I'm not overweight afterall?

TimothyFish
TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
edited November 11 in Health and Weight Loss
Here is a link to a tool that is supposed to calculate your ideal body weight: http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/ideal-body-weight-3146-143.html?ic=4004

I thought it was interesting because I put my numbers in and it told me that I'm only overweight by 1.2 pounds. Even the low number is higher than my current goal. I'm curious if other people get similar results.
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Replies

  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    edited January 2015
    It says I'm underweight by 3 pounds. However, my goal weight of 145 lbs puts me right in the middle of the BMI range for my height - and I'm still about 6 pounds away from that goal.

    ETA: my current BMI is 23, far from "underweight"
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Big issue with that is that is not a good way to check frame size, not accurate at all.
    Some people have smaller hands which would make them appear to have a larger frame, or some people carry more fat on their fingers and/or wrists which would do the same. much better to go by the mirror and if you can get a BF% reading.
  • Izzwoz
    Izzwoz Posts: 348 Member
    Well, it tells me that I am at ideal weight (which I kinda am), so no surprise there. What did throw me though, is the "frame size" and how to establish that. My fingers overlap when I put them around my wrist, but I am by no means what would be considered a "small frame". So I guess this is, just like many others of these calculators just giving you a rough guide based on very basic calculations.
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
    It says I'm underweight by 2lbs. Absolute bullsh!t.
  • BeTheChange352
    BeTheChange352 Posts: 253 Member
    Izzwoz wrote: »
    Well, it tells me that I am at ideal weight (which I kinda am), so no surprise there. What did throw me though, is the "frame size" and how to establish that. My fingers overlap when I put them around my wrist, but I am by no means what would be considered a "small frame". So I guess this is, just like many others of these calculators just giving you a rough guide based on very basic calculations.

    does your pointer finger overlap with your thumb? major finger = pointer

  • nilbogger
    nilbogger Posts: 870 Member
    Oof, it says I'm 25 pounds overweight.
  • scorpiophoenix
    scorpiophoenix Posts: 222 Member
    Ideal weight. *bam* Which, chart or not, I am at a weight that I am happy with. I was just curious. 5'6" 152lbs medium frame. Working on maintenance and toning at this point. ;)
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    This doesn't ask your gender or age or anything except frame size and height. So it is too generalized to be of real use.
  • JenniDaisy
    JenniDaisy Posts: 526 Member
    That is hilarious, apparently I'm overweight by 15lbs :scream: all because my fingers fit round my wrist with overlap, even at 50lbs overweight I could fit my fingers round my wrist with overlap.
    I have 5lbs to lose to put me in normal BMI, then 5 more vanity pounds.
  • Tim_CNY
    Tim_CNY Posts: 25 Member
    When I was 100 lbs heavier, my fingers didn't touch around my wrist. When I was 50 lbs heavier, my fingers barely touched. Now my fingers overlap. What's my frame size?
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  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    edited January 2015
    Frame sizes (at least, as determined by the "wrist" test) are ridiculous. I have long, spidery fingers, but really broad shoulders, wide hips, etc. I also still have a considerable amount of body fat, I just don't carry it in my wrists/fingers. This says I should aim for Ideal weight range is 162 - 178.2 lbs. (73.6 - 81 kg.). That is really dangerous advice. At 178 I was carrying a LOT of body fat. My waist was above the recommended diameter.

    ETA: I just plugged in all of the different "frame" sizes. All of them say I am underweight, even though my BMI is currently 21.3. I am 20 lbs away from being underweight by BMI standards. This calculator is crappy.
  • kaotik26
    kaotik26 Posts: 590 Member
    I think all these calculators and charts and graph are just too generic. We are all built differently, some people have more muscle, some have thicker bones etc. In the end it's about the health of every individual body. Personally I pay attention to my jeans, I concentrate on sizes because when I begin exercising I build muscle really fast, and thus gain some weight, but my jeans start too get loose.
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
    edited January 2015
    Depending on which frame size I choose (small vs medium--my fingers are extremely long), I'm either 8 or 18lbs underweight at my current BMI of 21.2. Lol no.
  • Ksnider414
    Ksnider414 Posts: 16 Member
    edited January 2015
    Ideal weight range is 148 - 162.8 lbs. (67.3 - 74 kg.).
    Contratulations! Your weight is ideal!

    Well, I disagree....I've seen me in pictures! lol I think I will look better - and feel better - at the lower end of that scale, and closer to 145, which is my goal weight.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited January 2015
    With a medium frame: it says I should weigh 142-156. I weigh 135 and have a BMI of 21.7.

    I'm not underweight. Not by a long shot.
  • xXBabyBelleXx
    xXBabyBelleXx Posts: 110 Member
    Mine was just like I thought to be honest "You are marginally overweight by 1.8 lbs" - I have 4ibs to lose and then I will be in the healthy BMI range. Though my goal weight is 133ibs to be smack in the middle of the range.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    It's probably already been stated by someone sensible, but body comp is probably what matters most. Scale weight isn't really a great indicator of anything...
  • katherine_startrek_fan
    katherine_startrek_fan Posts: 425 Member
    I like this better than some. In fact, I was looking up my 'ideal' weight yesterday and at 5'10", many charts were saying that 150 would be ideal for me, which I believe would be far too low for me.
  • 1HappyRedhead
    1HappyRedhead Posts: 413 Member
    I didn't even bother looking.... I already know I need to lose weight, that's why I'm here! LOL
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    That calculator says I'm underweight by around 10 lbs. I have a BMI of 22, body fat of 24%, have a decent amount of lean mass, and yes, I'm lean. But nowhere underweight (by standard chart, or by visual).

    On the other hand, my MFP starting weight (I definitely had too much excess fat mass on me) is in the "ideal" range. Nope, that was not ideal by any means, both by looks and particularly the health conditions I had developed (elevated blood cholesterol, high BP, etc.).
  • katya_be
    katya_be Posts: 227 Member
    I think this calculator seems to over estimate everyone's ideal weight. The same as clothing sizes that are now all vanity sizes! Making us feel good.
  • kaotik26
    kaotik26 Posts: 590 Member
    Katherine I totally understand, I'm 5'7 and was told I should be 130. I suggested this to people I know and they said I would look sickly like that. I am about 180 and my profile pic is recent.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
    Ideal weight range is 168 - 184.8 lbs. (76.4 - 84 kg.).
    You are underweight.

    (NOTE: height = 6' 0", current weight = 156, BMI = 21.2 ==> nowhere near "underweight" (18.5))

    "Your ideal weight range-- 168 - 184.8 lbs. (76.4 - 84 kg.). --is based on a formula that calculates what a healthy weight is for most people of your height (72 inches) and frame size (Small)."

    **

    Apparently, "vanity" weight calculators are en vogue now, right?
  • lbride
    lbride Posts: 248 Member
    This put the low end for 5'6, medium frame, at 142. While 142 is great, I think that 130-135 would be fine for 5'6?
  • KHaverstick
    KHaverstick Posts: 308 Member
    edited January 2015
    Yeah...that one seems a little "off" to me. It said my upper limit for healthy weight should be 105 lbs. No. I tried a different one (one on the CDC website), and it said my healthy range was 96 to 128. That's much more reasonable.
  • bametels
    bametels Posts: 950 Member
    Wrapping your fingers around your wrist to assess body frame is worthless. Some people have short fingers; others (like me) have very long fingers so accuracy using this method is not likely to be high. That said, I know that I have a very small frame. My results were that I am 1.8 pounds overweight (I am currently a few pounds under the maximum healthy BMI for my height). The upper end of a healthy BMI is too high for me because my frame is so small. While the range they set for my height and small frame is a reasonable weight for me, it should probably be shifted down by at least five pounds on each end of the range for a healthy weight.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    edited January 2015
    This says I'm underweight by 24lbs. LOL! I'm not underweight, and if I was the weight this thing said I should be, I'd be bigger than my highest weight by 7lbs. No thanks. Their BMI calculator tells me I'm within a healthy BMI. If I put in the highest weight they tell me I should be, BMI comes back overweight. Something here is off!
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    SergeantSausage wrote: »
    Ideal weight range is 168 - 184.8 lbs. (76.4 - 84 kg.).
    You are underweight.

    (NOTE: height = 6' 0", current weight = 156, BMI = 21.2 ==> nowhere near "underweight" (18.5))

    "Your ideal weight range-- 168 - 184.8 lbs. (76.4 - 84 kg.). --is based on a formula that calculates what a healthy weight is for most people of your height (72 inches) and frame size (Small)."

    **

    Apparently, "vanity" weight calculators are en vogue now, right?

    It certainly isn't vanity for me. It tells me I need to be below my goal (which is the higher end of the "healthy") on the BMI scale. In fact, it's 12 pounds lower.

    I'll stick with my original plan.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Tim_CNY wrote: »
    When I was 100 lbs heavier, my fingers didn't touch around my wrist. When I was 50 lbs heavier, my fingers barely touched. Now my fingers overlap. What's my frame size?

    Same here. I used frame size as an excuse when I was obese and see others do it all the time. I'm "big boned" or "curvy" so I'll never get into the healthy weight range of BMI. You'd be surprised how your body changes as you lose the weight...
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