should you always listen to bmi

mhw189
mhw189 Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
im 6ft 2 im currently 294lbs with a large build. My bmi to be at my healthy weight says i should be just under 14 stone, surely i would look anorexic at this size?

Replies

  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    im 6ft 2 im currently 294lbs with a large build. My bmi to be at my healthy weight says i should be just under 14 stone, surely i would look anorexic at this size?

    Forget BMI. It is an outdated and fairly useless concept. Even many medical proffesionals don't use it as a measureing stick anymore.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    BMI is a good tool to measure populations....but not so great for individuals.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    My son is 6'3", 30 yrs old, and weighs between 190 and 200 lbs and is far from a stick. He's quite muscular and according to the girls "hot".
  • jealous_loser
    jealous_loser Posts: 395
    Body fat % is a better measuremebt, but it isn't always accurate either. As long as you use the same method every time, you should know where you stand.

    You might also just think that because you are on the larger side right now. Work you way to it, adjust your goals accodingly. Go by how you feel.
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
    There are better measurements, but you might be surprised. BF% or WHR are going to be more useful for you as an individual, BMI is kind of usefulish for measuring large populations.
  • IronPlayground
    IronPlayground Posts: 1,594 Member
    Different people will not look the same at the same weight. I would not use BMI.
  • mhw189
    mhw189 Posts: 8
    Thanks everyone might just stick to looking in the mirror as opposed to measuring my bmi.
  • minkakross
    minkakross Posts: 687 Member
    no you won't look anorexic but depending on where you carry your weight and what sort of tone you have by the time you reach a "normal" BMI you may decide a BMI goal is not as important as a size or fitness goal. My husband is in a normal range for BMI but he holds his weight in his gut for the classic beer belly look, so a target BMI is not his goal, he is just trying to find his abs again.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    BMI is a general guide line for the bast majority of people. It's fairly useless if you're anywhere near in shape. BF % is more indicative of health.

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