BMI - what do you think???

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pipmcgrath
pipmcgrath Posts: 26 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So folks, I've lost 6.7 stone and according to my BMI I am 5 / 6 lbs overweight. However everything is slim apart from my little belly which I have always had even as a child and don't think it will ever go. Obviously after losing so much weight my stomach is not toned and there is some saggy skin. I'm really frustrated as I cannot really shift anymore and several people have commented on the fact that I might be getting too skinny. I have actually put on 5 lbs as my face was getting too skinny and think I look better although I am technically overweight.

I am doing different strength classes, cx works for the tum, use the gym and do aerobics classes.

How do you find BMI is it a good measurement?? I find all of this a little depressing, I have lost all this weight but yet I am still overweight!

I find the weight I am at now easy to maintain and a lighter weight is harder for me to maintain.

Any thoughts appreciated !

Replies

  • RosieLoo24
    RosieLoo24 Posts: 25 Member
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    BMI is not a good measure to go by I don't think. BMI only takes into account height and weight, so you could have two people with the same BMI, one person has a high BMI because of the amount of body fat they have, the other because of the amount of muscle. Even though they have the same BMI, one person is probably significantly less healthy than the other. Hope this helps
  • firebloom
    firebloom Posts: 109 Member
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    BMI works as a general guide but it's not accurate for everyone. You could try getting a dexa scan. They screen your body with a machine and they can tell you what your body composition looks like and what a healthy weight for you is based on your body. I plan to get one once my weight is a little bit lower because I've been told before by doctors that I have very large, dense bones so BMI is less likely to be accurate for my frame.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    I'm all about lifting more weights. BMI calculators are general, as they don't take in to account every individuals specifics, such as a body builder.
  • pipmcgrath
    pipmcgrath Posts: 26 Member
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    I did get my body fat measured a couple of weeks ago and it was 0.5 % off being good so I must get that done again and see where we are now with it. I must look into a Dexa scan! Thanks
  • NoelFigart1
    NoelFigart1 Posts: 1,276 Member
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    Get your body fat % checked. It'll be more accurate for you.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
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    BMI is flawed. It doesn't take into effect lean body mass vs. body fat. I personally would rather be overweight with a low body fat than be a normal BMI with a higher body fat percentage. For some, BMI is a good starting place because it gives you a range that is acceptable based on your height. Once you become more fit though, it becomes less important.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
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    BMI is good for population studies, but applies poorly to individuals. It can be used as a factor to decide if better body composition testing methods are needed.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    I like BMI. I am aiming for a middle/low end BMI because I want to drop body fat.

    Honestly, BMI is a WIDE range that only falls apart with people who are extremely muscular and people who are elderly (because they have lost a lot of muscle, bone density, etc.). If you are still "overweight" by BMI standards, you probably still have a high body fat percentage and probably could do to lose a few more pounds. Society has trended larger to the point where we have a harder time seeing normal weights as "normal." When I was still 8 lbs overweight, everyone commented on how thin I was. I wasn't really, they were just used to seeing the bigger me and used to seeing the bigger people all around me.
  • pipmcgrath
    pipmcgrath Posts: 26 Member
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    My bodyfat was average 0.5 off good a few months ago - Ill get it checked again. So it was not bad!
  • mirki002
    mirki002 Posts: 47 Member
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    From what I understand BMI is intended to be a measure for a large group of people- so to say whether a certain population is generally in a healthy weight category. It tends to place people who are very tall or have a lot of muscle in higher BMI categories. I really wouldn't worry about it, If you feel healthy that's what you should focus on :)

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