the BMI thing-rethink

jerber160

when I found the BMI tool back in august or so, I figured there was no way in the world that can be a possibility I could get to such a weight. After half a year with MFP it's looking more and more accurate... at least for a sedentary fatty who doesn't work out. I think I can get into the BMI's healthy range.... and worry about working out later...

earlyxer

JRoss -

I would discard BMI completely. It is a very inaccurate method of describing how fit you are. Only height and weight are considered. Therefore, you can have a very muscular, lean body that yields a high BMI because muscle weighs so much more than fat per unit of volume. BMI is useless, really.

A far better method of determining fitness is your body fat percentage. There are threads on her that have drawings that show you roughly where you are but I'd have to hazard a guess that you're around 25% right now. Healthy ranges for men are 15-19 percent. You can easily buy a pair of $5 body fat calipers and take a few skinfold measurements and determine it that way.

Once you have a decent grasp on your BF percentage, you can calculate an accurate calorie intake to lose fat.

The working out - well, it goes hand in hand with fat loss.

jerber160

I dunno early... the long story is i was an acrobat when I was younger...walked on my hands anywhere, back flips.. you get the picture,, so I had really strong legs and shoulders and chest. now I'm pretty sedentary. (52YO)..so I've been losing steadily and I am starting to see muscles in my quads again,, it's a kick...still have broad shoulders,,, arms lame cos biceps weren't required to balance upside down...I haven't rallied the energy to work out. but it's making me think for someone with NO bulking going... for a couch potato, the number might not be way off.
My point is, i NEVER in a million years thought I could weight 150 lbs. I don't think I was 150 in 5th grade... so that bmi number was a fantasy.... Now,, yep... I can... and seeing the obese young people around me...it wouldn't be a bad thing for them to see this tool. As for the dreaded caliper...I'm at the point where I'm not sure how much fat is left (guessing about 10-15 lbs) and how much loose skin is hanging around...
Bottom line is I KNOW I gotta start some weight training. I KNOW it.. I just gotta DO it..

eberz1000

My friend is considered morbidly obese by BMI standards. He's just really buff...

jerber160

well I get that muscle has to be taken into account, but for me... not working out.... i'm thinking it's pretty on...maybe it will entice me to exercise

grumpya

BMI doesn't take into account sex or ethnicity, which makes it inaccurate for men & for some races. For a 52 yr old who is sedentary a BMI of 24 or 25 may be realistic but for some men & for some races it is misleading. According to BMI the English Rugby team are all morbidly obese & so are most olypic rowers. It is meant as a guide, most doctors now use it as a guide, especially for men. I think most of us know what is right for us & it is simple enough to get a measurement at a doctors or a gym to tell you what you really should weigh once you reach a point where you feel happy. Doctors in the Uk are now saying that recent research has shown that there are no health implications other than orthopaedic with a BMI of 28. Now some people don't feel good at a BMi of 28 & other cannot maintain a BMI of 22 so obviously common sense comes into it too.

jerber160

I THINK my point in posting at all has to do with the way many of us have an unrealistic vision of ourselves..and that it really, honestly IS feasible to do something about it. I've NEVER been a rugby player or olympic rower. I doubt if I could be mistaken for one. (see pics) but I NEVER thought, in a million years, I could be what I weigh now. I THINK my point is that fat people, especially kids, need a clearer picture of the weight they are carrying and that it is possible to change-that it's not the impossible task it may seem. I hit 157 this week. I am 7 pounds heavier than a 30 year old girl I work with. that's shocking... cos she doesn't look too heavy. overweight yes, but if you compare our shoulders mine are broad and hers are girls.

bilzprincess

My general doctor has a machine to measure ur body fat accurately. $25 to hv it done and next year I plan to compare my body fat ratio. It isn't all about scales and it will take a year to measure a good amount of body composition change I would imagine. Wish I'd done it 20 or 40 lbs ago so I cld really see some fun change numbers.

bilzprincess

Keep up the great work! It's fun trying to wrap our brains around whole new scale numbers we never thought we'd see again, isn't it?

jerber160

i can tell by looking my body fat ratio or whatever is not terrific, but you're right ... it's hysterical to me what I weigh now. I think i skipped from 130ish to 175ish somewhere in the 5th grade. who knew? this is fun...