Your take on BMI

ChadB74
ChadB74 Posts: 128 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How accurate is it?

My BMI: 31.5 (According to figures, your BMI puts you in the “Obese” range.)

I sure don't feel obese but that is what my BMI tells me. According to this calculator, I would have to weigh 183lbs to be considered the high point of "normal."

To weigh 183lbs, I would have to lose another 49 pounds! That's not happening :noway:
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Replies

  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Depends on your muscle mass. BF% is a far better gauge.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    BMI is a useful tool, but not if you are a bodybuilder or an amputee.
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
    BMI = TBS (total bull *kitten*)
  • JosieJo2000
    JosieJo2000 Posts: 162 Member
    I think it's OK for me when I have little muscle mass, but is crap if you are building muscle. I prefer to go by body fat %, and the way I look. Oh, and how clothes fit!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    It's a population metric, not an individual metric.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    It doesn't take muscle into consideration, just height and weight.....so it's crap...

    bmi-comparison.gif
  • sdreed25
    sdreed25 Posts: 208 Member
    I agree with most of the replies you've had so far, I used it to gauge my progress and to set targets when I was just losing weight with a little exercise and "for me" I found it very useful. My first target was to hit 24.9 to be in healthy and once I got there I did feel much better even though it felt too light when I first saw it! I'm now 23.3 but have now changed to strength, so my focus is BF% and I no longer care about my BMI.

    I'd say it's a useful gauge but far from perfect
  • HelloDan
    HelloDan Posts: 712 Member
    It's an index based on the general population, if you're big, you will be higher up the index whether you're muscle or fat.

    While it's less usefull for more muscley people - I'm one of the only bordelrine obese people I've seen wearing 32" jeans! - it still has some use.
    A high BMI still has health risks, even if it's due to muscle, for example if the heart has to work harder, it's irrelevant if it's because you're fat or muscular, just the same as if joints have to deal with extra load, its irrelevent if that load comes from fat, muscle, G-Force or a barbell.
  • ferrytrip
    ferrytrip Posts: 497 Member
    I feel the same as everyone else. The BMI is useful but really COME ON. I've lost 40lbs and I currently have a BMI of 40.2 which makes me one of the walking dead. When I get to my goal weight of 200lbs, I will still be "obese" with a BMI of 32.3. If I get back to my weight when I was 21 yrs of age (175lbs), I will still be overweight with a BMI of 27/28.

    Per the BMI calculations the upper limit of weight for my height is 155lbs, I was maybe that (11 stone) in high school - maybe. So to be "normal" I need to lose 135 lbs. So I will continue to aim for 200lbs and see if 155 looks doable from there
  • GymChick8
    GymChick8 Posts: 37
    It can be used as one of many tools, but I don't like it. As others said, it can be good when you're bigger. According to it, I'm in the overweight section. I do body fat and measurements as a more accurate measure. I don't even take much notice of what the scales say anymore either.

    Mel
  • brevislux
    brevislux Posts: 1,093 Member
    BMI is only something to consider, but you can't go by it and it doesn't stand on its own. I believe your body fat percentage tells you much, much more about your body and health.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    Unfortunately, my employer is using it as our insurance premium guideline. Which means for me to get to the best premium, I will need to get to 164 Lbs. The nutritionist I talked to, told me that was an unrealistic goal with my lean mass. I can choose to do a body fat test that will give me an adjusted BMI, but I don't know if it would be worth it for the extra $50 insurance savings. The body fat test would probably cost me about that, so I wouldn't be saving much.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Is that savings $50 a year? Or a month?
  • rfsatar
    rfsatar Posts: 599 Member
    I agree with most of the replies you've had so far, I used it to gauge my progress and to set targets when I was just losing weight with a little exercise and "for me" I found it very useful. My first target was to hit 24.9 to be in healthy and once I got there I did feel much better even though it felt too light when I first saw it! I'm now 23.3 but have now changed to strength, so my focus is BF% and I no longer care about my BMI.

    I'd say it's a useful gauge but far from perfect

    100% this...
    It set me on my way, but now I measure inches and my BF% monthly (as well as judging how my clothes are fitting) as my real wins.....
  • christhack
    christhack Posts: 4
    I used to weigh 282lbs and had a BMI of 38. I never ever thought that it would be possible to get into the health BMI range. I am now 175lbs with a BMI of 23.6 after many years of work.

    I would say that I never used my BMI as a target I only ever looked on the next 3 or so lbs and just kept going, I have however used it as a guide for when to slow down. I also use it as a warning sign for when I have been slacking on exercise and diet.
  • Hellavaloosa
    Hellavaloosa Posts: 57
    I used to think BMI was total BS... when I was overweight! Now I have a BMI of about 22-23 and realise that it is actually a fairly good gauge. Like people say - if you have muscles like Arnie then it may put you in the obese category but 99% of people don't have muscles like Arnie so in my opinion they/us/me simply do not see or want to believe that they could do with losing a few pounds. Having not had a normal BMI since I was in nappies I too thought it impossible and that I would be ridiculously too skinny in the normal range.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    BMI = TBS (total bull *kitten*)

    Not really BS - it's a simple tool to measure height/weight ratio. That it get mis-used by being applied to individuals instead of populations isn't really the fault of the tool.
    It's like using a hammer to drive in a screw instead of using a screwdriver. A tool being used for something it wasn't designed for.

    Insurance companies use it (mis-use it) so they can charge more money. So it works for them!!
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,923 Member
    I think people really have to be honest with themselves and first figure out if they are fat or just have a good bit of muscle mass. If you are fat, lose weight until you get in to the normal range then consider BF% over BMI.

    BMI is around because there's a lot of people in this world that aren't honest with themselves.

    I started at a 26.6 BMI (I was fat, and heavier than I had ever been wearing a size I had never been in), now after a lose of 40+ pounds, I'm a 20.8 BMI. I don't suggest everyone aim as low as me, but I'm proof that a 5'11 woman can weigh under 150 and look normal, not too skinny, not boney.
  • EllieMo
    EllieMo Posts: 131 Member
    Muscle is denser than fat, so two people with the same BMI can look completely different depending on body composition. Someone with a lot of body fat/not much muscle will look bigger (and floppier!) than someone with more muscle/less fat.

    So BMI on it's own is actually a useless measure.
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
    People like to make the ridiculous comparisons of fat people and bodybuilders, but the truth is - if you are in the category of people who need to be concerned with BMI then it is probably pretty accurate for you.

    If you are fit and healthy and stacked, then you aren't going to be worrying about what category you fall into on the BMI scale.
  • SanDiegoCasey
    SanDiegoCasey Posts: 130 Member
    BMI lists me as forever near Obese. LOL I love it. hate it for insurance rates though!
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
    BMI lists me as forever near Obese. LOL I love it. hate it for insurance rates though!

    Haha, I'm currently overweight - aiming for obese though...
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    Is that savings $50 a year? Or a month?

    I believe it is a one time savings for a year.
  • goldfinger88
    goldfinger88 Posts: 686 Member
    BMI is totally worthless. Forget it. Arnold Schwartznegger would have been obese in his prime if you go by BMI. Better to go by other formulas --- especially body fat and visceral fat. Forget BMI.
  • GemskiB
    GemskiB Posts: 95 Member
    BMI is a good guide to start with if you are average, and that is what I have set my goal for; the top weight for healthy BMI. But because I have been doing strength training the nurse at my work says I should use BF% and I tend to agree. I am nowhere near goal yet but I will be re-assessing as I go. No point getting down to 153 and looking like skeletor and having to lose lean muscle mass to do it. I'll stop when I'm happy. Too much is put on this and that. The main reasons we all want to lose weight are that we are not happy in ourselves and the implications, ie being untit etc.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    Health insurance premiums at my company are about $400/yr lower for healthy BMI. I'm not wealthy, so having a healthy BMI is an important goal for me. While BMI may be a "crap" measurement or being used "incorrectly" or what have you, for me, BMI is spot on as a measurement. It told me I was morbidly obese when I started (I was), told me I was still obese when I hit my first major milestone (I was), and it tells me I'm overweight now (which I am). My personal opinion is BMI is fairly valid for the vast majority of people-not for everyone.
  • DonnaLeeCattes
    DonnaLeeCattes Posts: 492 Member
    I agree with most of the replies you've had so far, I used it to gauge my progress and to set targets when I was just losing weight with a little exercise and "for me" I found it very useful. My first target was to hit 24.9 to be in healthy and once I got there I did feel much better even though it felt too light when I first saw it! I'm now 23.3 but have now changed to strength, so my focus is BF% and I no longer care about my BMI.

    I'd say it's a useful gauge but far from perfect

    I agree with this...Last month i got to a healthy weight, finally! I took off 60 lbs to get there, my BMI started out at 34.7 now it's 23.7, and for me I just wanted to prove to myself that I could reach the number it said I needed to reach.
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
    BMI = TBS (total bull *kitten*)

    Not really BS - it's a simple tool to measure height/weight ratio. That it get mis-used by being applied to individuals instead of populations isn't really the fault of the tool.
    It's like using a hammer to drive in a screw instead of using a screwdriver. A tool being used for something it wasn't designed for.

    Insurance companies use it (mis-use it) so they can charge more money. So it works for them!!

    I totally agree, but given that its misuse is so institutionalised now I maintain my stance. If the only thing a hammer was ever used for was driving in a screw, then I'd say it was a useless tool....

    One of my biggest pet peeves about the BMI has been illustrated by a few people in this thread. There is an underlying acceptance that the BMI is always an indicator of underlying health issues, IT ISN"T. There is also an assumption, despite all credible, logical and historical evidence to the contrary, that people who don't like the BMI are just fatties making excuses. It is not just 'Arnies' who are incorrectly classified by the BMI. The more worrying issue is that it notoriously misclassifies small people with little msucle as being 'normal' or 'healthy' who actually have an unhealthy amount of fat.
  • sm1zzle
    sm1zzle Posts: 920 Member
    BMI = TBS (total bull *kitten*)

    Not really BS - it's a simple tool to measure height/weight ratio. That it get mis-used by being applied to individuals instead of populations isn't really the fault of the tool.
    It's like using a hammer to drive in a screw instead of using a screwdriver. A tool being used for something it wasn't designed for.

    Insurance companies use it (mis-use it) so they can charge more money. So it works for them!!

    I totally agree, but given that its misuse is so institutionalised now I maintain my stance. If the only thing a hammer was ever used for was driving in a screw, then I'd say it was a useless tool....

    One of my biggest pet peeves about the BMI has been illustrated by a few people in this thread. There is an underlying acceptance that the BMI is always an indicator of underlying health issues, IT ISN"T. There is also an assumption, despite all credible, logical and historical evidence to the contrary, that people who don't like the BMI are just fatties making excuses. It is not just 'Arnies' who are incorrectly classified by the BMI. The more worrying issue is that it notoriously misclassifies small people with little msucle as being 'normal' or 'healthy' who actually have an unhealthy amount of fat.

    .... what ?
  • missxlaur
    missxlaur Posts: 286
    I HATE BMI. Does not take into consideration activity level or health or muscle content or anything.

    My doctor told me based on my BMI I was super unhealthy and "on the verge" of a plethora of health issues. I workout 4 days a week, I've been lifting for years, and I just ran a half marathon. ABSURD.

    And when my BF was trying to play in the NFL, he had 6% body fat and was considered "morbidly obese" based on BMI. SO DUMB.

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