Doctor said not to reach a healthy bmi?

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  • choppie70
    choppie70 Posts: 544 Member
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    My Dr. and I set a goal weight of 160 for now. For my height that is still in the overweight range. He is not a fan of the BMI chart and explained that at 160 we would see how I felt and what my blood work/vitals looked like.
  • SundropEclipse
    SundropEclipse Posts: 84 Member
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    Last fall my doctor was happy to hear that I'd lost 60lbs. We talked about activities I want to start participating in, and when I brought up my goal weight (169 or less), he said not to worry about it, just try to reach 200. I can think of a number of reasons why he would feel this way, family history and sustainability being my greatest suspicions (imo fair, and given how this past spring went, correct). Obviously these may not apply to you, but there are other health-related factors that could be at play. Do you have muscle mass? Is there a personal or family history of eating disorders? Given her silly answer, it could simply be she is concerned about a potential problem but doesn't want to address it unless it actually becomes an issue (my doctor does this and it works well with most of my family, but his nurse usually has to explain things to me so my imagination doesn't run wild).
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    Whoa. That sounds bananas. Unless you are a bodybuilder, I disagree with that doctor.
  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
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    Sounds like your doctor is allowing her own biases to influence her advice to you. Perhaps she thinks bmi is not a good measurement (many people may think this), or perhaps she just thinks a healthy weight is "too skinny" because she is conditioned to like lots of people we are on these forums.

    Who knows what studies she has been reading or where her leanings/opinions are. She probably should have given you more information if she was going to recommend something to you that's outside of the norm.

    I would give her a call or message her (if your facility allows this) and ask for clarification if it bothers you. Personally I would just ignore it, and assume she has her own reasons for believing this (medical or otherwise), and these reasons do not line up with mine.
  • RosieRose7673
    RosieRose7673 Posts: 438 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    That's really weird. And I looked much younger with the extra weight, personally, so that comment really doesn't make any sense.

    Me too. Extra weight filled out my cheeks a bit and gave me a baby face.
  • buggleuh749
    buggleuh749 Posts: 27 Member
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    BMI is not always a good indicator of health. She probably is more concerned with your vital health information than comparing your weight to a chart made for insurance purposes.
  • SundropEclipse
    SundropEclipse Posts: 84 Member
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    randilyn2013 wrote: »
    Neither myself or any family have ever had any eating disorders, or at least the kind where you are thin. Obesity, heart disease and diabetes do though. I just finished my degree in human biology so I know that crash dieting is neither sustainable nor healthy. I'm really looking long term for my health, which is why I've aiming for the normal range of the bmi chart.

    This shouldn't matter but we do live in Indiana. There's a CDC report for Indiana that has 30% of adults obese and 66% overweight. I'm thinking it's more that even her "thin" patients aren't even at normal weights. I do have another follow up after an X-ray this week for my wrist and I can be more specific with my questions then.

    *as someone had asked, my doctor is not thin and fit which could also be influencing her recommendation.

    This may very well be the case then. I know someone mentioned in another thread they were having issues with their doctor that sounded like personal bias interfering with the doctor's opinion. In any case, try asking her for a serious answer. If not, seek a second opinion from another doctor or a dietician. From the sounds of it your own goal is perfectly fine.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    I guess not, since you've posted this thread, but it kinda sounds - based on the exact words you said were used - she was maybe joking? Or, just trying to be funny?

    But, yeah - I'd also suggest outright asking her what she meant and/or why she said it (that way).
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    mine told me to focus on building lean muscle mass, than just weight loss - so while I am "overweight" by BMI, she is happy where I am because of the goals we developed. Maybe that is the route to take - instead of picking a number on the scale, work with your doc and RD (if you can get a referral) to come up with a plan that takes all your health into account (blood work etc)
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,862 Member
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    I'm 62, 5'2" and am currently 132# aiming for 125. I've been here before and know that I'm a good weight at 121 but a little gaunt in the face. I still have some belly fat at 125. I can't imagine that being overweight is healthy, no matter your age. When I was in my 20's I weighed 118 and had lots of muscle and looked great. I'm willing to be a little higher in weight at my age, just to look younger :smile:
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    Just remember "healthy" is not a BMI category. Normal, and over/under-weight are your BMI categories.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
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    randilyn2013 wrote: »
    Neither myself or any family have ever had any eating disorders, or at least the kind where you are thin. Obesity, heart disease and diabetes do though. I just finished my degree in human biology so I know that crash dieting is neither sustainable nor healthy. I'm really looking long term for my health, which is why I've aiming for the normal range of the bmi chart.

    This shouldn't matter but we do live in Indiana. There's a CDC report for Indiana that has 30% of adults obese and 66% overweight. I'm thinking it's more that even her "thin" patients aren't even at normal weights. I do have another follow up after an X-ray this week for my wrist and I can be more specific with my questions then.

    *as someone had asked, my doctor is not thin and fit which could also be influencing her recommendation.

    I'm from Indiana too, and have to say it would be an extremely questionable doctor who can't sort the 66% >25 BMI Hoosiers from the 44% <25 BMI Hoosiers. You say this is your primary suspicion--if so, I would have a) immediately started inspecting her wall to find where her medical degree was from, and b) made plans to find another doctor.

    Also, just curious, since you have a degree that (I am assuming) has something to do with science (and I note the crimson color of the diploma case as well as the limestone Collegiate Gothic architecture in the background), and I hope has prepared you to be knowledgeable, curious, and insightful about human biology matters, as well as qualified you to have high-level scientific conversations: why wouldn't you have drawn on your field of expertise to immediately cross-examine the doctor on this odd opinion? Rather, you submit it to random internet strangers?
  • jazziekins
    jazziekins Posts: 6 Member
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    Many people think the BMI Chart is not an accurate reflection if someone is overweight/healthy. There are different methods -- such as the waist to hip ratio -- which are starting to surface which people are thinking would be a better reflection of health. It could be your doctor's opinion is based off how you look and their lack of belief in the BMI Chart.
  • CTcutie
    CTcutie Posts: 649 Member
    edited July 2017
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    I don't think the drs are trying to keep people overweight. Everyone is hung up on "diets don't work" and article after article about how many people cannot maintain their loss for the rest of their life... I think they are trying to say (inarticulately) that you don't need to resort to VLCD/crazy fads, and it's better to maintain a stable weight than to yo-yo.

    FWIW- I personally believe that IF an accident or horrible disease were to strike me, I'd rather be a little "overweight" and have a buffer of fat & muscle than risk immediate death (and/or a feeding tube) if not necessary!?

    Real life: My (then overweight) brother was in a bad accident as a 14 year old (ejected from a truck bed w/a 16 yo new driver, bc that's the kind of judgement teens had when no adults were around for 30 seconds, apparently!).

    He's now in his mid thirties and can walk/run/SCUBA dive, play sports (minus the metal hip, wrist & bone fragments still floating around, and all that learning how to walk again, etc.), but ER said if he were a skinny kid at the time, he probably would not have survived.

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