BMI- how depressing!

pinktoesjb

Blimey, on my BMI I am just 0.4 away from being obese! This is soul crushing as I'd like to think I'm big but not fat. Obviously not. I know it's only a scale and everyone is different etc but I've found this oddly upsetting, also because I've not been having a good week and haven't lost in ages before this week despite behaving myself really well.

I tempted to avoid the scale and the BMIs and everything for a while, just try to stick to the rules and see where I get too. Although weighing in and seeing even a minor drop is so encouraging and how will I know if it is going wrong and I'm not losing again? Grrr, it's so hard!

emmaldownie

IMO BMI Is a crock of crap!

Seriously, I know people who do crazy fitness and are so healthy its unreal, but their bmi is high because they weigh more than they should!

kellogsmscott

BMI does not take into account muscle, which weighs waaaay more. My brother is one of the fittest people i know, and very solid, a big muscly soldier type. His BMI has him at obese. But his lean muscle mass is perfect.

Lean muscle mass is the way to go. Othwerise id be crying everyday (us roller derby girls carry alot of leg muscle - goodbye skinny jeans- when im slimmer of course).

I want to drop 40lb theoretically, based on the size i was when i was 40lb lighter. I may only have to lose 30lb of fat to get there, or i may end up not weighing much less...

ajbeans

BMI isn't always accurate. If you're very muscular, it will be inaccurate. It's just a general guideline to help the average person.

I would advise you to keep weighing in to keep an eye on your progress, but don't hang your success on the scale. Take your measurements once a month to make sure you're losing inches -- sometimes you'll lose inches but not pounds. And no matter what, just keep going. If you're depressed about your BMI, let that drive you to get a better number. You can do it!

Spedden

Hopefully, you're not weighing yourself more than once a week - even every two weeks would be fine! Please be patient with yourself and continue to focus on healthy eating and daily exercise. The results will follow eventually. They might be slow, but they wll be long term. And you are WAY AHEAD of people who don't know their weight or BMI, and fool themselves into thinking they are okay. (I'm speaking about myself before I started on this program!)

LeeKetty1176

BMI is a poor way of tracking health

go by inches more than ANYTHING ! including weight !

Irene8509

There all gauges on weight loss. You can use them or lose them. They can be upsetting but I use it to motivate me to get to the next level. There is a better measurement called BFI which measures fat/height, weight. Don't get discouraged use it as a tool in your arsenal. I lost 20 pounds very quickly and the next 10 took much longer and was harder to lose. Hang in there. There will be weeks of no movement but stay the course switch your routine around and it will happen. Be positive

AmeChops

IMO BMI Is a crock of crap!

Well said!!

Wfortner

I know exactly how you feel. I just started myfitness on 8/1. I was just planning on kinda checking it out because a friend of mine was talking about how great it was. I did the BMI calculator and realized I was in the obese category too...by 0.1....arggh!! I was soo upset!!! I honestly had emotional meltdown.....seriously. I am 5'7" and at my highest weight ever at 192.4lbs. However, I decided right then and there to get motivated and get some of the weight off!!!! I want to be fit and healthy... and I can do it. I have already found some really good people on here to help me stay motivated...PLEASE, don be discouraged......YOU CAN DO IT!!!! Stay connected with people....it really helps!! Dont give up....I dont let myself get on the scale more than 1x a week....maybe even less.....its not always about the number on the scale.....HANG IN THERE!!!!!!

CMcBryer

If you are weight training BMI is utter garbage. Even if you aren't weight training BMI is still garbage. Read the wiki, it's actually pretty interesting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_mass_index

kellogsmscott

And you are WAY AHEAD of people who don't know their weight or BMI, and fool themselves into thinking they are okay. (I'm speaking about myself before I started on this program!)

Me too till last week lol

Keefypoos

excellent news I am no longer over weight or obese I just have lots of muscle

mrdavidjk

bmi is a bad measure, i was obese apparently at 15 stone , but i have very muscular legs and very broad shoulders
now i am down to under 13 stone and i apparently am over weight, and i need to go down to 10.5 stone i think to be normal weight.
thing is at 10.5 stone i will look emaciated because of my broad shoulders . i am aiming for 12.5 stone where apparently i will be overweight

CMcBryer

excellent news I am no longer over weight or obese I just have lots of muscle

Other measurements that are orders of magnitude better than BMI: Body fat percentage; chest, waist, upper arm, and thigh measurements; scale reading. Honestly, you should be doing all of those to get the best fitness picture you can. If you could only use one, then I'd go with body fat percentage.

Stuartm1

Muscle does not weigh more than fat at all. 20 Pounds of Muscle weighs exactly the same as 20 pounds of fat!!! It just takes up less room but in terms of BMI I do agree my BMI weight is 12.5 stones and I would look as if I was an anerexic if I got down to that therefore target 14 stones but with muscle not fat.

Stuartm1

Muscle does not weigh more than fat at all. 20 Pounds of Muscle weighs exactly the same as 20 pounds of fat!!! It just takes up less room but in terms of BMI I do agree my BMI weight is 12.5 stones and I would look as if I was an anerexic if I got down to that therefore target 14 stones but with muscle not fat.