Is BMI really BS?

smittybuilt19

Looking at numbers can be a great way to gauge progress to a certain extent.

If I went with how I feel, I'd be feeling like having a box of donuts right about now.

aneary1980

So someone who doesn't exercise just aquires lots of lean muscle??

If he did work out and had lots of lean muscle he'd be even heavier.

You don't have to work out in order to acquire a lot of lean mass. That is a myth.

Many people genetically carry a large amount of muscle mass. I was a fat kid who didn't work out much, yet I genetically carried a high level of muscle mass in the legs. I broke the leg press record in my middle school by a huge margin the very first time I ever touched it. My legs look muscular and ripped when I have a low body fat, without even having to work them.

There are people walking around with a nice amount of visible muscle who did not do a lot to achieve it.

He does not have a nice amount of visable muscle!!!!!!!!!!!

veggiebuckeye

Yes it's BS no need for verbosity.

rml_16

So, everyone around me has been telling me not to look at numbers but instead how I feel. I don't like that I am on the heavier side of "healthy" and I'm close to being "overweight":brokenheart: . I've lost ten pounds and I want to lose another ten because it will put me at a much healthier looking BMI. Is this a good idea?
It's difficult because I don't dislike my body (that much) and I know some of my weight is muscle. Not a lot of it but I certainly have some tone in my legs. My mums telling me to keep loosing weight but my friends think it's unnecessary.
Do you think I should improve my BMI or is it all BS?

My personal opinion is that for 90% of the population, BMI is not BS and is a good guide. But you have to be looking at the right scale. The BMI scale (the correct one) gives about a 40-pound range of "healthy weight" based on height. I'm 5'3" and my BMI scale is anywhere from 104-141 pounds.

Unless you are very large-framed with a LOT of lean muscle, it's unlikely you're a healthy weight at more than 141 pounds at my height.

mkemmc6009

Something to keep in mind is that when I go shopping now I can wear a size 6, however the size 10 skirts hanging in my closet from 20 years ago still do not fit me, way too tight. The clothing industry has altered the size of clothes to make us feel better about ourselves. Not saying that a size 5/6 is overweight by any means, just saying it isn't what it used to be.

Iwishyouwell

My point is that by promoting BMI as being "okay for most people so no-one should complain about it" you're putting people like myself in danger of trying to diet down to weights that are unhealthy for their frame size....

I'm truly sorry that you were put under some pretty intense psychological pressures, but saying that the BMI is suited for most people isn't wrong.

You're an outlier. Unfortunately outliers always have to make up their own rules.

It's like the anti-smoking campaign. Most people who smoke regularly are at an increase of developing cancer. It doesn't mean all people are. Some people live well into their elderly years smoking a pack a day, and feeling fine. However saying that "most" people aren't going to be able to do that isn't suggesting that ALL people will get cancer.

BMI as a general indicator of healthy, non-fat weight range shouldn't be discarded because a minority portion of the population isn't suited for it.

I actually think dismissing the already wide BMI ranges, which is becoming more common as we get fatter, is having FAR more damage than trying to cater to the minority. Lots of people look at the BMI range and just think "meh, it's wrong, I don't need to pay attention". When in all actuality most people, when they're at a healthy, non-fat weight, will fall within the BMI.

I've seen this with my own eyes. Plenty of people are walking around too fat and totally antagonistic toward the idea that their healthy weight is actually more akin to what our weights were a few decades ago, when very few people were arguing about BMI since most fell within a totally healthy range.

We haven't evolved. We've just gotten fatter and are working overtime to justify it. That's having far more dire implications than the BMI outliers are facing by falling healthily outside of the range.

Iwishyouwell

So someone who doesn't exercise just aquires lots of lean muscle??

If he did work out and had lots of lean muscle he'd be even heavier.

You don't have to work out in order to acquire a lot of lean mass. That is a myth.

Many people genetically carry a large amount of muscle mass. I was a fat kid who didn't work out much, yet I genetically carried a high level of muscle mass in the legs. I broke the leg press record in my middle school by a huge margin the very first time I ever touched it. My legs look muscular and ripped when I have a low body fat, without even having to work them.

There are people walking around with a nice amount of visible muscle who did not do a lot to achieve it.

He does not have a nice amount of visable muscle!!!!!!!!!!!

And neither did I.

Yet it was still there. Underneath the fat. Dense and well packed.

carfanman

I think the only people on the planet to whom you should listen regarding your weight loss goals are your doctor, and the person in your mirror, but that's just me.

This!

aneary1980

So someone who doesn't exercise just aquires lots of lean muscle??

If he did work out and had lots of lean muscle he'd be even heavier.

You don't have to work out in order to acquire a lot of lean mass. That is a myth.

Many people genetically carry a large amount of muscle mass. I was a fat kid who didn't work out much, yet I genetically carried a high level of muscle mass in the legs. I broke the leg press record in my middle school by a huge margin the very first time I ever touched it. My legs look muscular and ripped when I have a low body fat, without even having to work them.

There are people walking around with a nice amount of visible muscle who did not do a lot to achieve it.

He does not have a nice amount of visable muscle!!!!!!!!!!!

And neither did I.

Yet it was still there. Underneath the fat. Dense and well packed.

So why did you say 'There are people walking around with a nice amount of visible muscle who did not do a lot to achieve it'???? Why was this relevant?

Iwishyouwell

Seriously, no-ones disputing your point about populations and averages...

So what is at dispute here, exactly?

Since I, from my initial posts in this thread pages ago, already stated that BMI was a fine indicator for "most people", but is useless for the outliers who have higher than typical LBM?

My entire point was, and is, that the already wide BMI scale is a fine measurement for "most" people, but ultimately the mirror and your health markers should be the most important measurements. I never said BMI was a perfect indicator, never said that it applied to all people. I simply don't believe it's bunk or that off for most people.

What are you arguing?

asdowe13

Well the BMI tells me I am obese with a BMI of 30.9

A healthy range for me is 160-180.

At 6 feet tall and currently 228 - I would be terribly unhealthy imo at 160 lbs.

I guess i will always live in the overweight category since i will probably maintain my weight in the 190-200 lb range.


For me BMI is BS

TJ_Rugger

Yes and no. There are a good number of professional athletes are considered obese. I read a report how most running backs in the NFL are considered "OBESE" by the BMI standard because they pack on so much muscle for their height.

From my understanding, the only real accurate way to test BMI is skin-fold tests (I have also heard about water/density tests, however not practical). The scaled that send the electric signals through your body are for guidelines.. and they will give you a number.... but there are too many factors that those scales to do take into account.

If you want to really judge your BMI you need to consult a doctor and probably have skin-fold tests done. These are where they pinch your skin in various parts of your body (back, shoulders, stomach, back of arms, ect) and calculate how much fat is there. This test will also tell you what a good weight is for you and how much weight you should SAFELY loose. When I wrestled in HS we had to take these test to prevent wrestlers from trying to drop too much weight to get into a lower weight class.

SezxyStef

Something to keep in mind is that when I go shopping now I can wear a size 6, however the size 10 skirts hanging in my closet from 20 years ago still do not fit me, way too tight. The clothing industry has altered the size of clothes to make us feel better about ourselves. Not saying that a size 5/6 is overweight by any means, just saying it isn't what it used to be.

I get that hence why I mentioned my size 8 prom dress from over 20 years ago...24 actually...it fits like a glove...I was 135lbs when I graduated...I was 165 when I put it on in Feb...

My point with that is this...at 135 I was mid range BMI...size 8 (non vanity sized) fit like a glove...at 165 BMI overweight it fit like a glove.

ChriJMitch

BMI is a great in theory, but its so hard to accurately measure. Skin calipers and electrical impedance type testing are accurate enough for people above 15% BF, but after that they are junk. You need a water displacement test done (which is difficult to find) or a body scan done (which is both difficult to find and expensive).

Weight, in my opinion, is even MORE useless that BMI measurements. Honestly just use the mirror, how you feel, and the increases you see in your strength and endurance in your exercise log as your scale.

Iwishyouwell

So someone who doesn't exercise just aquires lots of lean muscle??

If he did work out and had lots of lean muscle he'd be even heavier.

You don't have to work out in order to acquire a lot of lean mass. That is a myth.

Many people genetically carry a large amount of muscle mass. I was a fat kid who didn't work out much, yet I genetically carried a high level of muscle mass in the legs. I broke the leg press record in my middle school by a huge margin the very first time I ever touched it. My legs look muscular and ripped when I have a low body fat, without even having to work them.

There are people walking around with a nice amount of visible muscle who did not do a lot to achieve it.

He does not have a nice amount of visable muscle!!!!!!!!!!!

And neither did I.

Yet it was still there. Underneath the fat. Dense and well packed.

So why did you say 'There are people walking around with a nice amount of visible muscle who did not do a lot to achieve it'???? Why was this relevant?

Because you stated that people would need to work out to have a high LBM.

And I was simply informing you of the fact that some of the people you see walking around with a visually high muscle mass didn't necessarily work hard to achieve it. Some people just genetically come that way.

Regardless, some people have more LBM than you can tell visually, particularly if they're got a lot of fat.

Again, what in the world do you think your dad's "huge torso" is comprised off? Extra large organs?

Wonderob

My personal opinion is that for 90% of the population, BMI is not BS and is a good guide.

This is my point

How do we know if we are in the 90% or the 10%?

If you need to research, calculate, check, ask, work out or otherwise ascertain whether you are in the 90% for whom BMI chart works, then what's the point of the BMI chart!???

aneary1980

So someone who doesn't exercise just aquires lots of lean muscle??

If he did work out and had lots of lean muscle he'd be even heavier.

You don't have to work out in order to acquire a lot of lean mass. That is a myth.

Many people genetically carry a large amount of muscle mass. I was a fat kid who didn't work out much, yet I genetically carried a high level of muscle mass in the legs. I broke the leg press record in my middle school by a huge margin the very first time I ever touched it. My legs look muscular and ripped when I have a low body fat, without even having to work them.

There are people walking around with a nice amount of visible muscle who did not do a lot to achieve it.

He does not have a nice amount of visable muscle!!!!!!!!!!!

And neither did I.

Yet it was still there. Underneath the fat. Dense and well packed.

So why did you say 'There are people walking around with a nice amount of visible muscle who did not do a lot to achieve it'???? Why was this relevant?

Because you stated that people would need to work out to have a high LBM.

And I was simply informing you of the fact that some of the people you see walking around with a visually high muscle mass didn't necessarily work hard to achieve it. Some people just genetically come that way.

Regardless, some people have more LBM than you can tell visually, particularly if they're got a lot of fat.

Again, what in the world do you think your dad's "huge torso" is comprised off? Extra large organs?

I would say most of the weight is due to his rib cage and shoulders which define and make his torso so big!!! and please do not say that doesn't weight alot!!

karmcl

"BMI is not always BS but it can be. Like one of the poster says, "look at Adrian Peterson". Having a lot of muscle will skew the BMI #s."

LMAO...how many people here look like Adrian Peterson? BMI is a GREAT guide for people who don't look like him or bodybuild. IMHO, the people who don't agree with BMI are the people who are considered overweight. I'm 5'5". My healthy range is 111 lbs to 149 lbs. I think I'd consider myself overweight if I was 150...not OBESE..but overweight. I agree with everything Iwishyouwell said. I'm actually about to friend that person because he made so much sense.

Scott_2025

bump. I think the BMI is total BS. For a guy my size I need to weigh between 127 and 167 to be normal. If I weighed 167 I know people would think I was dying.

Iwishyouwell

Well the BMI tells me I am obese with a BMI of 30.9

A healthy range for me is 160-180.

At 6 feet tall and currently 228 - I would be terribly unhealthy imo at 160 lbs.

I guess i will always live in the overweight category since i will probably maintain my weight in the 190-200 lb range.


For me BMI is BS

So your healthy range is 160-180 lbs...

Yet your decide to maintain weight in the "overweight category"...

Yet BMI is BS?

This is what I'm talking about. When people are large, and want to stay large, then the BMI becomes BS.

Despite the fact that most 6 foot tall men would NOT look unhealthy even in their 160s. One of my closest friends is 6 foot tall, medium framed, and 168 lbs. And he's got a 30 inch waist, broad shoulders, and muscular legs and arms. The kind of body that people double take at if he wears a close fitting shirt.

This is what's becoming very common. Weights that were absolutely typical, normal, and appropriate for even men of this height just a few years ago, are more and more being looked at as "unhealthy" or too skinny.