BMI does not apply to me it seems...

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jmvh59
jmvh59 Posts: 97
in Chit-Chat
I just lost 10 pounds this past month and just took my second set of measurements today. Anyway, out of curiosity, I found a bodyfat calculator and plugged in my info. Apparently, I have 188.0 pounds of lean body mass (and a bodyfat % of 35.1). My ideal bodyweight range for BMI for my height stops at 184.8 or some such. I would have to lose every ounce of fat and then amputate something to make that weight.

Anybody else think BMI is ridiculous?

Replies

  • shydaisi
    shydaisi Posts: 833 Member
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    I just lost 10 pounds this past month and just took my second set of measurements today. Anyway, out of curiosity, I found a bodyfat calculator and plugged in my info. Apparently, I have 188.0 pounds of lean body mass (and a bodyfat % of 35.1). My ideal bodyweight range for BMI for my height stops at 184.8 or some such. I would have to lose every ounce of fat and then amputate something to make that weight.

    Anybody else think BMI is ridiculous?

    As you lose weight, you will not lose only fat... You will also lose water, muscle (both skeletal and visceral), and even bone. All of which are calculated in with your lean body mass.
  • MikeM53082
    MikeM53082 Posts: 1,199 Member
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    Agreed. The whole BMI thing is a way off.

    I'm still considered "Overweight" by BMI standards. However, a lot of people have told me recently I'm too skinny!
  • slwsnowman40
    slwsnowman40 Posts: 4
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    BMI is meant to apply to a larger population, it isn't really meant to be applied to an individual as it doesn't take in muscle mass.

    Most NFL players aren't fat or overweight, but based on BMI, they would be.
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
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    Its very general. For normal people it can be a guide but its doesnt consider lean muscle mass. Example if I put in my stats it would say that my bf% fat would be 30+ which is simply not true. I use the Trifit to caluculate my bf since its done with a computer and calipers for more way accuracy.
  • madhusky
    madhusky Posts: 14 Member
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    BMI doesnt take into consideration bone size, body shape etc, you take any sportsman - long distance athletes are classed as unhealthily underweight and rugby players could be classed as obese, but are as fit as a butchers dog! i for one am never going to tell someone like New Zealand captain Richie McCaw he's a fatty!
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    BMI is not useful as a tool for determining overall health or fitness for everyone. Obviously people who are visibly overweight can probably trust that their BMI measurement will tell them the same thing their mirror tells them. But people who have a reasonable body fat % and are in good cardiovascular health shouldn't concern themselves with BMI.
  • gatorflyer
    gatorflyer Posts: 536 Member
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    BMI is crap, and that's not just my opinion. I've talked to doctors and they consistently tell me it's basically a number based on numbers - takes nothing into account like your frame size, etc. I think its more useful for military standards than anything else but they had to come up with some "one size fits all" approach at a numbering scale, and at best it's really "one size fits some". There are some sites out there that show people at different BMIs and I think you'd laugh at some of the people that are shown to be obese or over. Try this one on for size. http://www.flickr.com/photos/77367764@N00/sets/72157602199008819/
  • Tegan74
    Tegan74 Posts: 202
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    I just lost 10 pounds this past month and just took my second set of measurements today. Anyway, out of curiosity, I found a bodyfat calculator and plugged in my info. Apparently, I have 188.0 pounds of lean body mass (and a bodyfat % of 35.1). My ideal bodyweight range for BMI for my height stops at 184.8 or some such. I would have to lose every ounce of fat and then amputate something to make that weight.

    Anybody else think BMI is ridiculous?

    As you lose weight, you will not lose only fat... You will also lose water, muscle (both skeletal and visceral), and even bone. All of which are calculated in with your lean body mass.

    Which bones will I lose?
  • capriciousmoon
    capriciousmoon Posts: 1,263 Member
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    Top 10 reasons why BMI is bogus: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439&sc=fb&cc=fp
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I just recently found out that my very fit/athletic cubicle neighbor is considered overweight (or was it obese?) according to BMI. And the dumbest part is that is the measurement our company's wellness program uses to figure out what health programs are suggested. So now a guy who already exercises very regularly and competes in triathalons and knows how to eat right is going to lose out on his health benefit incentives... If it was me, I'd complain but he doesn't care that much...
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    BMI is only useful for large population studies, it's useless for individuals. Even the person who invented said as much. So I wouldn't put any stock in it.
  • poisongirl6485
    poisongirl6485 Posts: 1,487 Member
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    BMI was never intended to be a measurement of health, and I'm not too sure why people stress so much about it. It was developed be a Belgian mathemetician who was doing population surveys and such.
  • Scott613
    Scott613 Posts: 2,317 Member
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    BMI is a joke! I know a few people who are skinny fat and out of shape yet their BMI is in the healthy range while I'm considerd obese even though my BF% is way lower than theirs.
  • cruiseking
    cruiseking Posts: 338 Member
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    Semper Fi Brother. When I weighed in at 230 (6 months ago), I thought the BMI was a load of crap. Now I am 183, and can see that on the high end of my BMI of 168lbs., it is probably accurate. Now it all comes back to me; when I was in The Corps, I was 186lbs. (in 1983), and my Sargeant Major threatened to put me on weight control. I also remember feeling chunky then. I think time has a way of blurring the lines. How much did you weigh on the 19 min. PFT run? Unless you are really hulked out, and rip tons of muscle, I would aim for the high end of the BMI, or a few pounds over. It's more accurate than you think. Give it time.
  • jmvh59
    jmvh59 Posts: 97
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    Semper Fi Brother. When I weighed in at 230 (6 months ago), I thought the BMI was a load of crap. Now I am 183, and can see that on the high end of my BMI of 168lbs., it is probably accurate. Now it all comes back to me; when I was in The Corps, I was 186lbs. (in 1983), and my Sargeant Major threatened to put me on weight control. I also remember feeling chunky then. I think time has a way of blurring the lines. How much did you weigh on the 19 min. PFT run? Unless you are really hulked out, and rip tons of muscle, I would aim for the high end of the BMI, or a few pounds over. It's more accurate than you think. Give it time.

    Ooh-rah! I was about 185 when I ran my best PFT. Even then, I would have been 2 tenths of a pound over my ideal BMI. I'm way heavier now, but getting on track to losing it.
  • cruiseking
    cruiseking Posts: 338 Member
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    Semper Fi Brother. When I weighed in at 230 (6 months ago), I thought the BMI was a load of crap. Now I am 183, and can see that on the high end of my BMI of 168lbs., it is probably accurate. Now it all comes back to me; when I was in The Corps, I was 186lbs. (in 1983), and my Sargeant Major threatened to put me on weight control. I also remember feeling chunky then. I think time has a way of blurring the lines. How much did you weigh on the 19 min. PFT run? Unless you are really hulked out, and rip tons of muscle, I would aim for the high end of the BMI, or a few pounds over. It's more accurate than you think. Give it time.

    Ooh-rah! I was about 185 when I ran my best PFT. Even then, I would have been 2 tenths of a pound over my ideal BMI. I'm way heavier now, but getting on track to losing it.
    Assuming you have less muscle now, than when your DI was kicking your *kitten* around the swamp, I think 185 is your number. My thought on the BMI was EXACTLY what yours is when I started, now the closer I get to my goal, the more I can see where the fat needs to come off. You will see further down the road, you will get close to your ideal, and realize that jarheads, don't settle for CLOSE! 185 - 190 is your number. My best PFT run was 21:18, and that nearly killed me. Good Luck.

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