Back again

marella11
marella11 Posts: 5
edited November 9 in Introduce Yourself
Looking for some support and words of wisdom from this site. I tried it once before and alas, fell off the wagon. I am back again and ready to work for my health - I even bought a beautiful bicycle as an incentive for myself ( I want to be able to ride at least 5 miles by spring).

I do have a question about BMI. I am 5' 9" and consider myself to be a "big person" and have been overweight all of my life. In high school I was very active and at my healthiest at 190 pounds and now weigh 220. The BMI calculator says the top healthy range of my weight is 169 - I do not feel like this would be healthy for me. Where do these BMI calculations come from? Has anybody been able to achieve this drastic of a weight loss? Also how do you do it? What happens when you hit your plateau?

Thanks for the help!

Replies

  • AwesomelyAmber
    AwesomelyAmber Posts: 1,617 Member
    I could get 'blasted' for this, but in my honest opinion... BMI is crap. It is meant for generalization, not so much for individualization :wink: You will find what size and weight works for YOU. Even if you use it as a guide for now and decide later where you wish to stop and stay. This journey is about YOU and your comfort zone. And remember... it's not how many times you started the journey to a healthier YOU, it's about the time that you FINISH. So, make this time the time that you do! :flowerforyou: Good luck to you! you can do it!
  • Kaddyshack21
    Kaddyshack21 Posts: 225 Member
    I could get 'blasted' for this, but in my honest opinion... BMI is crap. It is meant for generalization, not so much for individualization :wink: You will find what size and weight works for YOU. Even if you use it as a guide for now and decide later where you wish to stop and stay. This journey is about YOU and your comfort zone. And remember... it's not how many times you started the journey to a healthier YOU, it's about the time that you FINISH. So, make this time the time that you do! :flowerforyou: Good luck to you! you can do it!

    I concur. (no blasting here) I have never found BMI to be accurate for my body...ever. At my lowest weight when I was 16/17ish I weighed around 175 and I was a size 10. Due to those all important things like bones, internal organs etc, I simply couldn't of been smaller but according to the BMI chart I was obese and still needed to lose about 35-40lbs. Wasn't going to happen.

    It is about health, your healthy not somebody else's definition based on charts. Keep at it and just pay attention to you body you will know what feels the best. :happy:
  • MandaJean83
    MandaJean83 Posts: 675 Member
    BMI is a load of bull, IMHO! It is a loose generalization and seems way off for many people. I don't know why doctors use it as a gold standard. I think body fat percentage and lean muscle mass is a better guide. My idea BMI puts my weight somewhere around 116...at 116, I looked a little bit too thin. The low end of my BMI has me at 108 lbs...I looked like a skeleton at that weight! I choose to go by how my clothes fit and how healthy I feel! :)

    Good luck on your journey and feel free to add me!
  • Bikini27
    Bikini27 Posts: 1,290 Member
    I could get 'blasted' for this, but in my honest opinion... BMI is crap. It is meant for generalization, not so much for individualization :wink: You will find what size and weight works for YOU. Even if you use it as a guide for now and decide later where you wish to stop and stay. This journey is about YOU and your comfort zone. And remember... it's not how many times you started the journey to a healthier YOU, it's about the time that you FINISH. So, make this time the time that you do! :flowerforyou: Good luck to you! you can do it!

    Agreed, it's more of a guideline. If you're 190 and no muscle tone *at all*, then you should heed it a bit more. But if you're very muscular with a low body fat %, it doesn't really consider that. Like all tools in a tool box, they are meant for (usually) one use. I would suggest getting your body fat % tested. That can give you a better idea for where you stand on the BMI scale.
  • AwesomelyAmber
    AwesomelyAmber Posts: 1,617 Member
    Looks like I'm not alone in this!!! Awesome! :flowerforyou:
  • marella11
    marella11 Posts: 5
    Thanks everybody! That makes me feel a lot better!

    Another question: When I get around my friends, family, at a party etc (like the super bowl party I am going to this Sunday) I tend to way overeat, anybody have any good suggestions for avoiding this?
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    I agree BMI is just a guideline. I think you need to find a weight that you feel comfortable at. For me I aim for staying in my size 10 jeans when they start getting tight I know it's time to get real. I do not ever get on the scale. If I see a # I don't like I get obsessive. Not good.


    Happy Friday
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Eat before you go. If you are full you will have less of a tendency to munch out. Sip on water/lemon. Treat yourself to a few munchies.
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