Body Mass Index?

ivyx3
ivyx3 Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How reliable is it? My goal weight is what I weighed in high school, I looked good and lean. I've never been stick skinny, but the BMI seems to be on the end of "Normal Weight" like If i gained a few lbs (5lbs to be exact) I'd be overweight.....REALLY?


What should I be aiming for?


Also note that I am strength training now, and even though I want to weigh less I want to be strong, lean and toned!

Replies

  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    BMI is iffy, especially if you have more lean body mass (LBM) than your average person. Most fit men are either overweight or even obese per BMI due to their muscle mass. I think it's a bit more accurate for women but one of my best friends is right on the border of normal/overweight eventhough she has the most rockin body I've ever seen.

    You're better off to get your bodyfat percentage measured and go off of that. Calipers are the most accurate (done by someone else, it's hard to do them accurately yourself) and from what I've heard, the handheld body fat measurers are your next best method, just keep in mind the 3% margin of error. Online calculators will do if that's all you have access to, just make sure your measurements are accurate.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I'm at the very top end of "healthy" on BMI. I have a large frame.
  • cordianet
    cordianet Posts: 534 Member
    Ignore it. BMI was designed as a tool to gauge POPULATIONS of people, not individuals. If you want something that's infinitely better, use Body Fat Percentage.
  • Brad805
    Brad805 Posts: 289 Member
    Think about it this way. Do you think the body is so simple and we are all so similar that we can take two numbers and determine if someone is healthy or not? It is an oversimplified tool that does not take into account your physical dimensions or muscle mass. Great for insurance people, but that is about it.
  • Docmahi
    Docmahi Posts: 1,603 Member
    Ignore it. BMI was designed as a tool to gauge POPULATIONS of people, not individuals. If you want something that's infinitely better, use Body Fat Percentage.

    thats a fantastic view of it actually.

    The BMI was developed in order to look at populations as a whole - people who were above 30 had a certain increase in diseases, above 35 etc. etc. My roommate is a former college sprinter who is 6'0 210 pounds, according to the BMI he is overweight, however his BF is probably sub 10%. It tends to be more accurate in women - but bodyfat percentage is always going to be a better measurement.

    My initial goal weight of 167 lbs was in order to be at a 25 BMI and considered normal. But now in the 190s I am starting to see that I don't think its possible for me to get under 170 without going into the sub 10% BF catagory.

    So its a guideline - but body fat is a much better indicator in my mind

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