Doctor said not to reach a healthy bmi?
Replies
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accidentalpancake wrote: »BMI is a bunch of woo.
Your doctor may not have good reasons, or didn't articulate them, but basing your healthy weight only on BMI range is a bad idea.
BMI charts are not woo. The woo around BMI charts are the amount of people who think they are an outlier and BMI doesn't apply to them because they have a large frame, big bones, etc. Of course there are outliers to BMI charts, but most people are not outliers like they want to believe. In addition, most people don't know what a healthy weight looks like anymore or can't imagine themselves at a certain weight because they were so used to being overweight and/or obese for so long. The good thing about the BMI scale is that it gives a range of weights to aim for, not a set weight.
I'm 5'3" and 114 pounds; I looked terrible at my starting weight of 139 even though that's already in a healthy range. However, there are other women my height who look great in the 130s but would look too thin at my weight. That's exactly why a weight range is given. In the end it's up to the individual and how they feel in their own skin, but BMI is just one of many reference points that shouldn't just be disregarded.43 -
randilyn2013 wrote: »Neither myself or any family have ever had any eating disorders, or at least the kind where you are thin. Obesity, heart disease and diabetes do though. I just finished my degree in human biology so I know that crash dieting is neither sustainable nor healthy. I'm really looking long term for my health, which is why I've aiming for the normal range of the bmi chart.
This shouldn't matter but we do live in Indiana. There's a CDC report for Indiana that has 30% of adults obese and 66% overweight. I'm thinking it's more that even her "thin" patients aren't even at normal weights. I do have another follow up after an X-ray this week for my wrist and I can be more specific with my questions then.
*as someone had asked, my doctor is not thin and fit which could also be influencing her recommendation.
This may very well be the case then. I know someone mentioned in another thread they were having issues with their doctor that sounded like personal bias interfering with the doctor's opinion. In any case, try asking her for a serious answer. If not, seek a second opinion from another doctor or a dietician. From the sounds of it your own goal is perfectly fine.2 -
I guess not, since you've posted this thread, but it kinda sounds - based on the exact words you said were used - she was maybe joking? Or, just trying to be funny?
But, yeah - I'd also suggest outright asking her what she meant and/or why she said it (that way).0 -
I had an appointment recently with my hospital dietitian
She suggested i should swap to maintenance now rather than continue losing weight....... my bmi is 40 (down from 70)
Ill continue trying to lose cheers, hoping to prove i was right to keep going when i see them in 6 months6 -
mine told me to focus on building lean muscle mass, than just weight loss - so while I am "overweight" by BMI, she is happy where I am because of the goals we developed. Maybe that is the route to take - instead of picking a number on the scale, work with your doc and RD (if you can get a referral) to come up with a plan that takes all your health into account (blood work etc)1
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I'm 62, 5'2" and am currently 132# aiming for 125. I've been here before and know that I'm a good weight at 121 but a little gaunt in the face. I still have some belly fat at 125. I can't imagine that being overweight is healthy, no matter your age. When I was in my 20's I weighed 118 and had lots of muscle and looked great. I'm willing to be a little higher in weight at my age, just to look younger
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Just remember "healthy" is not a BMI category. Normal, and over/under-weight are your BMI categories.2
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randilyn2013 wrote: »Neither myself or any family have ever had any eating disorders, or at least the kind where you are thin. Obesity, heart disease and diabetes do though. I just finished my degree in human biology so I know that crash dieting is neither sustainable nor healthy. I'm really looking long term for my health, which is why I've aiming for the normal range of the bmi chart.
This shouldn't matter but we do live in Indiana. There's a CDC report for Indiana that has 30% of adults obese and 66% overweight. I'm thinking it's more that even her "thin" patients aren't even at normal weights. I do have another follow up after an X-ray this week for my wrist and I can be more specific with my questions then.
*as someone had asked, my doctor is not thin and fit which could also be influencing her recommendation.
I'm from Indiana too, and have to say it would be an extremely questionable doctor who can't sort the 66% >25 BMI Hoosiers from the 44% <25 BMI Hoosiers. You say this is your primary suspicion--if so, I would have a) immediately started inspecting her wall to find where her medical degree was from, and b) made plans to find another doctor.
Also, just curious, since you have a degree that (I am assuming) has something to do with science (and I note the crimson color of the diploma case as well as the limestone Collegiate Gothic architecture in the background), and I hope has prepared you to be knowledgeable, curious, and insightful about human biology matters, as well as qualified you to have high-level scientific conversations: why wouldn't you have drawn on your field of expertise to immediately cross-examine the doctor on this odd opinion? Rather, you submit it to random internet strangers?-1 -
Many people think the BMI Chart is not an accurate reflection if someone is overweight/healthy. There are different methods -- such as the waist to hip ratio -- which are starting to surface which people are thinking would be a better reflection of health. It could be your doctor's opinion is based off how you look and their lack of belief in the BMI Chart.1
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I don't think the drs are trying to keep people overweight. Everyone is hung up on "diets don't work" and article after article about how many people cannot maintain their loss for the rest of their life... I think they are trying to say (inarticulately) that you don't need to resort to VLCD/crazy fads, and it's better to maintain a stable weight than to yo-yo.
FWIW- I personally believe that IF an accident or horrible disease were to strike me, I'd rather be a little "overweight" and have a buffer of fat & muscle than risk immediate death (and/or a feeding tube) if not necessary!?
Real life: My (then overweight) brother was in a bad accident as a 14 year old (ejected from a truck bed w/a 16 yo new driver, bc that's the kind of judgement teens had when no adults were around for 30 seconds, apparently!).
He's now in his mid thirties and can walk/run/SCUBA dive, play sports (minus the metal hip, wrist & bone fragments still floating around, and all that learning how to walk again, etc.), but ER said if he were a skinny kid at the time, he probably would not have survived.3 -
French_Peasant wrote: »why wouldn't you have drawn on your field of expertise to immediately cross-examine the doctor on this odd opinion? Rather, you submit it to random internet strangers?
Not trying to answer for the OP, but this struck me as a judgmental question. Lots of people need time to debrief & analyze information or suggestions/advice they've received, especially from what are presumed to be knowledgeable professionals. It's far easier as an outsider to evaluate the OP's experience after the fact than it might have been as the OP in the moment.
I don't get this line of questioning at all, the whole, "well, why didn't you do it this way?" Seems really pointless & only intended to make the OP doubt herself. If the point was to offer an alternative perspective to the OP so she could learn & grow & perhaps better handle odd professional advice in the future, maybe asking in a way that wasn't so, "Didn't they teach you that in your fancy school?" would be in line.
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stanmann571 wrote: »Just remember "healthy" is not a BMI category. Normal, and over/under-weight are your BMI categories.
When "BMI Chart" is searched for on Google, many websites use Healthy/Normal interchangeably, actually. I completely understand this though as one can be healthy without falling within a certain range on the BMI charts.
In my own writing I prefer to use "healthy" since I feel like it reads better than "normal". "Many people don't know what a normal weight looks like.", "BMI gives a normal weight range", etc. I guess it's because the word normal has many connotations, you know?
Being underweight, overweight, or obese generally comes with health risks which is part of why people gain/lose weight; to be healthier. That's not to imply that anyone outside of those parameters cannot possibly be healthy, as healthy also has many aspects to it. However, if I had written normal, it would feel like I'm implying those who don't fall within a certain range according to BMI are abnormal in some way. I suppose I'm being pedantic in my thinking but I try to choose my words carefully since I know weight is a touchy subject and negativity toward it can be found everywhere.10 -
Maxematics wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »Just remember "healthy" is not a BMI category. Normal, and over/under-weight are your BMI categories.
When "BMI Chart" is searched for on Google, many websites use Healthy/Normal interchangeably, actually. I completely understand this though as one can be healthy without falling within a certain range on the BMI charts.
In my own writing I prefer to use "healthy" since I feel like it reads better than "normal". "Many people don't know what a normal weight looks like.", "BMI gives a normal weight range", etc. I guess it's because the word normal has many connotations, you know?
Being underweight, overweight, or obese generally comes with health risks which is part of why people gain/lose weight; to be healthier. That's not to imply that anyone outside of those parameters cannot possibly be healthy, as healthy also has many aspects to it. However, if I had written normal, it would feel like I'm implying those who don't fall within a certain range according to BMI are abnormal in some way. I suppose I'm being pedantic in my thinking but I try to choose my words carefully since I know weight is a touchy subject and negativity toward it can be found everywhere.
I was being pedantic, so being pedantic in response is quite reasonable.4 -
I went to the doctor and didn't understand something she told me, and I didn't ask the right questions so I would understand. I called the office to ask her to call me to explain, and she did. Hope your doctor is open to direct communication, too.2
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So maybe it was a bad joke...
I'm 5'3, 137lbs, 37 years old. I'm not so small that people mistake me for a child. But I could see where someone with a poor sense of humor might think joking about being "child sized" might work.
For me, 150lbs is too heavy. I started around 190. Under 125lbs is too small for me. BMI is a range and isn't perfect; it's just 1 tool.1 -
ruqayyahsmum wrote: »I had an appointment recently with my hospital dietitian
She suggested i should swap to maintenance now rather than continue losing weight....... my bmi is 40 (down from 70)
Ill continue trying to lose cheers, hoping to prove i was right to keep going when i see them in 6 months
Congrats on your progress so far. As you know you saved your life. Personally, before you decide to continue losing I would ask your dietitian/doctor why they want you at maintenance now. Given your drastic weight loss, there may be medically valid reasons to go to maintenance for the time being.
Best of luck.1 -
Packerjohn wrote: »ruqayyahsmum wrote: »I had an appointment recently with my hospital dietitian
She suggested i should swap to maintenance now rather than continue losing weight....... my bmi is 40 (down from 70)
Ill continue trying to lose cheers, hoping to prove i was right to keep going when i see them in 6 months
Congrats on your progress so far. As you know you saved your life. Personally, before you decide to continue losing I would ask your dietitian/doctor why they want you at maintenance now. Given your drastic weight loss, there may be medically valid reasons to go to maintenance for the time being.
Best of luck.
Indeed, If She's suggesting a month or 2 break, its entirely different from saying you should settle at 40 for the rest of your life.
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French_Peasant wrote: »randilyn2013 wrote: »Neither myself or any family have ever had any eating disorders, or at least the kind where you are thin. Obesity, heart disease and diabetes do though. I just finished my degree in human biology so I know that crash dieting is neither sustainable nor healthy. I'm really looking long term for my health, which is why I've aiming for the normal range of the bmi chart.
This shouldn't matter but we do live in Indiana. There's a CDC report for Indiana that has 30% of adults obese and 66% overweight. I'm thinking it's more that even her "thin" patients aren't even at normal weights. I do have another follow up after an X-ray this week for my wrist and I can be more specific with my questions then.
*as someone had asked, my doctor is not thin and fit which could also be influencing her recommendation.
I'm from Indiana too, and have to say it would be an extremely questionable doctor who can't sort the 66% >25 BMI Hoosiers from the 44% <25 BMI Hoosiers. You say this is your primary suspicion--if so, I would have a) immediately started inspecting her wall to find where her medical degree was from, and b) made plans to find another doctor.
Also, just curious, since you have a degree that (I am assuming) has something to do with science (and I note the crimson color of the diploma case as well as the limestone Collegiate Gothic architecture in the background), and I hope has prepared you to be knowledgeable, curious, and insightful about human biology matters, as well as qualified you to have high-level scientific conversations: why wouldn't you have drawn on your field of expertise to immediately cross-examine the doctor on this odd opinion? Rather, you submit it to random internet strangers?
Because having a science based degree means you can't be made to feel uncomfortable when interacting with a professional? Many people have a hard time questioning their doctors or other people in a powerful position, when they are in a vulnerable one (i.e. a patient). Or maybe she was just surprised and needed this time to gather herself.
Either way, what a dick question. Insulting in about ten different ways. You tried to question her education and her intelligence, but frankly I question yours.6 -
French_Peasant wrote: »why wouldn't you have drawn on your field of expertise to immediately cross-examine the doctor on this odd opinion? Rather, you submit it to random internet strangers?
Not trying to answer for the OP, but this struck me as a judgmental question. Lots of people need time to debrief & analyze information or suggestions/advice they've received, especially from what are presumed to be knowledgeable professionals. It's far easier as an outsider to evaluate the OP's experience after the fact than it might have been as the OP in the moment.
I don't get this line of questioning at all, the whole, "well, why didn't you do it this way?" Seems really pointless & only intended to make the OP doubt herself. If the point was to offer an alternative perspective to the OP so she could learn & grow & perhaps better handle odd professional advice in the future, maybe asking in a way that wasn't so, "Didn't they teach you that in your fancy school?" would be in line.
Sorry if I am not touchy-feely enough; I tend to strip things down to brass tacks. In this case, I truly am baffled.
As a former faculty member for the upper level research methodology & critical thinking course that every Biology BA or BS would be required to take, I am well aware of the professional standards expected from a graduate earning that diploma, if it is in fact the school I am thinking of. It's not a "fancy" school by any means, but it is a school with extremely rigorous standards and highly respected reputation, which are upheld by high expectations, particularly for the majors like Human Biology that feed into its medical school.
More troubling is her apparent misunderstanding of the CDC data and willingness to think her doctor was just ignorant because 96% of her patients are overweight and the doctor proffers medical advice based on such evidence (instead of medical training and journals) "just because it's Indiana."
If I seem overly harsh, it is just because I have very high expectations for this particular school and degree, and am passionate about the graduates it turns out, and their ability to continue to apply their fine scientific education.1 -
If your doctor is a bit 'pudgy' like most people, and the majority of her patients are too, she may very well have forgotten what a healthy weight person actually looks like. And especially if she and the other patients are taller, then the ideal-ish number range for you at 5'2" may have sounded very low to her.1
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randilyn2013 wrote: »This shouldn't matter but we do live in Indiana. There's a CDC report for Indiana that has 30% of adults obese and 66% overweight. I'm thinking it's more that even her "thin" patients aren't even at normal weights. I do have another follow up after an X-ray this week for my wrist and I can be more specific with my questions then.
*as someone had asked, my doctor is not thin and fit which could also be influencing her recommendation.
^ Yeah. pretty much this.0 -
stanmann571 wrote: »Just remember "healthy" is not a BMI category. Normal, and over/under-weight are your BMI categories.
I find it hard to refer to the normal range as "Normal" now that it is more abnormal in our society to not be at least somewhat noticeably overweight (at least where I live).2 -
French_Peasant wrote: »randilyn2013 wrote: »Neither myself or any family have ever had any eating disorders, or at least the kind where you are thin. Obesity, heart disease and diabetes do though. I just finished my degree in human biology so I know that crash dieting is neither sustainable nor healthy. I'm really looking long term for my health, which is why I've aiming for the normal range of the bmi chart.
This shouldn't matter but we do live in Indiana. There's a CDC report for Indiana that has 30% of adults obese and 66% overweight. I'm thinking it's more that even her "thin" patients aren't even at normal weights. I do have another follow up after an X-ray this week for my wrist and I can be more specific with my questions then.
*as someone had asked, my doctor is not thin and fit which could also be influencing her recommendation.
I'm from Indiana too, and have to say it would be an extremely questionable doctor who can't sort the 66% >25 BMI Hoosiers from the 44% <25 BMI Hoosiers. You say this is your primary suspicion--if so, I would have a) immediately started inspecting her wall to find where her medical degree was from, and b) made plans to find another doctor.
Also, just curious, since you have a degree that (I am assuming) has something to do with science (and I note the crimson color of the diploma case as well as the limestone Collegiate Gothic architecture in the background), and I hope has prepared you to be knowledgeable, curious, and insightful about human biology matters, as well as qualified you to have high-level scientific conversations: why wouldn't you have drawn on your field of expertise to immediately cross-examine the doctor on this odd opinion? Rather, you submit it to random internet strangers?
Because having a science based degree means you can't be made to feel uncomfortable when interacting with a professional? Many people have a hard time questioning their doctors or other people in a powerful position, when they are in a vulnerable one (i.e. a patient). Or maybe she was just surprised and needed this time to gather herself.
Either way, what a dick question. Insulting in about ten different ways. You tried to question her education and her intelligence, but frankly I question yours.
Having a degree in the hard sciences (or really any classical liberal field) makes it absolutely incumbent upon you to question professionals and others in positions of power, no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel. It is, in fact, a moral obligation, and the reason our society supports education in the first place and pours billions of tax dollars into it and forces science majors to take courses in the humanities and lit majors to take courses in science. Society benefits when we use our critical thinking skills, whether it is protecting ourselves from bad medical advice, asking someone "why?" so they have to re-examine their position, or protecting others by fighting against/questioning bad political decisions. I realize this stance makes me a dick. It is indeed regrettable that there are not more people out there being dicks about it.7 -
Is she old? I didn't read all the posts but before 1998 ( I think that's the right year) the BMI chart started at 27.3 for healthy range for women. Also, did she talk about your frame? When I read mid/high healthy BMI I look and feel anorexic so maybe she thinks you have a large frame. Also maybe she knows too many people that went to low, got food crazy and gained it all back instead of finding a healthy middle?1
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Doctors like a bit of fat on older women, but at 22 -- that's ridiculous. Assuming you are losing in a safe and slow manner and there are no other medical conditions, keep going and hit your goal!0
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That's really weird, and I would be curious how exactly she phrased it.
When I was about 145 (which is overweight for me, but not much -- I'm 5'3), I saw my doctor and she gave me all the tests and talked about fitness and so on (I had just done a half marathon and talked to her about my running schedule), she said I seemed to be in great health and very fit and although I was technically a bit overweight she didn't see it as a health issue. I said I was actually in the process of losing and planned to lose more. She asked me what I was eating/how I was losing/what my goal was and I told her (my goal was 120-125), and she said that sounded great too.
I would not consider that her telling me not to lose more. If she'd said "no, I think you should stay 145" I'd have thought that was weird, but I did not think the conversation we had was at all.
Do you have any past issues with an ED?0 -
French_Peasant wrote: »French_Peasant wrote: »why wouldn't you have drawn on your field of expertise to immediately cross-examine the doctor on this odd opinion? Rather, you submit it to random internet strangers?
Not trying to answer for the OP, but this struck me as a judgmental question. Lots of people need time to debrief & analyze information or suggestions/advice they've received, especially from what are presumed to be knowledgeable professionals. It's far easier as an outsider to evaluate the OP's experience after the fact than it might have been as the OP in the moment.
I don't get this line of questioning at all, the whole, "well, why didn't you do it this way?" Seems really pointless & only intended to make the OP doubt herself. If the point was to offer an alternative perspective to the OP so she could learn & grow & perhaps better handle odd professional advice in the future, maybe asking in a way that wasn't so, "Didn't they teach you that in your fancy school?" would be in line.
Sorry if I am not touchy-feely enough; I tend to strip things down to brass tacks. In this case, I truly am baffled.
As a former faculty member for the upper level research methodology & critical thinking course that every Biology BA or BS would be required to take, I am well aware of the professional standards expected from a graduate earning that diploma, if it is in fact the school I am thinking of. It's not a "fancy" school by any means, but it is a school with extremely rigorous standards and highly respected reputation, which are upheld by high expectations, particularly for the majors like Human Biology that feed into its medical school.
More troubling is her apparent misunderstanding of the CDC data and willingness to think her doctor was just ignorant because 96% of her patients are overweight and the doctor proffers medical advice based on such evidence (instead of medical training and journals) "just because it's Indiana."
I tend to agree with this (I'm next door in Chicago and my doctor is thin and certainly aware of what the numbers mean, so I also think the "can't tell I'm overweight, in Indiana" thing is odd). I DO think people misunderstand doctors a lot, so if you hear something weird it's important to ask more questions make sure you understand and raise something if you think it's so weird that you would be inclined to post about it on the internet. Good to know for sure, especially if you think it might be a reason to change doctors.
I feel strongly about this, because I have parents who are starting to get up there and aren't near me, and who are frustrating in not asking clarifying questions of doctors.2 -
I'm not losing weight to get into my bmi range because at 5'7 I feel.being at least 10 lbs above bmi charts I feel better and I like.to.keep a little thickness to my body. But if you feel.better slimmer and staying within a healthy range I don't see the problem unless it causes you a health problem. Sorry I've met some jealous doctors, hope it's a real reason that makes sense and you should directly ask her what that is, if not do what's best for you either way.0
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By the way 150 lbs is not big for someone your height, same height and age range as my daughter with that weight she has more butt and boobs and when she drops on the lower end all of that starts to dissapear, which she doesn't like. It's about your body preference, comfort and of course health. Best of care and luck.0
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