Do BMI's seem unrealistic to anyone else?

tomwatso

I am a 43/m who is 5'11" tall. Per the BMI, I should be 137-179 pounds. At present, I am 205 pounds. I started my journey last 5-18-2012. I was 238 lbs. I personally would be overjoyed if I hit the high 180s to low 190s. If one has any muscle mass at all, it throws the BMI off. I don't ever want to be below 170 lbs. I would be pleased if I hit 179. However, if I do get to the 180s, I will be ready to rock and roll.

As stated before I am 205 pounds and my BMI is 28.7. I have also lost 5.5 inches around my waist. Part of this issue is the hypothyroidism that I discovered last year. I take levothyroxine every morning. I work out 4-5 days a week (mostly cardio). I use myfitnesspal.com as my calorie guide. My next major goal is to below 200 lbs. I have not been that since the 1990s.

theblackspot

I wonder what gymnasts, and swimmers and cyclists, and runners or highschool basketball players weigh? Bet they fit in their bmi. Me? I'm over weight. But working on it.

ChgingMe

I wonder what gymnasts, and swimmers and cyclists, and runners or highschool basketball players weigh? Bet they fit in their bmi. Me? I'm over weight. But working on it.

Nope. Jordan was obese at the height of his career according to his BMI

Bridget0927

was expecting some sassy responses to the last few posts...

Nothing???

:-)

concordancia

I wonder what gymnasts, and swimmers and cyclists, and runners or highschool basketball players weigh? Bet they fit in their bmi. Me? I'm over weight. But working on it.

Nope. Jordan was obese at the height of his career according to his BMI

The poor man hit the height of his career in high school? I thought that only happened to total losers!

aliciaje

Hmm just for fun I put in all the forwards of the LA Kings into the BMI calculator. I would doubt anyone would argue that these guys are not in peak physical condition with low body fat %'s. Only 3 out of 14 were in the "normal' bmi the lowest being 6'1, 187lbs 24.7BMI. The highest BMI was 29. Most ranged in the 26-28 zone.

fara180

i honestly couldn't care less about the BMI. according to it, i should be on my deathbed as i am considered "morbidly obese." my healthy weight range is between 117 and 155.....and i think i would be happiest with the higher weigh in. i can't imagine how weird i would look at 117 lbs. then again, i like to keep things curvy

AmyW125

My BMI puts me as over weight too. Drives me crazy!!! My Dr. believes in the BMI charts!! Tells me every visit I need to lose at least 20 more pounds...:noway:

Is your profile pic you?? Wow. we should all be so overweight.

Yep it's me. I love you thanks!!! You just made my day!!!!--I'm working on the last 10. (for a year now!!)

magpie0

Unreasonable. I have a bmi of 22.3 but I look like I have a bmi of 28 because I have a lot of fat. )

BunkyBumBum

BMI doesn't figure in cup size either. I read that a woman with D or DD breasts is carrying an extra 8-10 pounds of weight. Since you can't lose weight from your breasts (once they're down to their natural size, of course), worrying about those extra few pounds isn't worth it. The only way to lose that weight would be a surgical reduction. Nobody can blame you for being heavier in the chest.

It's actually 1 lb per cup (total) So if you wear a D that's 4 extra lbs (1/2 lb per breast/cup size).

Is that accurate? I'm a GG, no wonder my back and shoulders are so far out of whack.

Bridget0927

I wonder what gymnasts, and swimmers and cyclists, and runners or highschool basketball players weigh? Bet they fit in their bmi. Me? I'm over weight. But working on it.

Nope. Jordan was obese at the height of his career according to his BMI

I wouldnt think pro athelete of any kind would be in the norm of the populous, obv. an exception

Bridget0927

BMI doesn't figure in cup size either. I read that a woman with D or DD breasts is carrying an extra 8-10 pounds of weight. Since you can't lose weight from your breasts (once they're down to their natural size, of course), worrying about those extra few pounds isn't worth it. The only way to lose that weight would be a surgical reduction. Nobody can blame you for being heavier in the chest.

It's actually 1 lb per cup (total) So if you wear a D that's 4 extra lbs (1/2 lb per breast/cup size).

Is that accurate? I'm a GG, no wonder my back and shoulders are so far out of whack.

This is really cool to know!~ Thanks!

bcattoes

Hmm just for fun I put in all the forwards of the LA Kings into the BMI calculator. I would doubt anyone would argue that these guys are not in peak physical condition with low body fat %'s. Only 3 out of 14 were in the "normal' bmi the lowest being 6'1, 187lbs 24.7BMI. The highest BMI was 29. Most ranged in the 26-28 zone.

DId it suprise you that people who are clearly not "average" registered incorrectly on a tool based on population avereages?

CoachReddy

Hmm just for fun I put in all the forwards of the LA Kings into the BMI calculator. I would doubt anyone would argue that these guys are not in peak physical condition with low body fat %'s. Only 3 out of 14 were in the "normal' bmi the lowest being 6'1, 187lbs 24.7BMI. The highest BMI was 29. Most ranged in the 26-28 zone.

However Roger Federer is 6'1" and 187. Top of the healthy range. Im sure you could go through all tennis, soccer and other endurance sports and find most fit the BMI scale. Being able to perform optimally in a contact sport doesn't necessarily correlate with optimal health. I refer you to linebackers and many first basemen.

BMI is sketchier when we're talking about athletes, true. But the majority of us on this site are not pro athletes

dcl3872

BMI list me as Obese, but the mirror tells a different story I'm a bodybuilder so I guess it's a case by case basis I believe those charts are more for someone who has never exercised or build muscle mass forget scale and charts look in your mirror if you like what you see you have accompliced your goal

Mokey41

First you need to wrap your head around the idea that the BMI scale is for the "average" person. A professional athlete carries a lot more LBM than the average male. If you have a high LBM you'll probably not fit the chart. If you have very little LBM you probably won't fit the chart.

I'm reading people's weights and measurements in the previous posts and a lot of them are larger than they probably should be to be "ideal". Does everyone have to be ideal? No. If you think being curvy or having lots of muscles or huge boobs is the way to be, then go for it. It doesn't make the chart wrong because it doesn't fit in with what your perception of your ideal body is.

The poster who is having a hard time being obese based on dress size, perceived physical ability etc is not a special snowflake. At your weight and measurements you are obese. We aren't much different in age or height and if I wore a size 12 I would be obese. It is what it is. Your perception of not wanting that label doesn't make it so.

CoachReddy

First you need to wrap your head around the idea that the BMI scale is for the "average" person. A professional athlete carries a lot more LBM than the average male. If you have a high LBM you'll probably not fit the chart. If you have very little LBM you probably won't fit the chart.

I'm reading people's weights and measurements in the previous posts and a lot of them are larger than they probably should be to be "ideal". Does everyone have to be ideal? No. If you think being curvy or having lots of muscles or huge boobs is the way to be, then go for it. It doesn't make the chart wrong because it doesn't fit in with what your perception of your ideal body is.

The poster who is having a hard time being obese based on dress size, perceived physical ability etc is not a special snowflake. At your weight and measurements you are obese. We aren't much different in age or height and if I wore a size 12 I would be obese. It is what it is. Your perception of not wanting that label doesn't make it so.

QFT

Bridget0927

First you need to wrap your head around the idea that the BMI scale is for the "average" person. A professional athlete carries a lot more LBM than the average male. If you have a high LBM you'll probably not fit the chart. If you have very little LBM you probably won't fit the chart.

I'm reading people's weights and measurements in the previous posts and a lot of them are larger than they probably should be to be "ideal". Does everyone have to be ideal? No. If you think being curvy or having lots of muscles or huge boobs is the way to be, then go for it. It doesn't make the chart wrong because it doesn't fit in with what your perception of your ideal body is.

The poster who is having a hard time being obese based on dress size, perceived physical ability etc is not a special snowflake. At your weight and measurements you are obese. We aren't much different in age or height and if I wore a size 12 I would be obese. It is what it is. Your perception of not wanting that label doesn't make it so.

QFT

Ditto

Mokey41

For me to be in the middle of the healthy range of BMI - I would have to be about 130lbs.

However, I have a 45 inch shoulder span. There's no way that I can get that small. Holy crap.

So I try to ignore it.

A 45" shoulder span? Tell me that's a typo.

CristinaL1983

For me to be in the middle of the healthy range of BMI - I would have to be about 130lbs.

However, I have a 45 inch shoulder span. There's no way that I can get that small. Holy crap.

So I try to ignore it.

A 45" shoulder span? Tell me that's a typo.

I'm guessing that's circumference not span.

livelaughlovecrazy

When I weighed in the range of my BMI in my college years, I got an intervention from my friends b/c they were concerned about my weight--I was too thin. I am tall with a large frame. For me, it's not realistic.

I'd have to say it's similar for me.

I'm tall and have a large frame, right now I'm 215 and I know it's not where I should be, but when I was 140 back in high school, which is considered a 'normal' healthy range on the BMI calc, I had no curves, no boobs and looked a little sickly...

You can look at my photos and see that even though I'm not at the weight I should be right now, it would not work for me to 140lbs...

CoachReddy

When I weighed in the range of my BMI in my college years, I got an intervention from my friends b/c they were concerned about my weight--I was too thin. I am tall with a large frame. For me, it's not realistic.

I'd have to say it's similar for me.

I'm tall and have a large frame, right now I'm 215 and I know it's not where I should be, but when I was 140 back in high school, which is considered a 'normal' healthy range on the BMI calc, I had no curves, no boobs and looked a little sickly...

You can look at my photos and see that even though I'm not at the weight I should be right now, it would not work for me to 140lbs...

BMI is based in fact and predicts future health risks

"What works for you" is based on your own perception of what you consider attractive or attainable.

We're comparing apples and oranges when we make these associations.

ChgingMe

The poster who is having a hard time being obese based on dress size, perceived physical ability etc is not a special snowflake. At your weight and measurements you are obese. We aren't much different in age or height and if I wore a size 12 I would be obese. It is what it is. Your perception of not wanting that label doesn't make it so.

I do get beat up on these forumns and told that Im in denial every time I post about bmi. Again I say to look at me obese no. I am currently doing insanity and trying to get to where I feel comfortable in my clothes. I've come a long way in this month and am proud of my accomplishments. But I can gurantee you that if you saw me walking down the street you would not consider me obese based on the way I look. I may be wrong but don't obese people look obese?

CoachReddy

The poster who is having a hard time being obese based on dress size, perceived physical ability etc is not a special snowflake. At your weight and measurements you are obese. We aren't much different in age or height and if I wore a size 12 I would be obese. It is what it is. Your perception of not wanting that label doesn't make it so.

I do get beat up on these forumns and told that Im in denial every time I post about bmi. Again I say to look at me obese no. I am currently doing insanity and trying to get to where I feel comfortable in my clothes. I've come a long way in this month and am proud of my accomplishments. But I can gurantee you that if you saw me walking down the street you would not consider me obese based on the way I look. I may be wrong but don't obese people look obese?

Thats subjective based on where you live and what you're used to seeing...

Mokey41

The poster who is having a hard time being obese based on dress size, perceived physical ability etc is not a special snowflake. At your weight and measurements you are obese. We aren't much different in age or height and if I wore a size 12 I would be obese. It is what it is. Your perception of not wanting that label doesn't make it so.

I do get beat up on these forumns and told that Im in denial every time I post about bmi. Again I say to look at me obese no. I am currently doing insanity and trying to get to where I feel comfortable in my clothes. I've come a long way in this month and am proud of my accomplishments. But I can gurantee you that if you saw me walking down the street you would not consider me obese based on the way I look. I may be wrong but don't obese people look obese?

Thats subjective based on where you live and what you're used to seeing...

^^^^This. My hubby is obese. Where we live people will refer to him as being "a big boy", when we go to NASCAR races he fits right in and may even be on the small side, when we go to Europe he looks like the side show at the circus because he's twice the size of most of the men. Being obese doesn't mean you need 2 airplane seats or have huge rolls of fat hanging off you. It means your weight compared to your height is high. That's why it doesn't work if you are extremely muscular. Get past what you look like to you or your preconceived notions of what obese should look like.

junkie_99

I find it unrealistic that the BMI does not take into consideration the differences between men and women. Using 3 different BF methods I've estimated my BF at 20% (71" and 185) with a BMI of 26 (Overweight). According to my BF%, my lean muscle is 150 pounds. 150 is middle of the healthy scale for my height.

BMI is not always the best indicator.

dym123

Unrealistic for me, my BMI says I'm obese, but my BF%, waist/hip ratio and hip/height ratio has me in the normal range, not even overweight. BTW, I'm female.

calisunrise

it doesn't really work for me. i mean, when i was in the MIDDLE of a healthy weight range, i actually looked like an overweight person so i prefer to keep my weight in the top of underweight/very low end of healthy range. my structure is just very very tiny (5" wrist at 5'6 1/2")

ICOZA7

According to my trainer, my LBM is 130 lbs... which is in the middle of the heathy range for my height (5'7"). I dont' think being a few lbs over the top end of your heathy BMI range is really going to damage your health that much.

When you get down there, start focusing on body fat %. That's my plan, anyway.

ChgingMe

The poster who is having a hard time being obese based on dress size, perceived physical ability etc is not a special snowflake. At your weight and measurements you are obese. We aren't much different in age or height and if I wore a size 12 I would be obese. It is what it is. Your perception of not wanting that label doesn't make it so.

I do get beat up on these forumns and told that Im in denial every time I post about bmi. Again I say to look at me obese no. I am currently doing insanity and trying to get to where I feel comfortable in my clothes. I've come a long way in this month and am proud of my accomplishments. But I can gurantee you that if you saw me walking down the street you would not consider me obese based on the way I look. I may be wrong but don't obese people look obese?

Thats subjective based on where you live and what you're used to seeing...

Oh okay. Guess that makes sense. I have a few friends who i thought were obese based on what I was used to. So all that tells me is they are morbidly obese and I am just obese. Still can't wrap my head around it. I need to come to terms with this. I have areas that definitley need work. That is why im working my butt off with Insanity. But this whole obese thing has me feeling some kind of way. One of the main reasons is because even when I get to my goal I will still be at the high end of overweight. I am taking it week by week and seeing how my body is responding to the work outs. So far so good. My goal is to get to about 160 pounds or a size 8. but even that would have me at almost obese. Whats a girl to do???