BMI or Body fat %

sargessexyone
sargessexyone Posts: 494 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So last night I was looking at some numbers. Where I was, where I am and where I want to be. When I started I was 250 and my BMI was 45 which is in the morbidly obese category. Currently I am 174 with a BMI of 31 in the obese category. According to the BMI charts, at my height, 5'2", healthy weight is between 101-137.

Last night I gave myself a rudimentary body fat test, not completely accurate but surely I can't be off by much, and came up with 28%. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that according to body fat % I am smack in the middle of healthy. YAY me. If I put in that I wanted get to the lowest end of the healthy spectrum, 23%, it gave me a weight of 162. Which is very close to where I am now.

I had originally gave myself a goal weight of 140. Which I am still going to go for but this means, if you go by body fat%, I am not as fat as I though I was LOL. I am positively giddy about that.

Not really looking for advice, just wanted to know what other peoples thoughts and opinions were on BMI versus body fat %.

Oh and this is the website I used. If you haven't been there yet you should check it out.

http://www.fat2fittools.com/

Replies

  • samamps88
    samamps88 Posts: 52
    Well done so far always good to get good results.

    As far as bmi goes to be honest its bull, it is based on height and weight and as we all know muscle is denser than fat and so you can be obese and 7% fat.

    Measuring Body fat is by far the only way to get a true representation of composition however all but the very expensive ways of measuring are not that accurate, however as long as you use the same method consistenly it is a good way of tracking progress especially if re composition is your goal and not just weight loss
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    I doubt you're really 28% body fat at 174 with a BMI of 31. I would guess at 35% or higher.

    Did you try the three different calculators at http://www.fat2fittools.com/ ?
  • samamps88
    samamps88 Posts: 52
    I doubt you're really 28% body fat at 174 with a BMI of 31. I would guess at 35% or higher.

    Did you try the three different calculators at http://www.fat2fittools.com/ ?

    Why???

    Case in point. One of my friends is 17 weighs 75kg and is 5'6'' he has visible abs and a 29inch waist. That gives him a BMI of 28(overweight/obese)
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Yah BMI is a crap measurment

    It puts me at 25.2...overweight...and yes I have a few lbs to lose...but can an overweight woman wear a size 7??? it is not taking into account that I have a large frame and I am a solidly built woman.

    As for the BF% Yah those can be off...esp using measurments...

    fattofit puts me at 26%, another puts me at 25%, and another puts me at 28.2...

    If you are interested in BF% and you can...get a dexa scan or submersion test.

    ETA I did however check my weight at my BF% goal on fattofit and it said 153lbs and I will be 22% BF..or 149 will put me at 20%...

    so if I lose another 7-12lbs I will be where I want to be..

    So If I lose 8lbs...2 less than my current goal...I will lose 4% BF...which I find interesting...
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  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Why???
    Case in point. One of my friends is 17 weighs 75kg and is 5'6'' he has visible abs and a 29inch waist.

    The OP is a short obese mature woman, not a muscular boy.

    If she were to be 28% fat at 174 lbs then that's 125 lbs of LBM on a short frame.

    If she were to lose fat down to 125 lbs, by no means underweight, she would be zero % fat which is hardly credible.
  • margannmks
    margannmks Posts: 424 Member
    I just went thru this,i havent lost any weight in months but ive seen changes in clothes and i work out alot so i thought wouldnt it be great if i had a low bf%. So i checked it on those same calculators got 3 results ranging from 23-29 at the gym the handheald device says 28. When i look at pics of those ranges i look more like 23-24. You can see my pic
    s on profile page. Im 5"2 and 127. Bmi puts me obese too and i wear a 4.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Im 5"2 and 127. Bmi puts me obese too and i wear a 4.

    BMI = 23.25 = healthy
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  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    According to the site, I'm 26.1% body fat, 24.2 BMI.
    Last week, I was measured by an Omron BI tester at 30% body fat (BMI was the same because that's a math formula.)
    That's actually a pretty big difference, really. In all honesty, I'm thinking I'm actually closer to the 30% body fat.
    Pictures of me are here:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/DamePiglet

    As for me, I'm trying to focus now on strength goals. I know that the weight & body fat will lower doing so. I also know that I'll like my body aesthetically more as I improve.

    TL;DR... Like others said, measuring accurately is expensive. If you feel great, rock that! Congratulations on your success!!!!
  • sargessexyone
    sargessexyone Posts: 494 Member
    I doubt you're really 28% body fat at 174 with a BMI of 31. I would guess at 35% or higher.

    Did you try the three different calculators at http://www.fat2fittools.com/ ?

    So on the Covert Bailey I am at 32%. Still in the healthy range.
    Military is 46% which is in the obese range.

    I will take the 2 out of 3. While I know I am still overweight, I DO NOT consider myself obese any more. I also know that while these numbers are not that accurate, they at least give me a better idea of where I am at.

    250821_3560005111904_498073901_n_zpsf50a0959.jpg

    1896871_10202102311932413_281904748_n_zpsadd6faaa.jpg
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    I doubt you're really 28% body fat at 174 with a BMI of 31. I would guess at 35% or higher.

    Did you try the three different calculators at http://www.fat2fittools.com/ ?

    So on the Covert Bailey I am at 32%. Still in the healthy range.
    Military is 46% which is in the obese range.

    I will take the 2 out of 3. While I know I am still overweight, I DO NOT consider myself obese any more. I also know that while these numbers are not that accurate, they at least give me a better idea of where I am at.

    250821_3560005111904_498073901_n_zpsf50a0959.jpg

    1896871_10202102311932413_281904748_n_zpsadd6faaa.jpg

    Looking good, lady! :drinker:

    ETA: Isn't it funny how it takes off YEARS?!?! You look WAYYYY younger!!
  • sargessexyone
    sargessexyone Posts: 494 Member
    I doubt you're really 28% body fat at 174 with a BMI of 31. I would guess at 35% or higher.

    Did you try the three different calculators at http://www.fat2fittools.com/ ?

    So on the Covert Bailey I am at 32%. Still in the healthy range.
    Military is 46% which is in the obese range.

    I will take the 2 out of 3. While I know I am still overweight, I DO NOT consider myself obese any more. I also know that while these numbers are not that accurate, they at least give me a better idea of where I am at.

    250821_3560005111904_498073901_n_zpsf50a0959.jpg

    1896871_10202102311932413_281904748_n_zpsadd6faaa.jpg

    Looking good, lady! :drinker:

    ETA: Isn't it funny how it takes off YEARS?!?! You look WAYYYY younger!!

    Thanks so much!!!
  • polkadotmoon
    polkadotmoon Posts: 25
    Firstly - congratulations on your progress so far!

    Secondly - I have very little time for either BF% or BMI when it comes to how I, personally, feel about myself. Those two just give me more numbers to obsess over (one of which I cannot accurately test without certain equipment) and I'd rather focus on things I consider far more important; how happy I am with my appearance, and little tiny milestones like being able to run up the stairs without becoming a sweaty red tomato or noticing that my walking pace is steadily increasing as I become less of a burden on my joints.

    That could just be my lack of interest in calculations which tell me what I already know; that I'm obese and that I'm carrying a lot of unnecessary fat. They sound like great motivational tools if you're not an eejit like me.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    I doubt you're really 28% body fat at 174 with a BMI of 31. I would guess at 35% or higher.

    Did you try the three different calculators at http://www.fat2fittools.com/ ?

    I have my body fat tested every month. I am 172 with a BF of 28%. I am only 5'5" but I am a weightlifter. I am 40. I have 125 pounds of lean mass. We don't all enter the nursing home at 30.:noway:

    I'm not sure where the OP is but based on pics, I suspect it might be higher than 28% but she has still made excellent progress. My point is that it is possible to be in the 170s, female, older, and have a healthy body fat. I am going for 22%. Scale is out the window!
  • csontos
    csontos Posts: 76 Member
    Honestly, I look at everything. Something else that I look at besides BMI and BF% is my waist-hip ratio.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waist–hip_ratio

    /shrug.
    I like numbers I guess :)
  • sargessexyone
    sargessexyone Posts: 494 Member
    To be honest I don't obsess over any of the numbers. I've always had a goal of 140, which is till overweight according to BMI, but I know that that is a good place for me. I just find it curious that there are so many different charts and methods to telling everyone what is healthy.
  • sargessexyone
    sargessexyone Posts: 494 Member
    Firstly - congratulations on your progress so far!

    Secondly - I have very little time for either BF% or BMI when it comes to how I, personally, feel about myself. Those two just give me more numbers to obsess over (one of which I cannot accurately test without certain equipment) and I'd rather focus on things I consider far more important; how happy I am with my appearance, and little tiny milestones like being able to run up the stairs without becoming a sweaty red tomato or noticing that my walking pace is steadily increasing as I become less of a burden on my joints.

    That could just be my lack of interest in calculations which tell me what I already know; that I'm obese and that I'm carrying a lot of unnecessary fat. They sound like great motivational tools if you're not an eejit like me.

    Thank you and I agree. I just find the numbers interesting sometimes.
  • shanaber
    shanaber Posts: 6,423 Member
    Congratulations on your success and the progress you have made - you look awesome! The BMI and BF numbers are interesting they don't take into account so many other components - especially BMI. I do think the BF calculators on the site you posted are better than most I have seen but the key there is taking accurate measurements. The best way to measure BF accurately is to have a submersion test. There are places where you can pay for a package of three tests and have them done 6 mos or so apart but they are not cheap. In reality though the numbers are just that, numbers. You have to go by how you feel and how your clothes fit.
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  • Littlestandrews
    Littlestandrews Posts: 96 Member
    I was just pondering this! I am just under 5 feet. I weigh 140 (Down 29 lbs) and yet my BF % is supposedly 38. I need to keep losing weight, no doubt about that, but 38%? Doesn't that mean I have over 50lbs of body fat left?
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  • sargessexyone
    sargessexyone Posts: 494 Member
    I doubt you're really 28% body fat at 174 with a BMI of 31. I would guess at 35% or higher.

    Did you try the three different calculators at http://www.fat2fittools.com/ ?

    I have my body fat tested every month. I am 172 with a BF of 28%. I am only 5'5" but I am a weightlifter. I am 40. I have 125 pounds of lean mass. We don't all enter the nursing home at 30.:noway:

    I'm not sure where the OP is but based on pics, I suspect it might be higher than 28% but she has still made excellent progress. My point is that it is possible to be in the 170s, female, older, and have a healthy body fat. I am going for 22%. Scale is out the window!

    me to at a high 23.xx percent now :) 22 would be great for me! Pushing onto the 40s train as well!

    Also I would geuss 35 or higher based on pictures...BUT that does NOT negate all the hard work you have done and you look great. But I think you are fooling yourself by trying to find a magic number that puts you in the "healthy" range. Honestly at 5'2'' you have a lot of work left.

    The work CAN BE done, just stop trying to mentally "fool" yourself with numbers. You look great and have come so far. I said "I cant get below 140 that just isnt for me" and woke up at 133 last week dying for my next run and weight lifting session and wondering about my lean muscle gains :)

    Dont sell yourself short yet, keep working!

    Thank you for the positive and encouraging words. I didn't think I was fooling myself but maybe I am. I always figured when I hit 140 I would reevaluate anyway to see if I wanted to try and go a little lower.
  • margannmks
    margannmks Posts: 424 Member
    Im 5"2 and 127. Bmi puts me obese too and i wear a 4.

    BMI = 23.25 = healthy
    correct thank you i was remembering that from some other site that was a hip/ waist ratio or some other way to figure and one of the instructors at gym said it told him he was obese too. And he definetly is not. And when i was about 10 lbs heavier a doctor that i saw about my gallbladder said i had a high bmi so i must not be eating as well as i claimed , well my gallbladder was fine it was another issue so needless to say i didnt go back to him.

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