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    • Weird Question...

    Posts: 481 Member
    edited November 2024 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
    I am 5'5" and weight 137lbs but I wear a size 4 pants which I think comes out to around a 26.5 inch waist. I recently went to 2 different doctors and got weirdly different opinions. The first doctor was my primary care who said I may want to drop a couple of pounds because I am borderline overweight. The second doctor was a GI specialist and first of all made me get weighed on 2 different scales because she said she could not believe I weight almost 140 by looking at me and said I should try and put on a couple pounds. What the *kitten* is going on here? I honestly thought I was fine and have just been trying to maintain and possibly recomp. I have no weight related health issues and feel good overall, should I just ignore both of them and keep doing what I am doing?

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    • Posts: 8,736 Member
      Do you have a GI disease? In my experience with G Is (I have crohn's) they seem to want you to maintain a high normal weight so that you have reserves when the disease flares and you lose quickly.
    • Posts: 481 Member
      I have IBS but nothing else diagnosed. I have been tested for crohns and celiac which were both negative.
    • Posts: 3,985 Member
      Ignore. If you are comfortable, that's all that matters. Sizes are weird, I'm 5-7, about 143 and wear size 4, but can barely get size 26 jeans on, never mind button them.
    • Posts: 867 Member
      Completely agree. Keep on doing what you're doing. Take what both doctor say with a grain of salt cuz weight is a very subjective number.

      When the first doctor said you're borderline overweight was he referring to BMI index. If he was BMI to meet is playing *kitten*. BMI index is not realistic. I'm 57 year old male 6-4, 208 lb with approximately a 35 inch waist. according to BMI I'm overweight. According to BMI normal for me is roughly 155 to 205. If I weighed 165 or 170 I would look like a skeleton. Also according to the BMI index every player in the NBA is overweight or obese. Without knowing your specific BMI does not take muscle into account if you do a lot of lifting.

    • Posts: 8,736 Member
      STEVE142142 wrote: »
      Completely agree. Keep on doing what you're doing. Take what both doctor say with a grain of salt cuz weight is a very subjective number.

      When the first doctor said you're borderline overweight was he referring to BMI index. If he was BMI to meet is playing *kitten*. BMI index is not realistic. I'm 57 year old male 6-4, 208 lb with approximately a 35 inch waist. according to BMI I'm overweight. According to BMI normal for me is roughly 155 to 205. If I weighed 165 or 170 I would look like a skeleton. Also according to the BMI index every player in the NBA is overweight or obese. Without knowing your specific BMI does not take muscle into account if you do a lot of lifting.

      You are only 3 lbs overweight. It's a range. You don't have to be at the bottom. I doubt you'd look lkke a skeleton at bmi 24.9. BTW OP is bmi 22.8 so not borderline overweight.
    • Posts: 191 Member
      If you are wearing a size 4, I'd say there's no way you're overweight.
    • Posts: 35,719 Member
      Fitnessgirl0913 wrote: »
      I am 5'5" and weight 137lbs but I wear a size 4 pants which I think comes out to around a 26.5 inch waist. I recently went to 2 different doctors and got weirdly different opinions. The first doctor was my primary care who said I may want to drop a couple of pounds because I am borderline overweight. The second doctor was a GI specialist and first of all made me get weighed on 2 different scales because she said she could not believe I weight almost 140 by looking at me and said I should try and put on a couple pounds. What the *kitten* is going on here? I honestly thought I was fine and have just been trying to maintain and possibly recomp. I have no weight related health issues and feel good overall, should I just ignore both of them and keep doing what I am doing?

      what issue(s) did you go to see the doctor(s) about?
    • Posts: 18,842 Member
      Fitnessgirl0913 wrote: »
      Thanks everyone! I found a basic BMI calculator and am not borderline overweight so I don't know where my doctor got that one.. I also think I have more muscle than people realize since it is all in my legs from walking 6 plus miles a day and I tend to not wear shorts which is why I got the other doctor not believing I almost weigh 140.

      I will just keep doing what I'm doing!

      BMI was never intended for individual stats - but population studies where the outlayers don't effect the results.

      Insurance jumped on it for individuals, then Dr's and others took lazy way out and started using it too.

      And your reason is exactly why it wasn't mean for individual.
    • Posts: 481 Member
      TavistockToad wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      what issue(s) did you go to see the doctor(s) about?

      I was seeing my primary care doctor about some GI problems because I needed a referral for a GI specialist in order for insurance to cover it. The GI specialist was for *warning TMI coming your way* my body flipping back and forth between extreme constipation and diarrhea and never being "normal".
    • Posts: 8,219 Member
      height/weight charts seem to always be wrong for muscular folks, if you are happy with your size 4, then don't fret it...there's a reason doctors call what they do "practice"
    • Posts: 35,719 Member
      Fitnessgirl0913 wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      I was seeing my primary care doctor about some GI problems because I needed a referral for a GI specialist in order for insurance to cover it. The GI specialist was for *warning TMI coming your way* my body flipping back and forth between extreme constipation and diarrhea and never being "normal".

      Then i would take more notice of that doctor.

      And I think that @singingflutelady was right about your docs reason for having a little extra weight on you.
    • Posts: 481 Member
      Thanks everyone! I appreciate all of your responses!
    • Posts: 13,575 Member
      TavistockToad wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      Then i would take more notice of that doctor.

      And I think that @singingflutelady was right about your docs reason for having a little extra weight on you.

      I agree with this. Listen to the specialist.
    • Posts: 197 Member
      I have never been a fan of BMI because truthfully one way to lower your BMI is chop off a leg. Yep you will lower your BMI, but you are no more fat or thin at this point.
    • Posts: 2,086 Member
      I will jump on that "BMI is useless" band-wagon. I am a 50yo male, stand 6'0" and weigh 212lbs. According to BMI I am obese. I am very fit, very active and very athletic. So, BMI is not really valid any longer. It is antiquated.

      I would go more off of how you feel, how your energy level is, how well you sleep, et al. I am thinking that the doctors are being careful and following protocol. Dont get me started on Western Medicine! LOL! Anyway, I would pay more attention to the specialist, but......
    • Posts: 2,989 Member
      BMI is still a good guideline for most people. The exceptions being very athletic people and amputees. But that does not apply to the vast majority of the population. Just because you can come up with an example of when BMI is an inaccurate judge of a person's fitness, it does not make the whole concept "useless".
    • Posts: 18,842 Member
      How about we just go for the reasons of the guy that dreamed it up?

      http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439

      He produced the formula to give a quick and easy way to measure the degree of obesity of the general population to assist the government in allocating resources. In other words, it is a 200-year-old hack.

      And more.
    • Posts: 159 Member
      heybales wrote: »
      How about we just go for the reasons of the guy that dreamed it up?

      http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439

      He produced the formula to give a quick and easy way to measure the degree of obesity of the general population to assist the government in allocating resources. In other words, it is a 200-year-old hack.

      And more.

      Amen!! I am glad that our wellness program awards points for BMI OR waist to hip ratio OR doctors note saying you are at a good weight for you. BMI Is not (and the creator never intended it to be) the be all, end all marker at an individual level.

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