?? Big bones and BMI ??

rprussell2004

Regardless of all of us "big boners," the BMI is a steaming load of horse **** and should be ditched.

The idea that you can reduce the fitness of every single person in the world to a single number scale is ludicrous and has caused more harm than good.

RHachicho

Regardless of all of us "big boners," the BMI is a steaming load of horse **** and should be ditched.

The idea that you can reduce the fitness of every single person in the world to a single number scale is ludicrous and has caused more harm than good.

well on that we can certainly agree.

HeidiMightyRawr

I remember reading something on this before, that going by wrist size to determine frame, your "ideal" BMI would vary.

Ultimately, the healthy range was still the same roughly. You couldn't get away with a 30 BMI just because of big bones, but where you fall in the healthy range would be determined by frame. For example, if a healthy BMI for your height was 135-150 a small framed persons ideal would be 135-140, average would be 140-145 and large boned would be 145-150. I just made those weights up on the spot because I can't remember exactly, but it was set up in that sort of way.

Remember that BMI is just one tool used to measure health, and was originally designed for populations. It doesn't take into account body composition, muscle and fat etc and it doesn't measure your overall health and fitness. For this reason it's an ok guide, especially if you have a lot to lose, but not something to rely on 100%.

dpwellman

Just run more

erickirb

Regardless of all of us "big boners," the BMI is a steaming load of horse **** and should be ditched.

The idea that you can reduce the fitness of every single person in the world to a single number scale is ludicrous and has caused more harm than good.

BMI is really only off with the "healthy range" for those that carry a large amount of muscle, for the majority of the population it is a pretty good indicator, though is meant to compare groups of populations, not individuals

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I am "large framed". I have broad shoulders (bigger than the average man), big hips, big rib cage (can't wear a bra band below a 36" no matter how thin I am), big feet, big head, big hands. However I have small wrists and long fingers so the wrist test does not work for me (mine overlap). I have a health body fat percentage, 25%, and a decent amount of lean mass.

rprussell2004

Regardless of all of us "big boners," the BMI is a steaming load of horse **** and should be ditched.

The idea that you can reduce the fitness of every single person in the world to a single number scale is ludicrous and has caused more harm than good.

BMI is really only off with the "healthy range" for those that carry a large amount of muscle, for the majority of the population it is a pretty good indicator, though is meant to compare groups of populations, not individuals

That could be - I'm not up on the history of the metric.

But what I read your comment as, is, "BMI is really only off for people to whom it's off."

And the description of its intention vs its usage is EXACTLY my complaint - if it doesn't apply to everyone, DON'T USE IT. A friend of mine looks lean, eats well, has great bloodwork, cycles maniacally (centuries all over the midwest) and is half a point from "Obese."

It's insane.

tracie_minus100

I am large framed. I have broad shoulders, wide hips (even when I'm not fat lol), a big rib cage, big ankles, big and wide feet. But I'd say average wrists.
The high end of a healthy BMI for my height is 160 and I think that's definitely realistic. But the low end is somewhere around 130ish and I think I don't think that would be a healthy weight for me.

BinaryPulsar

. the actual skeletal structure does not weight that much. even if its on a larger scale. twenty to forty lbs max. I found this
The myth of being "big boned".



I think it's very important to put aside all myths and stop trying to lay blame anywhere other than yourself.

Let's be very clear on this; there is no such thing as "big boned". Studies have shown that the bone size and density of a "big boned" person is almost the exact same as as a "normal" person (being truly "big boned" only accounts for about 10lbs). So if you've been using that as your excuse ....or one of your excuses, it's time to let it go and realize that the reason you are overweight is because you let yourself get that way. Of course there are extenuating circumstances for some; you were raised in an over-weight family and learned bad eating habits before you even knew about them. But the fact that you got overweight and the fact that you've let yourself stay overweight are two completely different things. There might be some extenuating circumstances for how you got to this point... I know there was for me, but there is no excuse for allowing yourself to stay overweight, other than you.

So now what do you do without the "big boned" excuse? I guess that's up to you, but first you have to understand, admit, and accept that you are the cause of your weight issues. No one else... just you.... Read more here http://rocketsciencedieting.blogspot.com/2010/01/myth-of-being-big-boned.html

Let me be clear .. Being "Big Boned" is not just about the skeletal structure. Those with larger frames will have larger muscles and larger organs. They are larger people. And therefore their ideal weight IS marginally higher. This is a fact. Calling it big boned does throw people off so I don't blame you for being ignorant in this regard. It's an easy assumption to make. But the fact is how much the bones weight is irrelevant. It's how big they are and therefore how much extra natural muscle and vital mass it accounts for. You are dead right in that it's not an excuse for being fat, however. But it's a genuine phenomena that should be acknowledged.

Also honestly it doesn't ACTUALLY matter a big boned person will still have just as much difficulty getting to their ideal weight as a normal framed person has getting to theirs. It's really just that their set point is higher.

Yes, this person knows what they are talking about. It's all completely logical when you think about it. Obviously there is going to be a difference. I have a 25 inch rib cage, and know someone that's an inch shorter than me and has a 38 inch rib cage. Obviously that person has more space with bigger organs, muscles, everything.

LazSommer

Why will you weigh more bc of it (are they more dense, are they actually larger than normal?)

Have you graduated grade school yet?

emuhawk

. the actual skeletal structure does not weight that much. even if its on a larger scale. twenty to forty lbs max. I found this
The myth of being "big boned".



I think it's very important to put aside all myths and stop trying to lay blame anywhere other than yourself.

Let's be very clear on this; there is no such thing as "big boned". Studies have shown that the bone size and density of a "big boned" person is almost the exact same as as a "normal" person (being truly "big boned" only accounts for about 10lbs). So if you've been using that as your excuse ....or one of your excuses, it's time to let it go and realize that the reason you are overweight is because you let yourself get that way. Of course there are extenuating circumstances for some; you were raised in an over-weight family and learned bad eating habits before you even knew about them. But the fact that you got overweight and the fact that you've let yourself stay overweight are two completely different things. There might be some extenuating circumstances for how you got to this point... I know there was for me, but there is no excuse for allowing yourself to stay overweight, other than you.

So now what do you do without the "big boned" excuse? I guess that's up to you, but first you have to understand, admit, and accept that you are the cause of your weight issues. No one else... just you.... Read more here http://rocketsciencedieting.blogspot.com/2010/01/myth-of-being-big-boned.html

I am not overweight by any measure that I know, but I am trying to reduce my bf% and get to an ideal weight. So without any need for these "excuses" that you talk about, I can tell you that I have a larger than average frame and it affects what my ideal weight will be. I'm 5'10" and most calculators I've found would put my ideal weight somewhere in the mid-high 140s, but the only time in my life I have weighed that little was when I was horribly sick and unable to eat more than about 500 calories a day for months on end (not AT ALL by choice). I looked much too thin, and I was. What is the difference between me and another 5'10" person who looks great at 135 or 140? Frame size. I have large wrists, broad shoulders, and a broad ribcage. No myth, no excuses -- just actual measurements on a measuring tape. Your assertion that all bone sizes are almost exactly the same is just false, unless your definition of "almost exactly" is very broad. And that is going to make a difference when it comes to determining ideal weight. Trying to pretend those differences don't exist so you can shame people into taking personal responsibility helps no one.

lemurcat12

Regardless of all of us "big boners," the BMI is a steaming load of horse **** and should be ditched.

The idea that you can reduce the fitness of every single person in the world to a single number scale is ludicrous and has caused more harm than good.

What harm has it caused?

BMI is imperfect, but for most people it gives a decent weight range (better for women than men, and of course it's quite possible to be obese and of a normal BMI). It's clearly off for people (more typically men, but not always) with significant muscle development, and presumably people in that group don't think they might actually be obese. Used as one tool, and considering the others also, I think it's fine. Another tool is the waist vs. height thing, and of course a better one--but one that most people are less able to know accurately--is body fat percentage.

RHachicho

Regardless of all of us "big boners," the BMI is a steaming load of horse **** and should be ditched.

The idea that you can reduce the fitness of every single person in the world to a single number scale is ludicrous and has caused more harm than good.

What harm has it caused?

BMI is imperfect, but for most people it gives a decent weight range (better for women than men, and of course it's quite possible to be obese and of a normal BMI). It's clearly off for people (more typically men, but not always) with significant muscle development, and presumably people in that group don't think they might actually be obese. Used as one tool, and considering the others also, I think it's fine. Another tool is the waist vs. height thing, and of course a better one--but one that most people are less able to know accurately--is body fat percentage.

Well the one bit of harm it does cause is that insurance companies tend to use it as a catch all marker to determine someones overall health. So if you trend upwards on the BMI scale you tend to end up paying over the odds for insurance. There are some really dumb doctors who tell well muscled men that they need to lose weight too. Note I am not talking about myself in this regard. But i've been told such stories from some people on these forums.

meridianova

I think it's very important to put aside all myths and stop trying to lay blame anywhere other than yourself.

Let's be very clear on this; there is no such thing as "big boned". Studies have shown that the bone size and density of a "big boned" person is almost the exact same as as a "normal" person (being truly "big boned" only accounts for about 10lbs). So if you've been using that as your excuse ....or one of your excuses, it's time to let it go and realize that the reason you are overweight is because you let yourself get that way.

this isn't necessarily a discussion to claim that bone structure is to blame for flabbiness. most of us (and i use that word loosely) are smarter than that.

i have a very large frame for my height. according to the NIH, a woman of 5'3" is considered to have a large frame if her wrist measurement (and mine is bony) is over 6.25". mine is 7". i have a wide, circular rib cage and broad shoulders, and heavily muscled legs. most of us realize that by having a larger frame and sturdier bone structure, we can (and will) naturally carry more muscle mass.

So now what do you do without the "big boned" excuse? I guess that's up to you, but first you have to understand, admit, and accept that you are the cause of your weight issues. No one else... just you.... Read more here http://rocketsciencedieting.blogspot.com/2010/01/myth-of-being-big-boned.html

you're forgetting the fact that being "big boned"/large framed makes a difference with a lot of things. before i had kids, most formal gowns had to be backless because they'd fit perfectly over the hips and waist, then the zipper would take one look at my ribcage and run home screaming. i have a larger bust BECAUSE i have a larger rib cage. it's not meant to be an excuse, but an understanding of at what point we can call ourselves "fit" regardless of what some numbers on a chart say.

we can use the knowledge of having a larger frame to help accept what is going to be healthy for us rather than chasing some number on a scale. i'll NEVER be where the BMI wants me to be because i'm not built that way.