BMI index accurate??

tuneweplay

I'm 5'8", 39, Male. Lost 13 pounds since March 5th-joining MFP and starting to exercize again. MFP says my BMI is currently 27.9 and normal is 18-25. That would mean 121-164 pounds is "Healthy" I weighed 162 once, since becoming an adult, and looked like skin & bones. Right now, my goal is 170. Am I out of line?? I KNOW it's whatever works for me, but need some advice.

ALSO - REALLY struggling with how many calories to eat. Workout routine is YMCA boot camp 3 times/week (cardio, running, jogging, sit-ups, push-ups, lunges, etc.) and walk 1/2 hour 3 times/week. I was aiming at 1400 cals/day, but after reading lots of posts, sounds like it's not enough. Just don't want to go BACKWARDS!

tuneweplay

bump

sma83

If you have a lot of muscle then your BMI could be off. I would say go with what makes you happy and how ever you feel comfortable. :flowerforyou:

kdeaux1959

BMI does not take a couple of things into account... 1. lean body mass and 2. frame size. It is based on research showing maximum longevity but may not in every case be accurate. If you are only 6 lbs overweight (according to BMI) I really don't think a lot of health problems will result. A better tool is your body fat percentage... There are online tools to determine an estimate but the best way to get an accurate result is to have a personal trainer or gym take your anthropometric measurements.

dlwyatt82

Nothing that is based on just height, weight, age and/or gender without considering body fat : lean mass ratio is going to be completely accurate.

zyxst

BMI is a generalization and doesn't take into account really muscular or morbidly obese people. If you feel 160 is too skinny for you, it's okay to weigh more and be healthy at the same time.

Generally, you can find out a base of how many calories to eat by finding your BMR at http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ .

Dragonwolf

For individuals, the BMI pretty much falls apart. It's designed for population groups, not individuals. Additionally, it doesn't take lean body mass into account (example, Shaq, while he was playing basketball, was considered morbidly obese according to the BMI).

If you want a single measurement to go by, go with body fat percentage.

ElHombre23

In order for me to be normal on the BMI scale I would have to weigh something in the neighborhood of 168 pounds...If I ever went that low I would look like I need to be sent to emergency room ASAP...I look my best around 210 - 215 bmi thinks that would make me obese...I say F the BMI...I hate generic scales charts or equations that pigeon hole people into categories.

grendel322

I agree with some of the posts, I am at 26.8 on the BMI scale, but don't even really WANT to lose much more. Body fat has been recommended as a better indicator of overall composition. I also think 1600 calories might be a little on the low side, especially if you're exercising that much more now!

Buddhasmiracle

There are a number of calculators out there to help you. Check out www.fitnessfrog.com and fattofitradio. Determine what your body fat % is to lean mass, and stay focused on fitness. I'm not sure from what you posted what your CW or BF% is and what your goal(s) are.

My husband is 66yrs old, stands 5'8", and weighs 144, and a 14%BF. He lifts heavy 3xs weekly and is very active otherwise on non-work out days -- biking, walking, swimming.

There are many MFPers who are much better versed than I am who will help you out with more specifics.

myfitnessnmhoy

Work your way in the direction of BMI, but focus more on body fat percentage. Worry about your exact goal when you get closer to it. Just set a goal for now.

As far as the calories, I started with slavishly following the recommendations of this site, which is based on averages, and it's worked out well for me so far. Every few pounds, I go through the "setup wizard" and it takes a few calories away from me to account for my lost weight.

The key is to (1) experiment and (2) be honest. Track all your calories, track all your exercise, learn where MFP is calculating exercise calories correctly or incorrectly for you, and do your best to eat your actual exercise calories back. Look at your fats, proteins, and carbs and bring them in approximate balances as per the recommendations of the site. Drink plenty of water.

Eating LESS will lose you weight faster. However, you're risking being hungry all the time, which will make you more likely to make poor food choices and possibly just give up. Set a pace that you think you can sustain, and follow it.

Right now is a good time to learn some good eating habits while you're working on losing the weight. Learn what foods work for you, what foods don't, and what you can fit into a weight-reducing lifestyle. Then, when you reach what you think is your goal, re-assess how you feel. You might find that being within BMI is reasonable.

When I weighed 280, I thought 240 was a healthy weight for me. And it was, compared to 280. Then I got down to 210. And I felt fantastic. Top of the BMI range for me is 200. This time, I'm going to work my way down to 195 and see how I feel. If I'm "skin and bones", I'll add 500 calories a day and work my way back up. I'll also focus on building muscle for that weight gain, not fat.

The important thing right now for you, in my opinion, is not "losing weight". It's CONTROLLING weight. Learn what works for you and then take your time and lose the weight properly, by controlling the pace at which you do it.

TaylorsGranddad

I was a great believer that BMI was a bit of info that looked nice but most people said to take with a pinch of the old salt, UNTIL I visited my doctors who basically said BMI is a pretty good idea of what you should weight etc.... I'm still sceptical but I'm following the doctor’s orders.... for now anyway.

On the other hand, BMI says I should weigh 11.5 stone but when I went to that weight in my 20's most of my friends said I looked ill??

oilphins

hey tune,
I completely agree with you on this one. I'm 5'10 and lost about 15 pounds since I started this and now at 172 pounds it's telling me I'm normal for weight, but by 1 pound. So if I go up to 173, that means I'm overweight? Absolutely ridiculous. My bother in law is about 5'8 like you and weighs about 185, but he is huge. He's a clean bodybuilder and has been for years. You won't find any fat on this guy and their going to say he's overweight? Muscle does weigh more than fat from what I've heard. I don't even pay attention to the bmi and don't care. If we all followed it the way It's suppose to be, we'd all be skeletons. Good luck to ya.

tuneweplay

THANKS to everyone for your ideas and support!!!