BMI

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ARNJMN
ARNJMN Posts: 43 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
At my smallest my BMI was healthy- but I was not eating quite enough. Currently, after an unwanted weight gain, I am aiming to lose 10+ pounds (more like 13, haha) ...but even then my BMI will barely be "healthy." I know that number is not everything and so many factors should be taken into consideration. I do lift often, but I also run regularly and gosh dang it, it would just be nice not to be considered "overweight."
Am I putting to much importance into this or is it good to strive for that golden number?

Thank you for any and all of your thoughts!!

Replies

  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    I think it is important to strive to be healthy. Some people will never meet their BMI but they aren't on the road to doom. BMI should be considered along with several other factors in determining health.
  • jenmom2myboys
    jenmom2myboys Posts: 311 Member
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    If losing that much weight will put your bmi in a barely health zone why are you aiming for that?
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    Some insurance companies give discounts for being under the magic number, but in general, hitting a specific number is not important.

    But at this point -- you have weight to lose -- frankly (imo) it doesn't matter much whether you're aiming to lose 10 or to lose 13, the process is the same.

    If you get down 10 and look in the mirror and decide 'damn I'm hot!' well, then, you might as well stop :D
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
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    Ditto: It's a tool not the end-all- say-all.
  • ARNJMN
    ARNJMN Posts: 43 Member
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    Jen- you are implying I should lose more then, I am guessing?

    I am healthiest at the high end of the "BMI healthy range." I have been above and below this and talked with my doctor about it.

    I was just hoping for advice, thoughts, examples, etc. I was not hoping to get shorthanded comments.

    Thank you for all who posted/replied! I appreciate it and your opinions were heard:)

    Discipline (always) and knowing and being educated on your own body's health are what I got from this, thank you!
  • jenmom2myboys
    jenmom2myboys Posts: 311 Member
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    I just asked a question there is no need to get snippy. I never suggested to lose more weight. I don't get how you read that at all. I won't reply to your thread. I don't get what answers you want it seems you don't want help but to attack people.
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
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    I just asked a question there is no need to get snippy. I never suggested to lose more weight. I don't get how you read that at all. I won't reply to your thread. I don't get what answers you want it seems you don't want help but to attack people.

    I think there was a miscommunication. The OP was saying that at her healthiest, she will be at the high end of the healthy BMI range. I think you read this as the low end, and suggested she consider not losing as much weight. The OP didn't understand your response because you were not both understanding the situation.

    There is no reason to start fights here.

    OP: I think you should just focus on being healthy. As you lift you may gain muscle as well, and that puts a lot of very healthy people into the overweight range. I wouldn't mind gaining the extra 10 pounds I need to be "overweight" if they were all muscle :)
  • invisibubble
    invisibubble Posts: 662 Member
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    It's worth noting that by BMI standards, a lot of male actors are in the "obese" range. I'm talking leads who obviously dedicate a lot of time and effort into their physiques.
    I wouldn't put a lot of stock in BMI. It can be a pretty accurate basic measure of healthy weight for about 70% of people, but that leaves 30% it doesn't fit. Which proves it's a flawed system in itself.
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
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    you look great and if your doctor says your good as gold, there you go!
  • cpdiminish
    cpdiminish Posts: 84
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    Plenty of people claim that BMI "doesn't work" for people who have a lot of muscle mass, but it would be worth pointing out that carrying extra weight of any sort, whether it is muscle or fat, puts extra strain on your internal organs, like the heart.

    Perhaps as you try to lose this 10 pounds, it would be worth it to include some exercises that would be less likely to add muscle mass (though I'm not sure how that is possible if running is your go to).
  • ARNJMN
    ARNJMN Posts: 43 Member
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    Thank you for more responses, I really appreciate it!!

    And shew whee :( I never meant to have "sass" or any attitude in my response. There was some mis-communication I am guessing on both ends.

    I will read my posts twice from now on, I do not EVER want to be disrespectful or hurtful on here, this should be a place of everything that is opposite of that.

    Thank you again guys- I will be reading your responses more than once!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    BMI is not a very good tool for assessing the body composition of individuals, and it should not be used for that purpose IMO.

    The best way (only way?) to effectively determine an appropriate "goal weight" is to estimate body fat % and calculate your fat-free mass.

    FFM includes some variables such as muscle mass and water volume, but, overall, it also provides the best insight into frame size.

    For women, FFM for the same height can vary over a range of 30 lbs for individuals with different levels of muscle mass and frame size. At 25% body fat, the scale weight for someone with a FFM of 90lbs would be 120lbs, a FFM of 110lbs would be 146lbs. Someone at that upper end is always going to be "off" the BMI charts.

    Hard to tell from your pictures, but if you say your feel comfortable at the upper end of the range, it's likely your FFM is higher than "average" as well.
  • ARNJMN
    ARNJMN Posts: 43 Member
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    BMI is not a very good tool for assessing the body composition of individuals, and it should not be used for that purpose IMO.

    The best way (only way?) to effectively determine an appropriate "goal weight" is to estimate body fat % and calculate your fat-free mass.

    FFM includes some variables such as muscle mass and water volume, but, overall, it also provides the best insight into frame size.

    For women, FFM for the same height can vary over a range of 30 lbs for individuals with different levels of muscle mass and frame size. At 25% body fat, the scale weight for someone with a FFM of 90lbs would be 120lbs, a FFM of 110lbs would be 146lbs. Someone at that upper end is always going to be "off" the BMI charts.

    Hard to tell from your pictures, but if you say your feel comfortable at the upper end of the range, it's likely your FFM is higher than "average" as well.


    Thank you! I have asked my doctor if they do body fat testing there, but they do not. My gym does it, but it's sporadic. This is something that I have procrastinated with and is long over due.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    At my smallest my BMI was healthy- but I was not eating quite enough. Currently, after an unwanted weight gain, I am aiming to lose 10+ pounds (more like 13, haha) ...but even then my BMI will barely be "healthy." I know that number is not everything and so many factors should be taken into consideration. I do lift often, but I also run regularly and gosh dang it, it would just be nice not to be considered "overweight."
    Am I putting to much importance into this or is it good to strive for that golden number?

    Thank you for any and all of your thoughts!!

    The BMI is applied ONLY to sedentary adults. You are obviously not one.

    So congrats! Don't apply your stats on things that do not apply to you.
  • ARNJMN
    ARNJMN Posts: 43 Member
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    At my smallest my BMI was healthy- but I was not eating quite enough. Currently, after an unwanted weight gain, I am aiming to lose 10+ pounds (more like 13, haha) ...but even then my BMI will barely be "healthy." I know that number is not everything and so many factors should be taken into consideration. I do lift often, but I also run regularly and gosh dang it, it would just be nice not to be considered "overweight."
    Am I putting to much importance into this or is it good to strive for that golden number?

    Thank you for any and all of your thoughts!!

    The BMI is applied ONLY to sedentary adults. You are obviously not one.

    So congrats! Don't apply your stats on things that do not apply to you.

    Haha, thank YOU! Can I take you with me, put you in my pocket, and have you remind me of this when I start to obsess over it? ;)
    I appreciate it!

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