Am I really overweight?

BMI has to set their limits somewhere... obviously everyone is different. You sound pretty confident in your health, so why would you worry about a silly label?

Like one poster as already pointed out. BMI is only really a rough estimate over overall health.

It doesn't really take into account body composition.

The boobs and the muscle will definitely effect the number.

I think instead of weight and bmi you might want to look more at body fat percentage.

According to the BMI thingy, I am officially overweight with a BMI of 25.7

Here's the thing though, I wear a size 6-8. I can run a mile in under 6 minutes, and bike 50 miles and still be able to hold a conversation the entire time.

For someone who had a kid less than three months ago, my tummy's pretty flat. I still have some flab, but it isn't really much. I have a 28 inch waist, and can lift 185 lbs.

Yet, everyone tells me that even though I don't look overweight, I still AM overweight. I don't quite understand it. Could the fact that I've got muscles and J cup natureboobs be throwing it off?

Edited to add: I'm 5'3 and 145 lbs

I'll be blunt. I definitely think your boobs are throwing it off. It never really takes that into consideration and I definitely think that would throw it off. With the other information you gave, I really wouldn't worry about it. Especially having a 3 month old - you are doing fantastic!

You are overweight by the BMI, but it doesn't sound like you are overfat. As others mentioned, the boobs and muscles are trying things off.

How do you feel? How do you look?

And don't forget many elite athletes or sports stars are also consider overweight and obese under BMI. It is a flawed indicator that really has no reflection on your actual health.

I think you sound like you're at a perfect weight for you anytime, but definitely 3 months post-partum! Seriously, you sound extremely fit.

I love this link. It's something called The BMI project, and I think it's really illuminating about how the BMI standards DO NOT make sense for every body/person.

http://kateharding.net/bmi-illustrated/

I'm overweight according to BMI as well, because even though I am wearing a size 6, sometimes an 8, and my weight hovers around the 140 mark (I am 5'5" tall) my waist measurement is disproportionately larger than everything else (chest 35, hips 38, waist 30) I'm certainly not overfat...even though I am in fact trying to lose body fat to get the lean athletic look...but that calculation says I am. So you know what I do with BMI? IGNORE IT. And I completely ignore anyone else who compares their body to a BMI chart. Honestly, don't tell me what your BMI is cause it means nothing to me. The system is flawed. As stated before, body fat percentage is a better indicator of "fatness" than BMI.

Take my fiance for example. He is concidered obese using BMI standards, and fit using body fat percentage standards. Why? Cause he works out and is "thicker" (for lack of a better word, cause he is not really "bulky" just more...built? You know what I mean?) He's no where near fat, but he is in shape and can bench press me easily, lol.

According to BMI Lou Ferigno is severly Obese.

BMI numbers mean nothing really.

I agree BMI does not make sense for everyone, but I am also a believer that it does count as an indicator for (don't shoot me) most people. I even followed the BMI slideshow link and I would actually agree with about 90% of those labels. Not saying any of those people need to run out and eat more or less, but I think their body shapes do reflect underweight/overweight etc. The question is, can you body look overweight, but you can be healthy? YES. You can look "average" and still be unhealthy. Anyone who is worried should look at lots of measurements, like the hip/waist, BMI, bodyfat %, and most importantly take an honest inventory of your diet and lifestyle. For example you said you can run a mile in under 6 minutes...but how often do you go running and for how long? Or any other activity? Say you eat 1200 cal a day, is that one meal from McDonald's or fruits and veggies all day long. #s are just #s and it's easy to want to throw them away, but it's just as important to look at what they could be indicating. Personally I think you look fine and your body is just working its way through having a baby. That's a major process!

You are my hero! Work on being fit and the weight will settle in where it should be. But seriously, you are awesome, especially being only a few months post childbirth!! Rock on!

Honestly, the boobs DO make my back hurt, I'd had a reduction in the past, but getting pregnant bumped them up again to prereduction size. I'm planning another boob reduction in a year or so, which'll hopefully mean I don't need two sports bras, and duct tape to go running.

Have you tried an Enell sports bra? I always used to have to do the two-bras thing (and even that was still not brilliant), but my Enell bra (which is more like a corset, tbh) is great.

1. BMI is a stupid number, don't ever use it. It has no possible way of determining how much body fat you have, which is the most important number. Example: I'm 44, 5'10" 175lbs, with a BMI of 25.11, which puts me at overweight. However, with a body fat % of 11.5, i'm good where i am.

2. Determine what your weight "range" should be. The less muscle you have, the lower end of the scale, the more muscle and less fat, the higher end. http://www.medindia.net/patients/calculators/framesize1.asp use the wrist one for an easier measurement, the elbow for more accurate.

3. Once you have your frame size, determine your weight range. http://www.aquaremedy.com/sizecharts.htm
I have a large frame size, and am in the upper end of the scale.

4. Determine your body fat %. Cheap calipers provide very accurate results... $6, http://www.amazon.com/Accu-Measure-Fitness-3000-Personal-Tester/dp/B000G7YW74