Don't trust BMI

Monisfit4life
Monisfit4life Posts: 228 Member
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
Hey Everyone,

Just a reminder to you not to trust your BMI get your body fat percentage measured. According to my BMI I am obese but when I had my body fat measured I was considered moderate and not even close to obese or overfat as its called by the body fat calculator. The BMI does not take into account people that might have alot of muscle v. fat and this proves it for me. I am so encouraged. All this time I had been looking at my BMI and it was starting to upset me lol. I feel much better now.

Replies

  • Alison_84
    Alison_84 Posts: 86
    true story... when I was in grade 8 my gym teacher made us all calculate our BMI's... and lo and behold mine told me I was overweight... when really, I ran every day and did strength training exercises and was in quite good shape (in fact some pics from back then are an inspiration to me now! I am roughly the same height and developed early). Anyway after that I was convinced I was overweight which lead to a 2 year struggle with body image/under eating and some other dangerous habits.
    Even when I started here - my BMI told me overweight but my body fat % is in the healthy range for my age and gender.
  • Kate_UK
    Kate_UK Posts: 1,299 Member
    I agree that if your a body builder BMI isn't a true reflection of your overall fitness. But for the average joe BMI is probably a good a measure as any. Often people in the who are in the obease or over weight catagory would rather blieve that the measure is wrong rather than they need to do anything about thier weight. Please don't shoot me for this, I thought I was 'big boned' when my BMI was in the overweight catagory, having lost most of the lbs and now having a BMI of 22.7 I know that wasn't the case.
  • Fat2FitChick
    Fat2FitChick Posts: 451 Member
    Off topic, sorry, when did you start Turbo Fire? I am on my 6th week and I absolutely love it. Sometimes I feel like i am addicted because it is so much fun and the music makes me wanna move!!
  • Monisfit4life
    Monisfit4life Posts: 228 Member
    I hear what you are saying but I am not one of those that is in denial about my BMI. I am working on getting my BMI lower however a few years back when I worked with a trainer and I was at a very low body fat percentage my BMI still said that I was overweight. I do know what I am talking about as far as BMI not being a guide for everyone. I don't want to argue I am just stating that from my experience this could help someone who thinks that the BMI is the gauge for their health when it might be the body fat percentage. As it turns out even now my body fat percentage is in a healthy range but I just want it close to where it was when I worked with a trainer 4 years ago so I am working on that now.
  • Monisfit4life
    Monisfit4life Posts: 228 Member
    I agree that if your a body builder BMI isn't a true reflection of your overall fitness. But for the average joe BMI is probably a good a measure as any. Often people in the who are in the obease or over weight catagory would rather blieve that the measure is wrong rather than they need to do anything about thier weight. Please don't shoot me for this, I thought I was 'big boned' when my BMI was in the overweight catagory, having lost most of the lbs and now having a BMI of 22.7 I know that wasn't the case.

    I hear what you are saying but I am not one of those that is in denial about my BMI. I am working on getting my BMI lower however a few years back when I worked with a trainer and I was at a very low body fat percentage my BMI still said that I was overweight. I do know what I am talking about as far as BMI not being a guide for everyone. I don't want to argue I am just stating that from my experience this could help someone who thinks that the BMI is the gauge for their health when it might be the body fat percentage. As it turns out even now my body fat percentage is in a healthy range but I just want it close to where it was when I worked with a trainer 4 years ago so I am working on that now.
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
    I agree that if your a body builder BMI isn't a true reflection of your overall fitness. But for the average joe BMI is probably a good a measure as any. Often people in the who are in the obease or over weight catagory would rather blieve that the measure is wrong rather than they need to do anything about thier weight. Please don't shoot me for this, I thought I was 'big boned' when my BMI was in the overweight catagory, having lost most of the lbs and now having a BMI of 22.7 I know that wasn't the case.

    When youre within a point or 3 of a healthy BMI you take measurements of 2 places. http://www.myfooddiary.com/Resources/frame_size_calculator.asp
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
    bmi-comparison.jpg
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    Love that picture! I've heard that someone like the Rock has been found OBESE because of a high BMI. I measure body fat percentage instead. It's much better at determining your success. Or just stick with inches lost. :flowerforyou:
  • jaerene
    jaerene Posts: 18 Member
    I agree with all that has been said here. I am naturally quite muscular - thus weigh a bit more, and have a slightly higher BMI. BUT - I don't rely on the fact that I know I'm muscular alone - because it is too easy FOR ME to get too comfortable with extra pounds and relate it to my muscularity. I do agree, that for the average person - not overly muscular - BMI can be an easy tool that is useful, but body fat percentage is so much better. It works both ways. You can be a smaller person who's BMI is healthy, based only on height and weight, but if you have very little muscle mass, you could still have a high body fat percentage. I recommend having your body fat checked, at least once, and see how that compares with your BMI rating, so you know if your target BMI is realistic for your body type. My BMI is 25, but my body fat percentage is 22. I'm not muscle-bound like a body builder - but am a bit more muscular than average and build easily. I'm about 5'4" - 5'5" and weigh around 145-150 lbs. So, it doesn't take an extreme for the BMI to be inaccurate. That being said, I have also listened to many people, who obviously had fat to lose, say that they are just muscular...
  • Monisfit4life
    Monisfit4life Posts: 228 Member
    I agree with all that has been said here. I am naturally quite muscular - thus weigh a bit more, and have a slightly higher BMI. BUT - I don't rely on the fact that I know I'm muscular alone - because it is too easy FOR ME to get too comfortable with extra pounds and relate it to my muscularity. I do agree, that for the average person - not overly muscular - BMI can be an easy tool that is useful, but body fat percentage is so much better. It works both ways. You can be a smaller person who's BMI is healthy, based only on height and weight, but if you have very little muscle mass, you could still have a high body fat percentage. I recommend having your body fat checked, at least once, and see how that compares with your BMI rating, so you know if your target BMI is realistic for your body type. My BMI is 25, but my body fat percentage is 22. I'm not muscle-bound like a body builder - but am a bit more muscular than average and build easily. I'm about 5'4" - 5'5" and weigh around 145-150 lbs. So, it doesn't take an extreme for the BMI to be inaccurate. That being said, I have also listened to many people, who obviously had fat to lose, say that they are just muscular...
    I totally agree with you. I have heard that too. I am not one of those people that will make excuses but I do know that I was happy to find out that even though my BMI said obese my body fat was considered in a healthy range so I just wanted to comfort those people out there who are in the same boat with an obese BMI even if they are not obese. I have always had a heavier weight even with a lower body fat percentage. I am just one of those people, but I am not going to make excuses and I am going to keep pushing with my weight loss.
  • jaerene
    jaerene Posts: 18 Member
    I'm right there with you. I was very relieved to know that I'm in a healthy range! I also understand completely where you're coming from in comforting others! I didn't intend for anything I said to disagree with you - only to remind others that that isn't the case for everyone. Keep up the good work. If your profile pic is you - you look absolutely beautiful. Obviously in great shape. I agree with all you had to say - hope I didn't send a different message - that wasn't my intention! :)
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