Does anyone else agree that the BMI scale is absolutely ridi

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  • coachdoubled
    coachdoubled Posts: 6
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    Honestly, the BMI was a crutch for me for a long time, I have been obese since elementary school, which came in handy as a football lineman but after competitive sports ended in college I have continued to put on weight. As a 6 ft tall male the high end of the BMI scale is 180, which looking at that I said there is no way that is going to happen so why bother (not to mention all of the other confusing, conflicting information about eating, diets and everything else. Thankfully, I found MFP and I have lost 54 pounds in the last 4 months.

    Now, the small town that I live is having a get healthy 90 day event (great idea btw) and I had a body composition test through it. Long story short, it works out that my lean body mass is 205 lbs (CW is 318). So, to hit the high end of my normal BMI I would not only have to be 0% body fat (and dead), but I would also have to lose 25 pounds of lean mass. I know that many people are not realistic about their own weight and BMI, but the BMI can be seriously flawed. To me, the best answer is to not rely on any one measurement (of course bureaucracies always will) to judge your healthy but do your own research and use a variety of methods.

    I know from personal experience that people who aren't truly prepared to become healthy will find every excuse or crutch (just read the message boards). It really is a lot more simple than we make it. Move more, eat less, make better food choices. Unfortunately for our instant gratification society, quick fixes generally do not work and more often than not make the situation worse. I do think that for many people being overweight is similar to alcoholism, it is impossible to recover until the person is totally honestly with themselves, truly wants to change, and is prepared to make the necessary changes. To me the BMI was just another convenient excuse why I should even bother to try.
  • chuckanderson
    chuckanderson Posts: 97
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    I would say: first consult this chart:

    http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.htm

    If you don't fall into the upper range of intermediate/advanced- you don't have enough muscle to ignore the BMI system.

    Edit: and just my personal opinion now that I look at it..... you probably better be advanced. I'm somewhere in the lower ranges of advanced and I still take BMI into account a little (with only maybe a 1.5% difference).

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