FORGET BMI!!
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I am with ya! That is nuts! The smallest I have been as an adult was around 140 and everyone thought I looked great! That is my goad weight.0
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For me it is the opposite. I am "healthy" BMI (24) but no way is the amount of fat on my stomach healthy. It depends a lot on your body shape. If you carry weight in the dangerous areas (abdomen) it can screw your heart and puts you at risk of other killers. If you carry it on your lower body or hips/bum, it's less of a medical concern. I know my BMI will need to be around 22 before my fat is distributed in a less dangerous way, and ultimately my body composition means I will need a lower BMI than most to look "normal" - probably around 20-21.
I still think for the majority of people, BMI is as good a starting point as you will get given a tape measure and a set of scales. It isn't perfect but if you come in with a BMI of 15 or 30 you can take a pretty good guess what needs to happen.0 -
For those going by BF%, I have a question;
What is the most accurate way to measure your body fat? I've been using the navy body fat calculator, which tells me I'm 42% fat... Is this reliable?
We purchased a fat caliper off of Amazon for a low price. It can take a little practice to use, but has been fairly consistent with other calculators I have used.
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For those going by BF%, I have a question;
What is the most accurate way to measure your body fat? I've been using the navy body fat calculator, which tells me I'm 42% fat... Is this reliable?
We purchased a fat caliper off of Amazon for a low price. It can take a little practice to use, but has been fairly consistent with other calculators I have used.
Do you measure yourself or have somebody else measure you? I just found one and ordered it, it should be here next week...0 -
What seems to be forgotten is that BMI is purely about health, not looks. Being at peak health might not be your agenda - if it isn't, simply keep your weight at the level at which you think you look best. As for frame, once many people lose a lot of weight they find they didn't have a big frame at all. They were just fat and in denial.
BUT I'm not going to lie to myself and try and convince myself that what looks "normal" is what's healthiest for me. As a society, overweight has become normalised to us, it's only when travelling to other parts of the world that it becomes apparent that what we consider normal is not normal at all.
Please don't take this as a personal attack, it's not! But those two statements are completely inaccurate. I'm at 19% bodyfat. I'm no body builder, and certainly not borderline obese as the BMI chart tells me I am now. To 'look normal' in my opinion (or rather, look my best), I need to lose about 10lbs more (maybe 16-17% bodyfat...oh no, TOTALLY UNHEALTHY!!)...let me check the BMI chart...yep, that still puts me squarely above the middle of the overweight category. So, again...my body type and build isn't all that uncommon...am I 'unhealthy'? Am I being deceived by our national 'perception'? No...I'm in a healthy body fat range, and could stand to lose a few pounds. If I lost enough to be in the proper BMI range...I'd be an emeciated, sickly (not sickly LOOKING), weak person, and I'm sure some very important bodily functions would be being compromised.
I understand that BMI is a tool. But you guys are comparing this to a shovel versus hammer thing. It's not even remotely close. A hammer works for pounding nails, a shovel works for digging holes. They each work perfectly for their job. The BMI is used to determine the proper weight range for healthy people across the US. It DOESN'T do it. It's like having a hammer that only works on 5% of the nails in the world...or a shovel that only digs holes in certain states.
What the hell is the point of that?0 -
For those going by BF%, I have a question;
What is the most accurate way to measure your body fat? I've been using the navy body fat calculator, which tells me I'm 42% fat... Is this reliable?
We purchased a fat caliper off of Amazon for a low price. It can take a little practice to use, but has been fairly consistent with other calculators I have used.
Do you measure yourself or have somebody else measure you? I just found one and ordered it, it should be here next week...
The one we have is tricky to do by yourself in some areas. Like they want the back of your right arm as a measurement, but hello?!? I am right handed! So, I have my hubby help me with that area. 0 -
For those going by BF%, I have a question;
What is the most accurate way to measure your body fat? I've been using the navy body fat calculator, which tells me I'm 42% fat... Is this reliable?
We purchased a fat caliper off of Amazon for a low price. It can take a little practice to use, but has been fairly consistent with other calculators I have used.
Do you measure yourself or have somebody else measure you? I just found one and ordered it, it should be here next week...
The one we have is tricky to do by yourself in some areas. Like they want the back of your right arm as a measurement, but hello?!? I am right handed! So, I have my hubby help me with that area.
Okay thanks! I guess I'll have my brother help me with that haha Even though I'm left handed I still don't think I could do that lol! 0 -
It's more like having a hammer that works for 80% of nails, and those who the hammer doesn't work for understand its limitations and why they can't use it like most people.I understand that BMI is a tool. But you guys are comparing this to a shovel versus hammer thing. It's not even remotely close. A hammer works for pounding nails, a shovel works for digging holes. They each work perfectly for their job. The BMI is used to determine the proper weight range for healthy people across the US. It DOESN'T do it. It's like having a hammer that only works on 5% of the nails in the world...or a shovel that only digs holes in certain states.
What the hell is the point of that?
Fact is BMI is accurate for most people. Those who fall outside of that majority who it works for understand they need to use a different measurement like body fat %, because they are smart and also interested enough to question the BMI scale. Most average lazy people who have a BMI of 27+ ARE carrying too much fat and need to lose weight. Because MOST people don't have considerations about their lean muscle mass, because they have so little. Those of us here discussing this probably all have good workout routines and as such have a decent amount of muscle, whether it is hiding under some fat or on display.
I doubt there are many people out there who are forcing themselves to become unhealthily light and destroy muscle mass to get a healthy BMI, because those people have already worked hard to build lean muscle, and are therefore likely to know about body fat % and care very little about a number on the scale when they already have a number of health-measuring tools at their disposal.0 -
I'm with you!! I started at 160lbs which was more than halfway obese on the BMI scale and at only 5ft tall it does show how much weight you carry, that said I am now down to 133lbs BMI just overweight, I have always been curvy and busty and regardless of how much I loose I still want to be curvy and cant think of anything worse than for me to be straight up and down. However between the ideal weight for my height is 94lbs to 128lbs there's no way I want to be 94lbs!! It is now my intention to reach a healthy BMI but at the heavier side. We are meant to have curves girls!0
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It's more like having a hammer that works for 80% of nails, and those who the hammer doesn't work for understand its limitations and why they can't use it like most people.I understand that BMI is a tool. But you guys are comparing this to a shovel versus hammer thing. It's not even remotely close. A hammer works for pounding nails, a shovel works for digging holes. They each work perfectly for their job. The BMI is used to determine the proper weight range for healthy people across the US. It DOESN'T do it. It's like having a hammer that only works on 5% of the nails in the world...or a shovel that only digs holes in certain states.
What the hell is the point of that?
Fact is BMI is accurate for most people. Those who fall outside of that majority who it works for understand they need to use a different measurement like body fat %, because they are smart and also interested enough to question the BMI scale. Most average lazy people who have a BMI of 27+ ARE carrying too much fat and need to lose weight. Because MOST people don't have considerations about their lean muscle mass, because they have so little. Those of us here discussing this probably all have good workout routines and as such have a decent amount of muscle, whether it is hiding under some fat or on display.
I doubt there are many people out there who are forcing themselves to become unhealthily light and destroy muscle mass to get a healthy BMI, because those people have already worked hard to build lean muscle, and are therefore likely to know about body fat % and care very little about a number on the scale when they already have a number of health-measuring tools at their disposal.
Interesting thoughts, that explains a lot!0 -
It's more like having a hammer that works for 80% of nails, and those who the hammer doesn't work for understand its limitations and why they can't use it like most people.I understand that BMI is a tool. But you guys are comparing this to a shovel versus hammer thing. It's not even remotely close. A hammer works for pounding nails, a shovel works for digging holes. They each work perfectly for their job. The BMI is used to determine the proper weight range for healthy people across the US. It DOESN'T do it. It's like having a hammer that only works on 5% of the nails in the world...or a shovel that only digs holes in certain states.
What the hell is the point of that?
Fact is BMI is accurate for most people. Those who fall outside of that majority who it works for understand they need to use a different measurement like body fat %, because they are smart and also interested enough to question the BMI scale. Most average lazy people who have a BMI of 27+ ARE carrying too much fat and need to lose weight. Because MOST people don't have considerations about their lean muscle mass, because they have so little. Those of us here discussing this probably all have good workout routines and as such have a decent amount of muscle, whether it is hiding under some fat or on display.
I doubt there are many people out there who are forcing themselves to become unhealthily light and destroy muscle mass to get a healthy BMI, because those people have already worked hard to build lean muscle, and are therefore likely to know about body fat % and care very little about a number on the scale when they already have a number of health-measuring tools at their disposal.
I agree with this pretty much completely...though I think 80% is a good bit high. For some people who are interested in being fit for whatever reasons, the BMI might be a useful tool. I also agree that the ones it won't work for that fit ino the previous category, know full well that it doesn't apply to them. The problem comes in a couple areas though. First...people who are new to this lifestyle, who might be within 10-20lbs of a healthy weight for THEIR body, are going to be pretty discouraged when they find that the BMI chart (that is universally accepted by health professionals across the US) tells them they are 40lbs overweight before they reach a 'healthy' weight for them. The second problem is that the thing IS universally accepted by health professionals across the US.
It is a flawed tool...and should be tossed out completely in favor of the body fat percentage method...which works for EVERYONE.
Cris0 -
I don't take it that way at all, you make valid points and as I said, it is a blunt instrument. For instance women who carry their weight on their hips and thighs remain healthier at a higher body fat % than women who carry their weight round their waist.Please don't take this as a personal attack, it's not!
Nevertheless I do see a lot of people (and I don't mean you) deceiving themselves into thinking that their healthy weight is a lot higher than it actually is. Obviously if someone is already physically active they will have a higher lean mass which makes BMI inappropriate, but where it is most useful is for the majority of people who do not exercise and who are overweight, who are seeking an overview of where they are at present - seeing it spelled out clearly on that chart is clear and simple to understand.
The "ideal" weight for your height is neither 94lb or 128lb - what the BMI figures say is that if you are above 128lb, your weight is it likely to have a long term impact on your health, AND that if you are below 94lb your weight is equally likely to have a long term impact on your health. Neither extreme would be likely to be the ideal for someone of your height, purely from a health point of view.However between the ideal weight for my height is 94lbs to 128lbs there's no way I want to be 94lbs!! It is now my intention to reach a healthy BMI but at the heavier side. We are meant to have curves girls!
Like you, I'm aiming for the heavier side of normal, but if I could wave a magic wand I'd choose to be in the middle of the healthy range, which I know is a great compromise between having my figure and being healthy.
My long term goal once I've shed more fat is to start building muscle again, as a woman I know that will be a long and tough process, but that's the way to go for me to get fabulous curves and stay healthy. And yes, at that point, BMI will be useless for me, but as someone pointed out earlier, by the time someone's built significant muscle they've figured all this out anyway
What does worry me is the person who said that in the US, it's used blindly... So a manual labourer in superb physical condition could be charged extra for his health insurance on the basis of his BMI. That really is crazy!!!0 -
no me neither - I think it's obvious when people are healthy or not. Some online calculator said I should be 135lbs - sorry that was me at my heaviest I felt fat and miserable - NO THANKS0
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no me neither - I think it's obvious when people are healthy or not. Some online calculator said I should be 135lbs - sorry that was me at my heaviest I felt fat and miserable - NO THANKS
Yeah everybody has their own ideal place, no one can tell you where that is except your doctor and you Love your Jillian Michaels quote btw!! 0 -
BMI worked for me!! I feel it should be used as a guideline to help you achieve whatever look you desire, this is what it is all about. If you like the way you look and you are in the obese category then so be it and vice versa. Using the BMI help me obtain my goals. Make it about you and your goals. Good Luck!!0
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I found that link really interesting. It backs up what I have always said - that people in the modern western world have completely lost track of what humans are supposed to look like. You don't see wild animals with rolls of fat, and we aren't meant to have them either. I anticipated almost every one of the results in that link from looking at the pictures before I read the classification.
I wouldn't include the whole western world. There are a lot of Europeans who are slim and look great.
On that note, I think that if folks traveled abroad a bit to countries where people were actually within the BMI, they might change their understanding and see that we, Americans, are for the most part overweight, and the BMI is pretty accurate at telling us the truth even though we think, "No way!"
I AM European, and travel extensively around Europe, so I am well ware what people look like over here! In the UK, most people are overweight. Not as many as in the States, but still more are overweight or obese than are a healthy weight. The populations of France and Italy are still slighter, but the average weight in those countries are rising fast at the moment as well.
15 years ago when I left school you didn't see fat teenagers. Teenagers were thin, people got fatter as they aged. These days 80% of the teenagers I see round here are overweight, and clothes sizes have got bigger to match.0 -
I agree with both of you. In France and Italy obesity rates are lower, but they are on the rise.
I AM European, and travel extensively around Europe, so I am well ware what people look like over here! In the UK, most people are overweight. Not as many as in the States, but still more are overweight or obese than are a healthy weight. The populations of France and Italy are still slighter, but the average weight in those countries are rising fast at the moment as well.I wouldn't include the whole western world. There are a lot of Europeans who are slim and look great.
On that note, I think that if folks traveled abroad a bit to countries where people were actually within the BMI, they might change their understanding and see that we, Americans, are for the most part overweight, and the BMI is pretty accurate at telling us the truth even though we think, "No way!"
15 years ago when I left school you didn't see fat teenagers. Teenagers were thin, people got fatter as they aged. These days 80% of the teenagers I see round here are overweight, and clothes sizes have got bigger to match.
In recent years I've been privileged to travel to Iran (forget politics, think Persia) where people are more health concious and the diet is far healthier. In fact those trips are the only "holidays" where I have ever eaten freely and yet come back lighter. While I was there, in many social situations, I realised that I was the fattest person in the room. That was NEVER the case in England or most of Europe.0 -
I get that the BMI scale is a tool and that it needs to be treated as such, i.e. a guide not the end all be all. I have recently had my body fat measured and it is 40%. I agree I'm overweight, I'm working on that and it is down by a significant amount already. If I were to get down to even the high end of BMI normal that would put me at 140 lbs, doesn't sound so bad when I say I'm 5'3". Now, do a little math you can quickly see that at my current lean body weight, if I were to get to 140 lb, I would only have 1% body fat.
This is some seriously fuzzy math. If your current weight is in the 240's and you lose 100 pounds to become 140, you will absolutely NOT be at 1% body fat. Ain't gonna happen, no way, no how. ;-)
Agreed and the reason that is is that one doesn't just lose fat. If she loses 100 pounds she will be losing muscle along with fat and lean body mass will no longer be 140#. This strikes me as a rationalization for not attempting to get to ideal body weight.
This was not a rationalization. I want to be at a healthy weight, which includes not being TOO thin. I was going by what information I had and am always open to new information. As much as I want to get down to a healthy weight, whatever that is, I don't want to lose it in an unhealthy way, which is why I'm changing my lifestyle not dieting. If I get to 170 and my lean body mass has gone down, yes, I will be re-evaluating my ideal goal weight. But, I don't want to come up with a unrealistic goal and not be able to achieve it. Each person comes up with their goal weight in a different way, mine is based on math and will probably change as I lose. We each have to do what works for ourselves.0 -
For those talking about losing lean muscle weight as you lose fat, here is a good example of how to figure it out. Your goal is to lose a higher percentage of fat than lean muscle, but you will for sure lose some muscle, as one member said earlier.
The article also explains how to measure body fat % using calipers. Good article.
http://www.muscleandstrength.com/tools/how-to-measure-bodyfat-using-calipers.html0 -
Oh, and I did want to comment on how my BMI reads. It shows me overweight until I reach 184lbs (6' tall). I'm at 192. My body fat % is 14% which is very healthy for my age (35). I don't know that I will reach 184 because I'm attempting to add some muscle mass now that I've got my body fat down to a good level. I don't have a 6 pack, but that's mostly due to the fact that my skin will take a while to tighten back up after losing 35lbs in less than 6 months. I can see the top 4 though, and that's freakin cool to me!0
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