Frustrated with BMI chart

Erica_theRedhead

BMI is an estimation, and is not always accurate. Many fit individuals actually fall into overweight bmi section because of weight generally d/t their muscles. Instead, do body fat percentage with a caliper. I think that is the best way to judge where you stand.

rkpixler

Thanks everyone for the advice, I guess as I get close I will decide I how feel, last time I lost the weight I did a lot of strength training so was heavier then I looked and will do that again. I think I would rather be muscular and tone and "overweight" by bmi standards than having to look at the girl with the sunk in face looking back at me in the mirror(cuz that is what happens When I hit about 125).

librarygoddess2

I feel the same way. The BMI seems to reflect society's definition of a healthy weight. Once I lose my pre determined weight (50lbs), "I" will judge wether or not I want to go any lower.

Agreed! The BMI might be a good place to start but ultimately it's about how you feel. The BMI says I should be 125lb. I haven't weighed that since I was in Junior High. I don't want to look like I'm in Junior High Again and my husband doesn't want me to be that skinny either. I set my goal at 135 which is what I think I'll feel good at. Again it's just a goal and something to aim for the most important part is that you feel great and love the way you look. We shouldn't be obsessed with numbers, they should just be a starting point.

leadoff

I am not a fan of the BMI chart, as it does not take bone mass, body fat %, muscle mass or even gender into consideration. It is a generalization at best. At 6' 0" 178 lbs, I come in at the high end of NORMAL on the BMI scale....only .8 points away from OVERWEIGHT. However, my last body fat rating was 10.8%, which is at the lower end of the healthy spectrum for my age/gender. Thanks, Mr. BMI chart, but I am happy where I am at this point in my life, as I feel fit as a fiddle.

AZackery

I think people frequently talk themselves out of a healthy weight by saying they would look too skinny.

If that's what you want to tell yourself, then go for it. But don't pretend it is anything other than what it is: an excuse.

I disagree with you. I'm 5ft1" tall and according to my doctor and the bmi (height/weight chart), I'm supposed to be 101 pounds

According to your doctor, maybe. According to BMI, no. 101 is at the very low end of the healthy range for your height. You could be 130 and still in normal range.

Bmi, yes. I will never get down to 130 either. That's not normal for me.

lacroyx

BMI is CRAP

AZackery

I disagree with you. I'm 5ft1" tall and according to my doctor and the bmi (height/weight chart), I'm supposed to be 101 pounds and I'm never getting down to that size. I would not only look too skinny, I would be too skinny. The biggest I ever was, before gaining weight was 125 pounds and it took me four years go gain 20 pounds, raising my weight to 145 pounds. From there I have gained more weight. I don't even want to be 125 pounds or 145 pounds. I"m aiming for a healthy body fat percentage and when I get there, I will still be classified as being overweight on the bmi chart and I don't care. I will be healthy.

Sidetrack -- is your doctor really telling you to aim for a BMI of 19?? A BMI of under 25 is generally considered normal, and 132 lbs would give you 24.9.

I don't know why you have said sidetrack for. I have made my statement, to let the OP know that the bmi doesn't matter. I don't care about the bmi. It's not important to me. I will still be healthy, even if I don't follow the bmi chart.

susannamarie

I disagree with you. I'm 5ft1" tall and according to my doctor and the bmi (height/weight chart), I'm supposed to be 101 pounds and I'm never getting down to that size. I would not only look too skinny, I would be too skinny. The biggest I ever was, before gaining weight was 125 pounds and it took me four years go gain 20 pounds, raising my weight to 145 pounds. From there I have gained more weight. I don't even want to be 125 pounds or 145 pounds. I"m aiming for a healthy body fat percentage and when I get there, I will still be classified as being overweight on the bmi chart and I don't care. I will be healthy.

Sidetrack -- is your doctor really telling you to aim for a BMI of 19?? A BMI of under 25 is generally considered normal, and 132 lbs would give you 24.9.

I don't know why you have said sidetrack for. I have made my statement, to let the OP know that the bmi doesn't matter. I don't care about the bmi. It's not important to me. I will still be healthy, even if I don't follow the bmi chart.

I said sidetrack, because I was changing the subject slightly. And whoever is telling you to aim for 101 is not following the BMI chart either. They are telling you to aim for the borderline of 'underweight'.

tigersword

I think people frequently talk themselves out of a healthy weight by saying they would look too skinny.

If that's what you want to tell yourself, then go for it. But don't pretend it is anything other than what it is: an excuse.

My Lean Body Mass is "overweight" according to BMI charts. If I were to use BMI to decide on a "healthy" weight, I'd have to drop over 20 pounds of muscle, without dropping anymore fat. BMI is a HORRIBLE method for determining a truly healthy weight. IF you want to choose your weight based on some arbitrary number that was only designed to quantify large population groups, and has absolutely no bearing on individual health, go ahead. Personally, I'd rather have a healthy body fat level, rather than just a healthy "weight."

sweet110

BMI is CRAP

...and that's what the average person looks like. IN THEIR HEADS. Typically, its the body in the "before" picture who is screaming about how the bmi charts are crap. And, honestly, he's not a bad looking guy. Pudgy...but not gigantic.

Its funny, I was wasting time last night on MFP, and I found someone's blog post who a year ago had a picture up with their measurements. To show how fit and muscular they were. 22% body fat (female). And a long explanation (involving math) about how if they got down to what the BMI said was normal, they'd be sick looking and have some ridiculously low percentage of body fat. And, they did look fine. It was a totally reasonable goal, given that they had lost 100 pounds. No one would argue that what she had achieved wasn't good looking and pretty healthy.

Fast forward to their blog a year later? They had lost another 30 pounds. Down into that normal BMI that was "impossible for her body type." And she doesn't look even close to sick. She looked fit, healthy, and strong.

AZackery

I disagree with you. I'm 5ft1" tall and according to my doctor and the bmi (height/weight chart), I'm supposed to be 101 pounds and I'm never getting down to that size. I would not only look too skinny, I would be too skinny. The biggest I ever was, before gaining weight was 125 pounds and it took me four years go gain 20 pounds, raising my weight to 145 pounds. From there I have gained more weight. I don't even want to be 125 pounds or 145 pounds. I"m aiming for a healthy body fat percentage and when I get there, I will still be classified as being overweight on the bmi chart and I don't care. I will be healthy.

Sidetrack -- is your doctor really telling you to aim for a BMI of 19?? A BMI of under 25 is generally considered normal, and 132 lbs would give you 24.9.

I don't know why you have said sidetrack for. I have made my statement, to let the OP know that the bmi doesn't matter. I don't care about the bmi. It's not important to me. I will still be healthy, even if I don't follow the bmi chart.

I said sidetrack, because I was changing the subject slightly. And whoever is telling you to aim for 101 is not following the BMI chart either. They are telling you to aim for the borderline of 'underweight'.

101 pounds for my height would have a bmi that falls under the normal range. I know my body. 101 pounds is not for me, no matter my height. I would be too thin at that weight.

downsizinghoss

It's a good starting guideline. It doesn't take body type into account.

I had my body fat % tested and my lean body mass was 205.

At 209 I would still be considered obese.

I know my lean body mass will decrease some as I lose weight, but I really hope I don't lose 30 pounds of lean mass!

sweet110

Look. I'm not saying BMI is the be all and end all. I don't know how I became its primary defender. Its a tool, like any other. Don't use it, if you have some other tool. Just keep in mind that they are *also* tools, and have their flaws (the derivation of body fat percentages can be about as mumbo-jumbo as bmi charts...using "a magic scale" or hand-held device from Target anyone? How about the "measure your wrist" methods? Or having the 22 year old guy with no training at the 24 hour fitness pull out his calipers?).

I think what has me riled up is that I find the rhetoric of "individual body types" to be a little dangerous...you're not as unique as you think you are. Someone just like you was probably included in the population averages used to construct most tools currently in use. Because most of us aren't body builders. And the ability do 10 push-ups and some lunges doesn't make you "a muscular type." It just makes you decently fit. Its pretty clear that "our eyes" have shifted with the obesity epidemic. People have developed a skewed image of what normal is. And I find that disturbing. Because the BMI chart? Is not an aesthetic tool. Its not a hotness scale. It was based on health outcomes research. Yes, with all its flaws. So what you think "looks good" on you may in fact be pretty smoking to you and the people you date. But that isn't really the point.

downsizinghoss

I am not arguing the point. It can be off. I went and had the BodPod displacement test done for my body fat %. The only one that is more accurate that I know of is the water displacement test.

The whole discussion is useless until a person gets to the weight/size that they want to maintain. Saying we will never fit in the BMI scale changes nothing about my day to day life. I still want to exercise and eat right every day and keep getting in better shape.

People saying "I would be too skinny at xxx weight." is just a way of not putting added pressure on themselves. As long as they are working to get healthier it doesn't really matter. If they are using it as a reason to not get better, then it is a problem.

My other favorite one is when people who have a lot of weight to lose start worrying about extra or loose skin. It is their head getting in the way and trying to give a reason not to make the right changes.

susannamarie

101 pounds for my height would have a bmi that falls under the normal range. I know my body. 101 pounds is not for me, no matter my height. I would be too thin at that weight.

I am *agreeing* with you. 101 lbs is not for you. It could be for someone who is your height, but naturally a very lean and small frame.

Where I am saying it is wrong, is that if someone is telling you that you need to go down to 101 lbs to be in the "normal" range (which is what your first post said), they are wrong. 101 is at the very BOTTOM end of the range. The "normal" range for your height is 100-132.

SirDoctorofTARDIS

nope, i dont pay attention to the BMI chart at all.. i think its crap as far as measuring individuals goes. go by how you feel and how you want to look.

especially if you are really active and if you lift a lot of weights.

BMI is the absolute worst calculation out there. It only looks at your weight and height. I know many people who are in excellent shape and as healthy as can be but according to their BMI the are overweight borderline obese. The BMI does not look at fat and muscle percentage. If you want a better idea of what your weight is find someone who does body composition testing. This looks at body fat and will make you feel much better about yourself than BMI ever would.

SirDoctorofTARDIS

I am not arguing the point. It can be off. I went and had the BodPod displacement test done for my body fat %. The only one that is more accurate that I know of is the water displacement test.

The whole discussion is useless until a person gets to the weight/size that they want to maintain. Saying we will never fit in the BMI scale changes nothing about my day to day life. I still want to exercise and eat right every day and keep getting in better shape.

People saying "I would be too skinny at xxx weight." is just a way of not putting added pressure on themselves. As long as they are working to get healthier it doesn't really matter. If they are using it as a reason to not get better, then it is a problem.

My other favorite one is when people who have a lot of weight to lose start worrying about extra or loose skin. It is their head getting in the way and trying to give a reason not to make the right changes.

Just going off that the bod pod is the most accurate 3% error with water displacement and calipers being tied with approximately 3-5% error. However the calipers are by far the cheapest and easiest as long as you don't mind someone having to physically touch you

sweet110

I am not arguing the point. It can be off. I went and had the BodPod displacement test done for my body fat %. The only one that is more accurate that I know of is the water displacement test.

The whole discussion is useless until a person gets to the weight/size that they want to maintain. Saying we will never fit in the BMI scale changes nothing about my day to day life. I still want to exercise and eat right every day and keep getting in better shape.

People saying "I would be too skinny at xxx weight." is just a way of not putting added pressure on themselves. As long as they are working to get healthier it doesn't really matter. If they are using it as a reason to not get better, then it is a problem.

My other favorite one is when people who have a lot of weight to lose start worrying about extra or loose skin. It is their head getting in the way and trying to give a reason not to make the right changes.

Totally true. Because even fat and fit is better than the alternative. We can all do better, no matter where we start!

douglasmobbs

I googled some of the forwards in the 6 nations (rugby) they were all on or around 30 BMI.

The BMI is something that attempts to be a one size fits all solution.

nwg74

The calculation formula for BMI is 200 years old when a persons body was much different back then. Body fat percentage is a better alternative.

I have lost 147 pounds and still need to lose another 56 pounds to get to the top healthy limit of the BMI. After 11 months, I am now taking my weight loss half a stone (7 pounds for those in the US) at a time and see how my body is in the mirror. I am excited to see how I look once 12 months comes up. I may stop or may carry on for a bit longer.

AZackery

101 pounds for my height would have a bmi that falls under the normal range. I know my body. 101 pounds is not for me, no matter my height. I would be too thin at that weight.

I am *agreeing* with you. 101 lbs is not for you. It could be for someone who is your height, but naturally a very lean and small frame.

Where I am saying it is wrong, is that if someone is telling you that you need to go down to 101 lbs to be in the "normal" range (which is what your first post said), they are wrong. 101 is at the very BOTTOM end of the range. The "normal" range for your height is 100-132.

I've said that according to my doctor and the bmi height/weight chart I'm supposed to be 101 pounds. My doctor told me that i need to get down to 101 pounds, because of my height. I'm not getting down to 101 or even 132 pounds. I know what my healthy body fat percentage and scale weight number will be, once I get there. I will forever be classified as overweight or more like it obese on the bmi chart and I'm fine with that.