128-174 lbs IS THAT A JOKE?

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awelch79
awelch79 Posts: 233 Member
in Motivation and Support
I just looked at my BMI chart. According to the chart at 5'10" and 187 lbs I am overweight (Im not surprised by that part!). In order to be within the healthy weight range, I should be between 128 & 174 lbs. SERIOUSLY--a 48 lb range? This is why so many people get discouraged! If I weighed anywhere near 128 lbs, you would actually see every bone in my body and 174 is still extremely close to the overweight category and my goal is 175!

Do you feel that these numbers are realistic? Is there anyone who is within their BMI goal weight?
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Replies

  • janemartin02
    janemartin02 Posts: 2,653 Member
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    I agree.I should wt 150,haven`t seen that since high school and I was thin then.I don`t think it is realistic,doesn`t take in consideration body structure.
  • eating4balance
    eating4balance Posts: 743 Member
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    The bmi is just an approximate calculation. The large range is used to account for the different weights of small to large bone structures and for scrawny to overly muscular people.

    I would aim to be halfway in my bmi range.

    Really though, as long as you are in a healthy bmi range, I would concentrate on how your body looks and feels to determine what is right for you.

    Good luck! :smile:
  • kmm7309
    kmm7309 Posts: 802 Member
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    BMI is very inaccurate and impersonal. I would talk to my doctor about a specific weight loss goal. Your doctor should be able to guide you in a better direction.
  • sarahsmom1
    sarahsmom1 Posts: 1,501 Member
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    My BMI is 132.7-179.3 And I do believe it is correct Im 5'11
  • mandr97
    mandr97 Posts: 40
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    Agree!! Glad it's not just me! :)
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    I'm 5'3" and my bmi range suggests: Target weight range: 104.4 - 141.1 lbs , which is also a huge range for 'normal'.

    I am at 150lbs now and barely feel overweight. As I get closer to my first goal (135) i am seeing my body become more of a body instead of a flubby mass, and I am noticing that as I lose more fat I just get healthier and healthier looking. this range seems very reasonable for me personally, as someone my height could be very thin yet healthy at 105, and someone like me could be strong and healthy, yet a bit thicker at the 140 area.

    I am aiming at 135 now, but hoping that 125 feels good on me :)
  • alisonnicole84
    alisonnicole84 Posts: 32
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    I try not to focus too much on my BMI (even though I did celebrate when I got my BMI under 30). I'm 5'9 and 186, according to the chart I should weigh 128 - 169. I think 169 is a bit high, but 128?? WTF? I would look like Skeletor and you would too!!
  • alienblonde1
    alienblonde1 Posts: 749 Member
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    The BMI is really not a good way to look at it. I think when I was at my healthiest I was in the 140's which according to the BMI I was overweight. I was a black belt in Karate Tae Kwon Do.
  • UcallMeJay
    UcallMeJay Posts: 96
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    My BMI is 132.7-179.3 And I do believe it is correct Im 5'11

    Mine is the same. I topped the scale at 245lbs. Haven't seen 180 since high school.
  • HelenTheKitchen
    HelenTheKitchen Posts: 383
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    BMI is very inaccurate and impersonal. I would talk to my doctor about a specific weight loss goal. Your doctor should be able to guide you in a better direction.

    This is so true. According to my doctor my body fat level is actually lower than what's considered average (19.5% so not unhealthy low, just like a 1/2 of a percentage lower than what's considered perfectly healthy for my age, gender and ethnicity) but I'm still overweight on the BMI scale. Go figure. It's a good base point, but like all things not perfect.
  • Samerah12
    Samerah12 Posts: 610 Member
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    BMI is based on a normal curve created by some statistician who never meant it to be applied to individuals. It is meant to describe POPULATIONS not INDIVIDUALS. Its really unfortunate that its gained the popularity it has as a means of categorizing individuals. We're just built too differently!

    For what its worth I haven't been in a "normal" BMI range for my height (5'7, range of 122-149) since I was a freshman in high school. I'm shooting for a weight of 155, which on my frame will be really thin.
  • redxmasqueen
    redxmasqueen Posts: 81
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    My doctor said I should weigh 140. I just laughed at her. We both compromised and agreed that 165 would be acceptable.
  • chnkydnknmomma
    chnkydnknmomma Posts: 258
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    The BMI charts say I should be something like 129-150. About 20 years ago, I weighed 138 and you could see all of my ribs and my face was so thin, I looked sick.

    I recently joined a gym, and they have something called a Tanita scale. It sends electrodes up through your feet and measures and weighs your bones, muscle, body fat, water, etc...It gave me a goal weight of 185, which I think is very reasonable and doable. My original goal weight was 190, I weighed that about 12 yrs ago and was comfortable, but I think I'll go for the 185.
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
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    I am nowhere near a healthy BMI now but have been at low-midrange before (admittedly, in college and not toned at all, so I'd guess that toned and at that size I'd be at the mid-high to high end of my BMI). My range is something like 98 pounds (ha!) to around 130 and that is a HUGE range on someone just over 5'! For now, I'm aiming for 130 and then I'll see from there what seems realistic.
  • isabelk
    isabelk Posts: 153 Member
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    http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm

    I like this site because it explains the limitations of the BMI formula and the origins of other formulas. I used this information to decide that on a healthy weight for myself (I'm short) and not to worry too much about BMI. My ideal weight is within a healthy BMI range, but that range, as you noted, is huge. But at least I know the lower end of the BMI range is pretty ridiculous for me.
  • ckkh
    ckkh Posts: 35 Member
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    I agree that BMI is a bit of a gross generalization. Everyone's body structure / build is different (part of the reason for such a huge wight range for healthy BMI). If you are concerned about that range being realistic for you, I would suggest talking to your doctor as they have access to more information about you.

    The healthy BMI range does work for me. Like you, I am also 5'10". I would consider myself a "medium build". I topped out my pregnancies at 215lbs. 5 years after having my daughter (2nd child) I had crept up to 194lbs (dangerously close to pregnancy weight!) I have been on MFP since Jan '11 and stated it at 180. I am now 158lbs (definitely within healthy BMI), but I know I am not done yet - my goal has become a moving target (I set one, re-evaluate, and set another). Right now I am thinking I would like to be between 150-155lbs, but it is not really about the number on the scale anymore - it is about how I look and how I feel.
  • justsummie
    justsummie Posts: 320 Member
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    I think it depends on your bone structure/frame 128 being small framed and the higher number being for a larger frame.

    I am 5'8 and large framed. I was always under the impression that my healthy BMI range was 140-170 but now I may have to look into it further.

    Besides, I think BMI's are terribly inaccurate. It really pisses me off that so many insurance companies use them as a way to measure health.
  • lilchino4af
    lilchino4af Posts: 1,292 Member
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    I'm 5'9 with a BMI range between 128 and 169 lbs. The Air Force used BMI to determine how many points on our fitness test we could get for the body composition part. I was at 172 and made an effort to get back to 169 so I would get max points for that portion (it was worth 30% of the overall score!). I have since gotten to 140 and fluctuate between 138-142 and am perfectly comfortable with this weight. I was 125-130 through high school and it was just too skinny, but thin I didn't work out either so that might have had an impact on me looking too thin; had I been toned it might have looked good. But I honestly have no desire to be that thin again because with my job and activity level now it would be too difficult to maintain anything less.
  • gatorflyer
    gatorflyer Posts: 536 Member
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    BMI is just crazy. It takes nothing about you personally, your body structure, bone structure, anything other than weight and height. Use that as your gauge at your own risk. It's a general number at best and highly discouraging at worst. Your doctor should be consulted and if you feel good and look good, other things like cholesterol, BP and other clinical tests are good, that should be your gauge.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Ha! mine is 105-136! I think it has to do with age, and bone stucture. When I was 20 104 looked hot on me. Now I would be one sammich away from from the hospital.

    I would love to be 125!! sigh:love:

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