Having a hard time with health = weight

thecheesybrie
thecheesybrie Posts: 47 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, I *know that weight doesn't always mean health. There are dreadfully unhealthy thin people out there, and there are fit but overweight people out there.

BUT I'm having a hard time recognizing this in myself.
I have a BMI of about 33% (calculated with various methods, not measured with calipers) but I can GO! Hour spin classes, day hikes, hours lifting weights at the gym, yoga, running on the elliptical forever... I'm working on getting my BMI down by eating healthier and doing cardio but I seem to maintain this BMI while increasing my endurance.

I want to know when it is okay for me to give myself slack for being one of those overweight-but-healthy people. I'm trying, but it's not coming off.

Replies

  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    If your bodyfat percentage is in the healthy range, ignore the BMI. If not, then you might have to address it.
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
    There are more people like you - like me! I am 5'3" and when I was 150 lbs (BMI 27 and I was over fat) I was running 7 minute miles. I was out-hiking my younger brother who is an athlete and 5 years younger than me. I have *excellent* cardiovascular health.

    But, cardiovascular health does not = overall health necessarily. You can run a marathon at 50 lbs overweight (over fat), that doesn't mean you're "overall" healthy.

    But, if that's the only thing that matters to you, then you are probably fine. As long as you don't have any diseases related to you being overweight. If all of your blood tests are normal, blood sugars are normal etc... you're probably totally fine even being 20 lbs over your "normal" BMI weight. That's what my doctor told me.

    I want to lose weight so I can fit into clothes more comfortably and feel better about the way I look even though I know I'm totally healthy hovering around 150 lbs. :)
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    I second the poster who suggested checking body fat %.

    My BMI says I'm overweight at my fittest. My body fat % says otherwise.
  • thecheesybrie
    thecheesybrie Posts: 47 Member
    I think I'm above the healthy range. I mean honestly, I could stand to lose about 30 pounds.
  • thecheesybrie
    thecheesybrie Posts: 47 Member
    I second the poster who suggested checking body fat %.

    My BMI says I'm overweight at my fittest. My body fat % says otherwise.

    Okay I'll check out a fat%!
  • thecheesybrie
    thecheesybrie Posts: 47 Member
    There are more people like you - like me! I am 5'3" and when I was 150 lbs (BMI 27 and I was over fat) I was running 7 minute miles. I was out-hiking my younger brother who is an athlete and 5 years younger than me. I have *excellent* cardiovascular health.

    But, cardiovascular health does not = overall health necessarily. You can run a marathon at 50 lbs overweight (over fat), that doesn't mean you're "overall" healthy.

    But, if that's the only thing that matters to you, then you are probably fine. As long as you don't have any diseases related to you being overweight. If all of your blood tests are normal, blood sugars are normal etc... you're probably totally fine even being 20 lbs over your "normal" BMI weight. That's what my doctor told me.

    I want to lose weight so I can fit into clothes more comfortably and feel better about the way I look even though I know I'm totally healthy hovering around 150 lbs. :)

    I'm a healthy person: no diseases or chronic illness. I would just like to look how I feel. I feel strong both muscularly and endurance. It's just hard to remember that when I look in the mirror..
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    BUT I'm having a hard time recognizing this in myself.
    I have a BMI of about 33% (calculated with various methods, not measured with calipers) but I can GO! Hour spin classes, day hikes, hours lifting weights at the gym, yoga, running on the elliptical forever...

    The quickest way to see it is to do competitive athletics, pretty much anything running or pedalling based.

    It becomes very clear, very fast, that excess body fat is a big hurdle to overcome.
  • princessbride42
    princessbride42 Posts: 67 Member
    About checking body fat percentage, FYI I went to 24 hour fitness just for that, and they padded the number by about 4%. I didn't realize until I also went to the Y (cause it's cheaper) and they tested my body fat percentage there as well. The personal trainer at the Y said when he worked for another gym that they were encouraged to add numbers higher so that the client would be more scared and more likely to buy personal training.
  • tappae
    tappae Posts: 568 Member
    I think you should totally celebrate the fact that you're more fit than some people that are more thin than you and yet still work toward what is best for you. If you're healthy and overweight, you can still be healthy and thin. Cut yourself some slack, though. Don't make it about "I have to lose this weight to be healthy," but instead think about "I'm so healthy, and I can be thin, too!" I'm in very decent cardiovascular health right now. I have a slow resting heart rate, and I can run "easy" at a pace that most of my friends couldn't handle in a race. Still, since I'm overweight, I'm not as fast as I could be. I'm trying to think about it not as something I'm trying to do to fit in to external pressure, but something that's going to make me faster and help me feel better about myself.

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