Do I pay attention to BMI?

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salmarooni
salmarooni Posts: 42 Member
in Motivation and Support
Anybody else get really disheartened at the BMI scale? According to the scale I am morbedly obese but I know I am not. I know I need to lose at least 2 stone but even then I am still in the obese caterogory!! I don't feel I have a lot of muscle at the moment (something I am working on) Am I just kidding myself, do I need to push myself further? Or can you make me feel better, I feel a size 12-14 shouldnt be in the obese caterogory!
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Replies

  • Jingsi84
    Jingsi84 Posts: 127 Member
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    I was surprised to find that my BMI had pushed into the obese category too when I was a size 12-14. Personally, I think I just couldn't wrap my head around how much weight I had gained. Doesn't really matter though, because we know we have weight to lose. So I would just focus on losing your current goal and then you can reevaluate then if you want to lose even more weight. Maybe you just carry your weight better.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    I was about a size 14 when I dropped below a 30 BMI (from obese to overweight). It's not surprising.
  • Iamnotasenior
    Iamnotasenior Posts: 234 Member
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    I would pay close attention to the BMI scale and let that be your motivation. http://www.bmi-calculator.net/
    There are different "obese" classifications. I am 5' 1". At my starting weight of 204 lbs., I was at a BMI that put me in the Obese Class 2. If I gained another 10 pounds, I would have been considered Morbidly Obese. After losing 44 lbs., I am now teetering on the BMI line between Obese and Overweight. I have another 28 pounds to go to be a normal BMI. That is my goal, to be in the normal range. There are people who have a great deal of muscle mass that may skew into the overweight or obese BMI inadvertently, but for the vast majority of us, it's a pretty good indicator that we are carrying around way too much weight.

    BMI Classification
    18.5 or less Underweight
    18.5 to 24.99 Normal Weight
    25 to 29.99 Overweight
    30 to 34.99 Obesity (Class 1)
    35 to 39.99 Obesity (Class 2)
    40 or greater Morbid Obesity
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,463 Member
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    Don’t let the numbers take over your head. Set a goal and see what happens when you get there.

    Just my observations- lots of people starting out wreck themselves worried about a BMI number that’s far away. Don’t. It’s just a big experiment.

    People wreck themselves with programs that are too aggressive to live with. Don’t do that either.

    Personally, I hurt myself greatly focused on the number on the scale and what the old charts said I should weigh. What I needed was fitness.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    BMI should be used in conjunction with other things like BF%, etc...but unless you're a massive body builder, if BMI is saying that you are morbidly obese, you are morbidly obese.

    It is not unusual for men who are active and athletic to be in the top end or slightly overweight per BMI but still be at a healthy BF%...this is more unusual for women.

    At this point, don't worry about it. Target the high end of BMI...assess and reassess as you move along.

  • LaughHappy907
    LaughHappy907 Posts: 44 Member
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    If you're a body builder - then yea the BMI scale probably isn't a super great measurement. If you are like most people who need to lose 30+lbs, the BMI scale is a good way to know how far you've slipped and where you should set your goal. If you really think its wrong calculate your body-fat %. You should really accept where you are and accept the amount of work you must do. It's the first step to changing your life-style.
  • salmarooni
    salmarooni Posts: 42 Member
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    Guess its a case of reevaluating my goal then! Haha So easy to lose motivation when nothing moves for a month! Got to keep going!! Thanks for all the help! :)
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
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    Obese is a clinical term. Don't take it personally. And yes, I was classified as obese by BMI at a size 12/14.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    You haven't given your stats, what your BMI currently is or any pictures to give an opinion but as you are saying you don't have much muscle, you are female (so high levels of muscle is far less likely) and in the morbidly obese category then you have a long way to go before you need to start to worry about a final goal weight.

    Size of clothes is a dreadful measure, vanity sizing plus elastic isn't a good guide!

    You haven't given any good reason why you shouldn't fit in the very wide BMI normal range for your height.
  • salmarooni
    salmarooni Posts: 42 Member
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    Ahh I don't like the word obese. Need to step up my game to get in the healthy range then!! Haha
  • brendanwhite84
    brendanwhite84 Posts: 220 Member
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    With no disrespect intended, 9 times out of 10 when people complain about BMI they are choosing to miss the forest for the trees. Even among professional bodybuilders a BMI above the high overweight range is virtually unheard-of unless steroids are in use. If I recall correctly Schwarzenegger had a BMI around 30 in competition (on PEDs).

    Much like the others here I'd suggest getting a body fat assessment (BodPod, DEXA) done if you want the most accurate picture of your body composition.

  • salmarooni
    salmarooni Posts: 42 Member
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    Well you all told me what I needed to hear! I'm in denial and need to step up my game! Haha Thankyou guys! :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    salmarooni wrote: »
    Well you all told me what I needed to hear! I'm in denial and need to step up my game! Haha Thankyou guys! :)

    I don't think that's unusual...when my Dr. told me I was class 1 obese I didn't really believe him. I look at pictures from then compared to now and it's pretty self evident...
  • mlinci
    mlinci Posts: 403 Member
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    I’m a 5’5 woman. I was obese at UK size 14-16, overweight at 12-14, and I’m now a normal weight size 10.
    Good luck with your plan!
  • rlaramee2
    rlaramee2 Posts: 29 Member
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    BMI is as close to useless as you can get. I've yet to find a single doctor who believes there's value in the BMI index. At 5"9 and 195lbs my BMI is 29 and change, and yet I have 6% body fat and a shredded midsection. Aiming for a specific BMI target is setting yourself up for failure.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    rlaramee2 wrote: »
    BMI is as close to useless as you can get. I've yet to find a single doctor who believes there's value in the BMI index. At 5"9 and 195lbs my BMI is 29 and change, and yet I have 6% body fat and a shredded midsection. Aiming for a specific BMI target is setting yourself up for failure.

    As an outlier myself, basing your opinion on outliers is defective.

    It's a good guideline to use as a basis to deviate from. If you think you're an outlier.
    1. Look at your performance and health factors
    2. Have a BF scan or 2 done. DEXA, BodPod, Professional grade BIA, etc.

    IF both scans agree that you have a normal BF% then congrats you're an outlier.

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