Is BMI useful?

tanny684

I'm 31, 5ft 6, 224lbs. Pictures below. I have a hip to waist ratio of 0.7. I'm an RN and my vital signs are normal. I'm ridiculously strong and can move 300lb patients with ease. I work 13 hour shifts, on my feet the whole time and then will go to dinner or party. I have lots of energy.

My Bmi is about 34-35. According to my doctor, who gives me crap every time I see him, I need to lose like 60lbs minimum. I think that's too much.

Can BMI be false?

jemhh

There are bmi outliers--tall people, heavily muscled people--but you are not one. You are obese. BMI is not a judgement on aesthetics. It is not a diagnostic tool either. But it is a very simple tool to determine if you are more likely to be at risk of certain health issues. You are 70 lbs over the top of your healthy range. From a health perspective, that can cause serious issues. Denying it does you no favors.

chel325

Yeah it's important. Even though you look great you are statistically more likely to develop obesity related illnesses vs someone with a healthy weight.

It's like smoking cigarettes, many people don't get lung cancer but they are statistically more at risk than a non smoker even though a non smoker can also get lung cancer.

If health is important to you, especially as you age, you'll want to listen to your doctor. If it's not and you only care about aesthetics then you're good cause you have a nice hour glass figure!

queenliz99

Listen to your doctor!

ValerieMartini2Olives

queenliz99 wrote: »

Listen to your doctor!

Unless her doctor is her boyfriend who is telling her to lose 28 pounds in 28 days.

yesimpson

You may be healthy now in your early thirties, but an obese BMI increases the likelihood of encountering poor health later. You may find your weight never affects your health, but why take the chance if you can reduce it?

singingflutelady

Interesting pictures

Isabelle_1929

singingflutelady wrote: »

Interesting pictures

Especially the second one: "Hey guys, look at my new belt!"
I thought only teens did that.

Anyway.

Now more seriously, OP, assuming your post is serious:

If you use a free and mostly anonymous internet forum to validate a DOCTOR recommendation , stop seeing that doctor and find another one that you will trust.

niblue

5' 6" and 220lbs is not good - I'm 5'10" and 203 and need to lose 30lbs. Those pics don't look like a 220lb person however.

ninerbuff

I'm 5'7" and over 200lbs. There's NO WAY you have more muscle than me and I'm a bit "soft" looking right now. 60lbs minimum for you sounds about right.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

MissusMoon

A lot of people want to say BMI is worthless. They want to think they are extreme outliers like professional body builders. I'm not happy that I still have 30lbs until mine reflects I'm simply overweight, but I'm not in denial about it, either.

You do have a lovely shape and probably feel fine right now, but your BMI is accurate.

I'm a little over 10 years older than you, and I assure you, it will catch up with you. Your feet, your knees, probably your blood sugar, too. Those long shifts you are doing with the extra weight are already damaging your joints.

Underweight BMI's, and those over 25 are correlated with specific health outcomes for a reason.

vespiquenn

Yes, BMI applies to you. You may able to do those things now, but you are still young. No one ever said that the effects of obesity is immediate.

With that being said, aesthetically if that's how you prefer your body, that is your decision. But do not fool yourself into thinking that obesity is healthy. You might end up paying for it, you might not. Personally, that would be something I wouldn't be willing to chance.

zoeysasha37

Well sadly you don't appear very muscular at all. I would listen to your doctor. You do appear obese and I agree that 60-70 lbs weight loss would do you some good. I'm just being honest. We're human, so we'd all like to believe that we're special snowflakes and outliers. But most of us aren't, including you.