Fat but with healthy BF%
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »This is another thing I have trouble wrapping my brain around. If I have the same amount of fat as someone else, but I have more muscle, are they overfat and I am not because of the BF%?
Here's my question to you: why does it matter? Why are you so concerned with these numbers and how you compare to other people? These numbers are just a very small piece of the larger puzzle of overall health. I think you are way to obsessed with being perfect. It's not possible. You are who you are and that's all you can be. Stop judging yourself so harshly. Seriously go talk to a therapist. It will help.0 -
easier to kill
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BMI calculations were guidelines for the average population (before obesity was a huge problem).
Very muscular athletes usually can't go by BMI.... if you're NOT one of those, then a good guideline is shoot for the middle of your BMI as a scale goal.
There's also fat percentage as you mentioned, and also waist to hip ratio measurement.
I like this little WebMD calculator because it shows you all the calculators and where you're at for the above calculations.
Remember: all calculators are estimates.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/body-bmi-calculator
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »refuseresist wrote: »Dropping a few pounds won't kill you. Being slightly overweight without a high BF% won't kill you. Probably. It's your call. Losing for 'vanity' is ok as long as you are healthy.
Oh, it's the "probably" that worries me. I've looked around online and can't really find an answer, but when it comes to BMI statistics is it the extra fat cells that causes disease risk, or the extra weight itself. It seems logical that extra weight would be extra work for the body whether the weight is fat, muscle, water or something else.
Surely extra muscle isn't as dangerous as extra fat, but does the extra weight from any source up risk of disease?
is there a reason why you're overthinking all this so much? do you have a disease that runs in your family or something?0 -
Hello I didn't read the other responses.
I'm almost 49 and I don't care what the 'numbers' say, I know darn well that numbers are better when we keep our bodies moving.
After the age of 30 we start to lose 1% muscle per year as we age, if we don't work those muscles.... that puts us at a 20% Loss..... Well I don't want to be falling and breaking a hip at 70, so I'm doing what I can to keep the body in shape, the best that I can, while I still can.
I've had excuses my whole life of being 'skinny fat'... sure I looked ok in clothes but I knew what was lurking around the gut.... so I'm making changes. I FEEL better because of it, and that is what matters most to me.
I have two little kids to keep up with.
If you want change... we're here to help. If you want validation that all is well and you don't need to move.... then that is your choice too.
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I guess I should have worded the question differently.
If you were overweight but had a healthy BF% and check-ups, would you be concerned about the weight affecting your health?
My BMI has never been accurate even in the military. I was always measured and had calipers taken to my body for a while before we finally set a standard for me. The BMI is a standard set but hasn't changed for years. Even now I am at 25% BF (Acceptable) and weigh 249.5 lbs. The BMI calculator shows I should be 185 lbs before it will accept me as normal. I am 6 ft tall and have broad shoulders and big boned. We are not normal and each person will be different and all I would be concerned about is the BF % and lean muscles you have. IF your doctor has measured and tracked your composition then I would not worry. Hope this helps.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »refuseresist wrote: »Dropping a few pounds won't kill you. Being slightly overweight without a high BF% won't kill you. Probably. It's your call. Losing for 'vanity' is ok as long as you are healthy.
Oh, it's the "probably" that worries me. I've looked around online and can't really find an answer, but when it comes to BMI statistics is it the extra fat cells that causes disease risk, or the extra weight itself. It seems logical that extra weight would be extra work for the body whether the weight is fat, muscle, water or something else.
Surely extra muscle isn't as dangerous as extra fat, but does the extra weight from any source up risk of disease?
is there a reason why you're overthinking all this so much? do you have a disease that runs in your family or something?
No, or yes. I do have a family history of heart disease and diabetes, but all the people with those diseases eat crappy diets and don't exercise, so it's how do I know if they would have contracted the diseases if they had taken care of themselves?
I've been told I overthink everything. My mind runs at full speed all day long thinking of these and other things.0 -
Personally I would not want to be overweight because it would bother me. But I am probably a nutter.0
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refuseresist wrote: »Personally I would not want to be overweight because it would bother me. But I am probably a nutter.
If I came up with the supermodel index which classified you as overweight unless you were under 95 pounds, would that still bother you? If by doing so that puts you at an unhealthy body fat percentage, does that matter? Just because a scale exist that classifies you in some way doesn't mean that scale is in any way applicable to your health.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »refuseresist wrote: »Dropping a few pounds won't kill you. Being slightly overweight without a high BF% won't kill you. Probably. It's your call. Losing for 'vanity' is ok as long as you are healthy.
Oh, it's the "probably" that worries me. I've looked around online and can't really find an answer, but when it comes to BMI statistics is it the extra fat cells that causes disease risk, or the extra weight itself. It seems logical that extra weight would be extra work for the body whether the weight is fat, muscle, water or something else.
Surely extra muscle isn't as dangerous as extra fat, but does the extra weight from any source up risk of disease?
is there a reason why you're overthinking all this so much? do you have a disease that runs in your family or something?
No, or yes. I do have a family history of heart disease and diabetes, but all the people with those diseases eat crappy diets and don't exercise, so it's how do I know if they would have contracted the diseases if they had taken care of themselves?
I've been told I overthink everything. My mind runs at full speed all day long thinking of these and other things.
you sound like my husband... the stress of overthinking it will kill him long before any of the diseases... i tell him that all the time.0 -
refuseresist wrote: »Personally I would not want to be overweight because it would bother me. But I am probably a nutter.
If I came up with the supermodel index which classified you as overweight unless you were under 95 pounds, would that still bother you? If by doing so that puts you at an unhealthy body fat percentage, does that matter? Just because a scale exist that classifies you in some way doesn't mean that scale is in any way applicable to your health.
This is all true. It's just a little brain niggle that needs ironing out.0 -
Hello I didn't read the other responses.
I'm almost 49 and I don't care what the 'numbers' say, I know darn well that numbers are better when we keep our bodies moving.
After the age of 30 we start to lose 1% muscle per year as we age, if we don't work those muscles.... that puts us at a 20% Loss..... Well I don't want to be falling and breaking a hip at 70, so I'm doing what I can to keep the body in shape, the best that I can, while I still can.
I've had excuses my whole life of being 'skinny fat'... sure I looked ok in clothes but I knew what was lurking around the gut.... so I'm making changes. I FEEL better because of it, and that is what matters most to me.
I have two little kids to keep up with.
If you want change... we're here to help. If you want validation that all is well and you don't need to move.... then that is your choice too.
I actually get quite a bit of exercise, though I think I need to get more sustained cardio. We live on a farm and it's just me and my husband now so we do a lot of strenuous work (digging, tilling, chopping and stacking wood, yard work, etc.). And we hike when we can, but often work is all we get done. And that type of work makes me hungry!
The work is also seasonal, which is why I yo-yo so much. I lost almost 20 lbs this Spring when we put in the second garden, but over the Summer I gained most of it back because work was easier - just weeding and harvesting.
I don't know what I want with this post. Validation, motivation, a good swift kick in the pants, maybe?0 -
refuseresist wrote: »Personally I would not want to be overweight because it would bother me. But I am probably a nutter.
If I came up with the supermodel index which classified you as overweight unless you were under 95 pounds, would that still bother you? If by doing so that puts you at an unhealthy body fat percentage, does that matter? Just because a scale exist that classifies you in some way doesn't mean that scale is in any way applicable to your health.
Scales that aren't based on medical data don't bother me. But, if your scale had health statistics to back up the classifications, then yeah, it would probably bother me.0 -
kICk
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Honestly I wouldn't worry about what the scale or BMI numbers are if you have a healthy body fat % Because you can take 2 people both 150lbs and one is toned and low BF% and one with high BF% but yet you are both 150lbs. I'd personally rather be at a healthy BF% then BMI% because you could also be at a healthy BMI but yet have high BF%. Low or healthy BF% mean less body fat obviously and the fat is what causes the health problems. That's just my opinion anyway.0
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TavistockToad wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »refuseresist wrote: »Dropping a few pounds won't kill you. Being slightly overweight without a high BF% won't kill you. Probably. It's your call. Losing for 'vanity' is ok as long as you are healthy.
Oh, it's the "probably" that worries me. I've looked around online and can't really find an answer, but when it comes to BMI statistics is it the extra fat cells that causes disease risk, or the extra weight itself. It seems logical that extra weight would be extra work for the body whether the weight is fat, muscle, water or something else.
Surely extra muscle isn't as dangerous as extra fat, but does the extra weight from any source up risk of disease?
is there a reason why you're overthinking all this so much? do you have a disease that runs in your family or something?
No, or yes. I do have a family history of heart disease and diabetes, but all the people with those diseases eat crappy diets and don't exercise, so it's how do I know if they would have contracted the diseases if they had taken care of themselves?
I've been told I overthink everything. My mind runs at full speed all day long thinking of these and other things.
you sound like my husband... the stress of overthinking it will kill him long before any of the diseases... i tell him that all the time.
Well there is the best reason I've heard yet for why I should lose this weight. So I don't stress myself to death worrying about it.0 -
I would not be concerned in the slightest IF all your bloodwork values are fine, and you're not having any pain like in the feet that would be alleviated by losing weight. If you are happy with how you look and are in good health, then who cares about a couple points of BMI. It is not a specific or accurate measure anyway; it's only ballpark.0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Mischievous_Rascal wrote: »BMI is a good tool when talking averages. But, you're an individual, not a group of people. If you're happy with your BF%, then why bother worrying about BMI?
Honestly, because it's the only thing out of the healthy range and I like to say everything is in the healthy range. I guess I want to be perfect on paper.
But BMI is completely useless when applied to otherwise healthy individuals. I would be more worried about the stress you're placing on yourself mentally by wanting to be perfect on paper. (Because that will never happen, for any of us.)
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Mischievous_Rascal wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Mischievous_Rascal wrote: »BMI is a good tool when talking averages. But, you're an individual, not a group of people. If you're happy with your BF%, then why bother worrying about BMI?
Honestly, because it's the only thing out of the healthy range and I like to say everything is in the healthy range. I guess I want to be perfect on paper.
But BMI is completely useless when applied to otherwise healthy individuals. I would be more worried about the stress you're placing on yourself mentally by wanting to be perfect on paper. (Because that will never happen, for any of us.)
Why won't it happen for any of us? If I get to a healthy weight it would be true of me, unless my blood work has changed since last checked. I would imagine it's true of many people.0 -
That explains that0 -
What I've learned on MFP: BMI doesn't tell the whole story so it's not useful. BF% cannot be accurately measured therefore it is not useful. Seriously, read the forums - the response depends on how people word the question but the responses contradict each other.
If I were you, I'd go by how I felt. Good? Then leave it alone. Bad? Then do something about it. If you want to be perfect on paper, go for it. Just stay healthy. Main goal. Healthy.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've had my BF% measured by 2 professionals and both showed it in the healthy range (26-27%). But I'm overweight by BMI by more than a couple of pounds. Would you think this is a problem?
I am trying to lose weight but is it just vanity if all medical tests show I'm healthy? Should I care more? At 50 yo, am I a walking time bomb just waiting for the health problems to hit?
Just seeking opinions.
BMI is a load of garbage and crap science. Body fat percentage is a LOT more accurate.
http://noelfigart.com/blog/2008/08/20/analysis-of-bmi/
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What I've learned on MFP: BMI doesn't tell the whole story so it's not useful. BF% cannot be accurately measured therefore it is not useful. Seriously, read the forums - the response depends on how people word the question but the responses contradict each other.
If I were you, I'd go by how I felt. Good? Then leave it alone. Bad? Then do something about it. If you want to be perfect on paper, go for it. Just stay healthy. Main goal. Healthy.
I feel good as far as energy, sickness, general wellness, etc. But I also feel too big. I've seen the term "skinny fat" on here quite a bit. I think I'm "muscular fat". I wouldn't even mind if I lost some muscle along with the fat.0
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