BMI... I'm not sure that is quite right

Options
Pattilynne
Pattilynne Posts: 61
in Health and Weight Loss
When i checked my BMI on this site, my being 180 pounds puts me into the obese category. I have never seen myself as obese, just a little bigger than i would like to be, due to having two kids, what gives?
«1

Replies

  • anabelle2mince
    anabelle2mince Posts: 13
    Options
    BMI is not super accurate, but it is a great guildeline. The weight doesn't matter by itself. It is the combination of weight and height. How tall are you?
    Also, muscle weight is not taken account, people who are extremely muscular will have a higher BMI, because they weigh more but may look smaller and more fit, so like I said it is subjective.
  • T0RIEELIZABETH
    T0RIEELIZABETH Posts: 376
    Options
    according to everything (wii fit, here, other bmi calculators) I'm 5'3, 182 pounds, and up there in the 'obese' category.
  • dragonbug300
    dragonbug300 Posts: 760 Member
    Options
    BMI doesn't take into account muscle. If you have a higher percentage of muscle, you can assume that your BMI is lower than the actual projection from MFP.
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
    Options
    I'm not sure what the medical definition of "obesity" is (I'm sure someone on here knows), but I know that for me, being just 30 pounds overweight would still put me in the "obese" category. One of those disadvantages to being short... taller people have a bit more leeway on weight range for being at a healthy weight or overweight. I'm not sure how tall you are, but I'm guessing with a goal weight of 125 you aren't *that* tall.
  • Killedforlove
    Killedforlove Posts: 9
    Options
    Don look at me.. I'm 5'9 and 220.... yes i know i'm a lil big but I'm Norwegian.. were just BIG people... 160 is the smallest i can go but past that is just stupid... and even then my BMI was all..." NOO YOUR TO BIG" so i just smile and nod at it :D
  • purplespeckle
    purplespeckle Posts: 652
    Options
    according to everything (wii fit, here, other bmi calculators) I'm 5'3, 182 pounds, and up there in the 'obese' category.

    i'm also 5'3 i was 182 and i think my bmi was 32.2 and now i'm at 177 and it's at 31.4 so i'm in the obese category too until i reach 169.4 it sucks
  • Tamishumate
    Tamishumate Posts: 1,171 Member
    Options
    yes its correct.

    When I picked my goal weight it was 145, which was when on the BMI charts I would be " healthy". Now NOT saying I wasnt healthy weighing 30 pounds more than that , cause I was, but IT is what it is. and in fact, your BMI could be higher or lower depnding on your muscle / fat , without getting tested its a guideline, but one you should be aware of for sure.
  • anabelle2mince
    anabelle2mince Posts: 13
    Options
    I wouldn't worry too much about BMI. Before I started binge eating (which is why I joined the site :P ) I was in the underweight category. But everyone always told me I looked healthy and that I DID have curves. My BMI was 17, which as far as numbers go, can be alarming, but the truth is I was in perfect health and nobody thought I looked too thin. My bmi is now far into the average category, but I have less energy and motivation and I get sick more often. Go figure! The point being, base your progress more on how you look and feel, not by a silly number! :P Science is greatly flawed.
  • aprettykitty84
    aprettykitty84 Posts: 13
    Options
    Don look at me.. I'm 5'9 and 220.... yes i know i'm a lil big but I'm Norwegian.. were just BIG people... 160 is the smallest i can go but past that is just stupid... and even then my BMI was all..." NOO YOUR TO BIG" so i just smile and nod at it :D

    According to a lot of charts, my "ideal" weight is 135lbs. I would be skin and bones if I weighed 135 lbs. I am shooting for 165 and believe that will be a very healthy look and feel for my body type. All these BMI calculators don't take into concern the type of your body. It's really what YOU feel is healthy for you and what weight makes you feel good.
  • MobiusMan
    MobiusMan Posts: 385 Member
    Options
    I'm short very thick boned (I have an inch of gap on a finger wrap test and don't have short fingers), very wide shoulders and barrel chested. In years past when I worked out daily and kept in very good shape I was considered over weight and nearly got put out of the Navy due to standardized height /weight BMI indexes. After a water bath test I went from 22.5%body fat by BMI standards to 16% by float. Muscle and bone density play a huge role. to put it in perspective I am 5'8" tall and Was 202lbs. this would still be obese today by BMI.
  • Pattilynne
    Pattilynne Posts: 61
    Options
    BMI is not super accurate, but it is a great guildeline. The weight doesn't matter by itself. It is the combination of weight and height. How tall are you?
    Also, muscle weight is not taken account, people who are extremely muscular will have a higher BMI, because they weigh more but may look smaller and more fit, so like I said it is subjective.

    I'm 5'4'' and the last time i was reallly in what they call the healthy range was when i was in high school and i ran track i weighed about 120 pounds, was on the dance team and i ate once a day.
  • Pattilynne
    Pattilynne Posts: 61
    Options
    according to everything (wii fit, here, other bmi calculators) I'm 5'3, 182 pounds, and up there in the 'obese' category.

    i'm also 5'3 i was 182 and i think my bmi was 32.2 and now i'm at 177 and it's at 31.4 so i'm in the obese category too until i reach 169.4 it sucks

    we are about the same size, i am going to stop even looking at that number because it is kind of depressing, i have never considered myself to be obese, i just have the minor muffin top problem at this point after having my two kids.
  • Tamishumate
    Tamishumate Posts: 1,171 Member
    Options
    FYI I am 5'4 :drinker: 145 pounds is when I was no longer "overweight" and finally healthy ...

    I figure I lost so much weight to get to where IWas even talking about 5 or 10 pounds, that I was going for it, I wasnt going to stop at 155 cause it was something better than I ever was before, Why sell myself short?? Go for it all I say :):drinker: :bigsmile:
  • anabelle2mince
    anabelle2mince Posts: 13
    Options
    BMI is not super accurate, but it is a great guildeline. The weight doesn't matter by itself. It is the combination of weight and height. How tall are you?
    Also, muscle weight is not taken account, people who are extremely muscular will have a higher BMI, because they weigh more but may look smaller and more fit, so like I said it is subjective.

    I'm 5'4'' and the last time i was reallly in what they call the healthy range was when i was in high school and i ran track i weighed about 120 pounds, was on the dance team and i ate once a day.

    Sounds like 120 was an unhealthy weight for you then :( and yet your final goal is 125. My advice is to not push yourself to the point where you are starving yourself and over exercising which sounds like what was happening. Go by what you feel like, health and energy wise, and what you think when you look in the mirror. don't say 'well, according to a scientific formula I'm overweight' say 'do I, myself, think I look and feel overweight' and if the answer is no, then screw science! :)
  • CallmeCola
    CallmeCola Posts: 25
    Options
    I have a cousin writing her dissertation on this subject. BMI is not exact at all. I'm 5'5" and 229 (today) My doc said a healthy weight would be like 185 tops. The doctor said "You are big boned and would look sick if you got to the BMI weight"
  • theatr3geek
    theatr3geek Posts: 101
    Options
    BMI isn't exactly right. A different type of test may be better for you.
    I like BMI. For me, it works. I am now 118 and I am perfectly healthy and this is the weight I feel healthiest at. So I like BMI. It considered me overweight when I was in the 150's (and i FELT it.) so I like BMI. But it's different for every person.
  • tross0924
    tross0924 Posts: 909 Member
    Options
    The BMI is a load of horse droppings. But don't delude yourself either. When I started loosing weight I was big boned, I had a large frame, I wouldn't look healthy at 185, and all the rest of the reasons to shot for higher number. As I get closer, I find my goal is more fluid than a solid number.

    I didn't mean to offend anyone, but I know when I started I had lots of reasons that I had to be larger than the average person. Just know that while I still think the BMI isn't as universal as people make it, it's also not as unrealistic at it might seem right now.
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334
    Options
    I think a lot of it has to do with our culture. In America, we think often think of someone who is "obese" as just being "overweight" and someone who is "morbidly obese" as being just "obese". I know that I was surprised to find out that I am technically overweight, not just heavier than I'd like to be...and I know plenty of people who would tell me that I look fine. It's obviously not a "one size fits all" type thing, which is why (at 5'6") my healthy range is anywhere from 108-154 when I personally would look sick at 108 and still a bit heavy at 154!

    I'm not trying to be rude in any way, I'm just pointing out that our interpretations of what is healthy, overweight, and obese (as far as BMI goes) are sometimes as skewed as our interpretations of what a normal portion size is!
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334
    Options
    Another interesting tool to look at is the BMI plus calculator on web md which takes other factors into consideration, like body shape etc.!
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    Options
    BMI is not the most accurate tool, but it is accurate enough for the vast majority of people. There are extremes like athletes who should not pay much attention, but for most people it is a great tool, and often, an eye opener.

    There seems to be a lot of 'excuses' being given on this thread... which is a shame. At the end of the day, if you are in the obese category then you probably have a substantial amount of weight to lose. The healthy range is a wide range and most people would be able to achieve a weight within that range.

    I was shocked to discover my BMI before my weight loss began. I was 'overweight' with a BMI of around 26 - I'd never realised I was anywhere close to being out of the healthy range. Sometimes it's the wake up call we need xxx

Categories