Ignoring BMI

QueenBishOTUniverse

Ok, I'll admit, I've never liked BMI. I've always been suspicious that it doesn't really apply to me, but everything I read says that BMI should be used unless you're some kind of extreme athlete, which I definitely am not. HOWEVER, I was running some calculations in my head, and I really think I'm right about this, but I'm no fitness expert so I'm putting my thinking out there. Let me know if there's something I'm missing. Also, what are your thoughts on BMI?

My stats: 5'8" 195lbs, 35% body fat, want to lose 30lbs.

Here's why I think BMI is a crock, if I lose 30 lbs, down to 165, I'm overweight according to BMI, just barely (164 is the max) but still. But wait, if I lose 30 lbs, assuming I'm lifting and maintaing LBM, then that should be fat yes? So my body fat % should be 20%, definitely NOT overweight. I know what I look like at 165 lbs, and I don't look over weight.

Lets take the thought experiment further, drop me down to 15% body fat, that would be 156 lbs. So that means I have an 8 lb margin of error between 15% body fat, and over weight.... huh? I might, MIGHT be able to get down to 156 lbs, I haven't been that weight since college, when I was playing lacrosse and training 3-4 hours a day but sure, it could happen, but I'm supposed to believe that 176 lbs (25% body fat) is over weight for me and unhealthy. I just don't see it.

Anyways, just wondering if I'm missing something here, or if I should stick with my usual premise that as long as I stay under 175 lbs at least health wise, I'm good. I've never been able to get a doctor to give me a strait answer to this question, and I have asked.

littlewhittles

I think body fat % is a better indicator, and BMI is a rough set of numbers for people to go by. Some people might weigh the same, but not have the same lean muscle mass, and actually BE more overweight. I think, if you reliably know your BF% that you can get around the BMI thing.

How did you determine your BF%? I'm just curious, as I'd like to, but don't have a reliable way to test it.

QueenBishOTUniverse

Just based on measurements, I'm estimated anywhere from 31% to 40%. Based on an electric scale I'm consistently 35%. I had caliper measurements taken many years ago, but I have no idea what they were. Based on eyeballing (I've looked it up, it's a valid method) I'd say 30-35%. So I'm fairly comfortable going with 35%, even if I'm off a point or two, the numbers don't change enough to change my basic premise.

grimendale

BMI is more intended as a population measure than as an individual measure. According to BMI, I'm overweight. According to body fat, I'm in the fit range. I've never paid any attention to BMI and never will.

DawnieB1977

I am just barely in the healthy BMI category - 5'6, 154lbs. However my body fat is around 28% which at age 35 is perfectly healthy (although I'd like to get down to 25%) and I wear a UK size 10/12 (US 6/8).

Years ago I was 147lbs but the same size as now. Back then I just did cardio, so I guess my few extra lbs now could be because I do a lot more strength training. Or it could just be my mummy tummy lol which I did not have pre kids!

My personal trainer has actually told me I don't need to drop any more weight or I'll start to look gaunt, although I would like to lose a little bit.

Canderson58054

I found this article interesting...
http://sizeandsubstance.com/2011/11/28/body-mass-index-bmi-where-it-came-from-and-what-its-good-for/

Crazy that the BMI system was started that long ago!! Times have changed, maybe that system of measuring and judging people should too.

coolraul07

I pay attention just for insurance purposes, etc. My goal weight (240#) was chosen because at 6'4" my obese/overweight boundary is 246# and I want 6# of wiggle room for fluctuations. I will use strength training to get my BF% down (I estimate 25-29% now) and looks better, but I want to officially stay outta obese territory. My normal/overweight boundary is #204; the last time I was that light I was 17 years old and 4.5" shorter. Looking back on those pics, I was 'skinny fat' and didn't like the way I look. I could imagine how sickly I'd look at that weight now with my height. It wouldn't look right on my frame so IDGAF what the BMI charts say, I ain't doing it!

casy84

How is it that BMI is ignored/dismissed only by overweight people?
If an underweight would happen to say something like this you would all send him/her to the doctor regardless of bone structure or eating habbits.

DawnieB1977

How is it that BMI is ignored/dismissed only by overweight people?
If an underweight would happen to say something like this you would all send him/her to the doctor regardless of bone structure or eating habbits.

My personal trainer thinks BMI is a load of rubbish!

I am a healthy BMI and I don't think it's the best way of deciding if you're healthy or not. Sure, it's better to be within a healthy BMI range.

I'm sure some underweight people are perfectly healthy too, although to be under a BMI of 18 you probably have to be pretty small.

JesterMFP

I think BMI is a blunt tool, and it's more suited for measuring populations rather than individuals.

However, for individuals, I think it's a good general indicator, especially for people who don't have a way of easily/accurately measuring body fat %. I think the people for whom it is less relevant are those that have a higher percentage of lean mass. Someone can easily be in the "overweight" BMI range, but have a healthy body fat %, and they are likely to have a lot of lean mass.

For people who are not that active and have average levels of lean mass, BMI is, imo, more relevant. Especially for people who are obese, it gives them a good general idea of where to aim for. I also think it's more relevant when people get towards the lower end. I've seen lots of people who are "overweight" but probably perfectly healthy because of their body fat %. I think that most people who are "underweight" according to the BMI would actually be healthier if they gained some weight.

SpleenThief

the most common misconception about BMI is that it indicates obesity or overweightness.

It indicates you're AT RISK for these. Most people point to the 6'1" linebacker weighing in at 310 pounds. BMI indicates he's obese but he's got 11% body fat. They'll point to this guy and say BMI is bunk.

but it's not

His BMI indicates he's at risk for being obese and he should look into the situation with his doctor to find out more.

Use it as a guideline, take into account other things like %body fat, etc., aerobic conditioning, flexibility and get a good picture of your total health, but don't ignore it and don't discount it.

rachseby

I'm with OP. When I was 145-150 I was "overweight" (I'm 5'3"). Which made me think I was fat and afraid to step on the scale! If I manage to get back into that range, bmi can kiss my overweight butt

cardiothief

BMI is BS
According to that, I should be between 64-79 kg.
When I was 78kg I looked sick. My face looked like it was sucked in and my hip bones were sticking out...
I had almost no body fat and loosing more would just have been unhealthy.
I have a big build... broad shoulders etc. used to be a rugby player in my younger years...

Weighing in at 83-85 was perfect for me. 10kg over weight according to my BMI...
I go on what I feel not what some charts tells me.

QueenBishOTUniverse

Thanks for all the great posts! This was basically what I think as well, but like I said, I could be missing something. As for overweight people wanting to ignore BMI, I understand what you're getting at. That's honestly why I brought up the question, because I thought maybe I was doing that. On the other hand I know what I look like at 165, I wear a size 6-8 long. My SKELETON wouldn't fit in anything smaller than a size 6. I also know when I was in high school my doctor specifically told me to NEVER try to go below 145 because I was much stronger than most people my size and anything below that would be too skinny. My shoulders got a lot bigger and my upper body strength shot up in college, so I really think 156 is my minimum now. Maybe I'm wrong, but when I ask doctors now if my weight is ok when I'm at 170ish, all I get is a bunch of mumbling....

JamieM8168

I was just thinking this the other day! I'm 5' 8 and 162-165 depending on the day, and I looked at my BMI and immediatily thought "really, wtf?" after all my hard work, starting at 250, I'm just now reaching a heathy level of BMI.
I don't think I can lose that much more weight to be 'average healthy' I'd look nuts at like 135-140.

I'm just still going to aim for the 155 I had originally planned despite those charts

bokodasu

Bodyfat is a much better measure, but you will lose *some* LBM if you lose weight. It's not all muscle - it's everything that's in your body that isn't fat. So you won't need as much blood sloshing around or water to fill up your cells or whatever. And probably some muscle will get lost too, that's just the way it goes.

You kind of just have to see when you get there - if you can be 20% BF at 165 lbs, then yeah, it would be silly to try to go under that, unless your insurance gives you a discount for BMI and then losing the extra pound would be worth the $$.

xampx

I agree BMI is crap. I have lost over 50lbs, BMI says I am still obese. To get to a normal BMI I need to lose another 50lbs.

Every person I have mentioned this to has said no way, you will look hideous if you lose another 50lbs. So I plan to lose at most, another 30lbs which will put me right in the middle over the overweight category.

I would be much happier with a happy BF% than a 'normal' BMI

bumblebums

How is it that BMI is ignored/dismissed only by overweight people?
If an underweight would happen to say something like this you would all send him/her to the doctor regardless of bone structure or eating habbits.

Because BMI is problematic for muscular people who are placed in the overweight range even if they are not carrying much fat. I am not saying it applies to OP necessarily. The standard BMI formula also applies a linear metric to people of various heights, but they do not carry extra weight in the same way:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9816596/Interactive-calculator-do-you-win-or-lose-with-the-new-BMI.html

According to Mr Trefethen, the current formula to calculate the score (weight/height2) is incorrect because "it divides the weight by too large a number for short people, and too small a number for tall people. So short people are misled into thinking they are thinner than they are, and tall people are misled into thinking they are fatter than they are."

Anyway, as others said, BMI is just one of several ways of assessing whether you are at a healthy weight--useful as a starting point, but not something you should rely on exclusively.

lilbearzmom

Um yeah. Take a look at my profile picture. I am still considered obese according to BMI. I am just a couple pounds shy of overweight, but still. My plan is to get down to 160 (still considered overweight by about 11 lbs) and reevaluate. I am thinking I will switch to maintenance and focus on body fat % at that point. My doctor agrees to all of this as well.

cwolfman13

Your BF% is far more indicative of your health. I'm no extreme athlete...body builder...shredded...ripped...whatever. I have some decent muscle 'cuz I workout and I train...according to BMI I'm overweight...but I'm at a completely healthy BF% and all of my blood work, etc reflects that. I would think the only thing you might have to concern yourself with is that if you put on a ton of muscle (and thus were overweight by BMI standards) that might be hard on your joints...but I'm nowhere near that. I'm 5'10" and 180 Lbs at 20% BF.

aliciaje

It is truly unfortunate that doctors and insurance companies apply BMI to an individual then make judgments on ones health purely based on it. It is also unfortunate when people say that anyone who is out of the healthy range and still thinks they are at a healthy weight is in denial.

I am a "special snowflake" or whatever those rude people want to call it. I have been out of the "healthy" range my whole life. I went to get a BodyPod done a couple weeks ago because I want to know why I am so darn heavy. The results were pretty eye-opening. I am currently at 23.4% BF and weight 163lbs and LEAN body mass of 125.5lbs (aka everything else in your body excluding fat). I am 5'4 making my BMI 28. In order for me to get down to the TOP of the healthy range (145lbs) and maintaining my lean body mass, I would have to be at 13.7%BF. I am NOT interested in losing lean body mass OR getting down to 13.7% BF, so I guess I will just have to accept I will always be in the overweight category.