carried a lot of weight in areas that are socially acceptable for women to carry extra weight in (boobs, butt, thighs). Because you carried it that way you don't look "heavy" you looked what most people would deem to be sexy!
Meanwhile I am very, very straight shaped and carry extra weight poorly despite being 5'9", I'd look a lot more overweight than you at a 25.7 BMI- but we'd both be medically classified as overweight at that BMI ykwim?
Regardless I wouldn't sweat it, your BMI is normal now and you look great! Congrats on your loss!3 -
Person A is 5'4" and 150 lbs. They keep most of their weight in their breasts, thighs, and butt. Person B is 5'4" and 150 lbs. They keep most of their weight in their stomach and arms.
Both person A and person B are equally overweight while person A may be more "attractive" in society. Where you hold your weight does not affect BMI and it doesn't mean you aren't overweight if you hold weight well.
However, BMI doesn't tell the whole picture. You're better off finding out your BF%.7
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