Calculating BMI???

blum0133

Is there a better tool for calculating BMI other than the one given on this site? I have lost inches but not really weight. I have started training for a marathon so I am thinking that my muscle mass is going up but the BMI does not calculate that...any suggestions?

blum0133

Is there a better tool for calculating BMI other than the one given on this site? I have lost inches but not really weight. I have started training for a marathon so I am thinking that my muscle mass is going up but the BMI does not calculate that...any suggestions?

LuckyLeprechaun

no- BMI is based on weight/height ratio. inches don't come into play

MissesOfficer

I found a BMI once that took into account bone mass as well. You had to measure your wrists, elbows and something else, can't remember what it was now. It better calculated where a person should be, and I liked it lots better since my bones were half an inch bigger than the biggest option for females!

mncardiojunkie

At my YMCA they calculate BMI on some sort of odd instrument that measures that fat on your side. I like that measurement. According to the "norm" on BMI calculators, I'm at 24.9%, the gym-22%

kerrilucko

At my YMCA they calculate BMI on some sort of odd instrument that measures that fat on your side. I like that measurement. According to the "norm" on BMI calculators, I'm at 24.9%, the gym-22%

I think you're thinking of Body fat percentages, not Body Mass index (BMI). Lephrechaun is right, BMI is based on height to weight ratios- depending on body structure and muscle mass, if can be very inaccurate.

blum0133

Ok...well does anyone know of a better way to calculate it?

mncardiojunkie

At my YMCA they calculate BMI on some sort of odd instrument that measures that fat on your side. I like that measurement. According to the "norm" on BMI calculators, I'm at 24.9%, the gym-22%

I think you're thinking of Body fat percentages, not Body Mass index (BMI). Lephrechaun is right, BMI is based on height to weight ratios- depending on body structure and muscle mass, if can be very inaccurate.

oooppsss yeah...I am thinking of two different things. I guess blum0133 I won't really get too much into hung up on the "basic BMIs". I've said it before and I will say it again, they really can deflate a person. What "normal" do these experts and doctors use to come up with this stuff? :grumble: Twiggie?

LuckyLeprechaun

Ok...well does anyone know of a better way to calculate it?

it's just one tool, to be used in conjunction with the other tools to give an overall picture. BMI can be very misleading because it doesn't take muscle build into account at all. my DH is very muscular, big broad chest and shoulders, he could probably lose about 20 lbs in order to be really ripped and very fit, but his BMI says he is obese, way up in the scale of obese.

hiddensecant

Don't worry so much about it so much. It doesn't really take into account people with more muscle mass than others. Some of the guys here are ripped and BMI tells them that they're overweight.

I'm also starting to build some muscle with P90X so I changed my goal weight to 135 even though BMI puts that on the light end of overweight. Whatever, I know that once I hit the upper 130's, I'll be looking better than I did the last time I was130. :flowerforyou:

pixiestick

It might be worth going to your local gym and setting up an appointment for them to check your body fat percentage. Because I did that about five weeks ago and then did it again on Friday and I am down 4% but only 3 lbs (that's because of the muscle/fat exchange )

BMI is like a scale. It's just one tool. Some tools work better than others and it all depends on your body. But think about getting your body fat percentage measured... that's about as accurate as they come.

cheers! :flowerforyou:

blum0133

Thanks to all!