Dr. and Nutritionist suggested Weight not in healthy BMI ran

d2footballJRC
d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I was looking at the BMI calculator and it was telling me on the weight ranges that my suggested weight of 235-240 by my Dr and Nutritionist would still put me at the high end of Overweight part of the BMI level. It's saying to be healthy range I'd have to get down to 190.

Actually it's telling at 6'2 that 240 pounds is still obese.....O.o. So are my Dr.'s just crazy?

Replies

  • Edestiny7
    Edestiny7 Posts: 730 Member
    No!!! Athletic types, or muscular types will weigh more and their BMIs will show they are overweight. My fiance has a 14% bodyfat and an overweight BMI. It all depends on body type and build. (He's muscular)
  • rockylucas
    rockylucas Posts: 343 Member
    I'm 6'2, 188, I feel about right, just a few more lbs to lose in my tummy and chest :)
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    BMI doesn't take into account BF%. So 240 would be healthy if it's achieved with a low BF% but not with a high BF%. But I have to go agree, if your docs are just going by BMI I don't see why they would recommend that as your healthy weight. Maybe they're trying not to overwhelm you psychologically with the prospect of a huge weight loss all at once?
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I am 6'0 tall and my doctor told me my healthy weight is between 147-185. I am reached my doctor's goal and I am 100% healthy.

    The BMI works but not for everybody.


    Currently training to run a half marathon next month.
  • bride2b520
    bride2b520 Posts: 8
    they are actually working on refiguring the BMI scale to take into account body size and what not... for me, being on the super low side of "overweight" is what looks best on me, if I were to get to my BMI weight, there'd be nothing left of me
  • yeabby
    yeabby Posts: 643 Member
    BMI is a very deceiving tool. The more fit you are the less reliable it is. My partner is at 8-10% bodyfat but, obese by BMI. Listen to your doctor. If you get to the goal set and aren't happy keep working.
  • CatMauro
    CatMauro Posts: 225 Member
    BMI is only one way of judging your fitness, and often a rather inaccurate way. The waist/hip/chest ratio is another one.
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
    **double post**
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
    BMI doesn't take into account BF%. So 240 would be healthy if it's achieved with a low BF% but not with a high BF%. But I have to go agree, if your docs are just going by BMI I don't see why they would recommend that as your healthy weight. Maybe they're trying not to overwhelm you psychologically with the prospect of a huge weight loss all at once?

    They didn't go by BMI I don't think.. They took this pincher thing, measurements, blood work (may not of been for this), scale, and a thing I had to breathe into for metabolism. I just a little taken back on the difference between Dr. and BMI chart.
  • saraann752003
    saraann752003 Posts: 65
    Your doc understands you and knows you better than some chart... follow what they advise.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    It sounds like your doctor is very thorough. I'm sure once you are near your goal weight, if the goal requires tweaking he or she will change it as required.
  • aoifebr
    aoifebr Posts: 92
    BMI drives me bonkers according to mine I need lose another 20+ kilos to be in the healthy range - totally unrealistic!! I ended up getting a body scan to determine my % of muscle mass, fat etc which gave me a much more realistic picture. I have 15+kg more muscle than the "average" woman so BMI is always going to be out for me.

    Go with your doctor they know your body better than a generic calculator & will take things like muscle mass & BF% into account.

    Good luck
  • voluptuous_veggie
    voluptuous_veggie Posts: 476 Member
    I'm a clinical nutritional counselor, and we do NOT use the BMI chart at all in my hospital. It's just not accurately useful. I had the worst body image growing up. I was a size zero until I was 24, was a gymnast and a dancer, so I was basically solid muscle. My weight at that size showed me as being overweight/obese on the bmi scale. Size 0 and borderline OBESE?! I don't think so! Most professional atheletes would be considered obese because of the sheer weight of their muscle mass, and there are even people who are very "underweight" on that scale that are actually perfectly normal and healthy. Don't put too much stock in the BMI scale. Your doctor and nutritionist know better, and are probably using much more accurate forms of body mass measurement.
  • TheBigYin
    TheBigYin Posts: 5,686 Member
    If they took skin fold measurments, then rest assured that their appraisal is going to be more accurate than a general purpose formula thas simply divides your weight in kilo's by the square of your height in cm's.

    BMI's often way out for persons of an athletic build - iirc, according to the BMI tables, the entire crews of the oxford and cambridge rowing teams were between obese and morbidly obese. If you've ever seen them, they're pretty much 6'5" of solid muscle with maybe 4-5% body fat. They look like a condom stuffed with wallnuts - but yet according to the BMI calculator - they're at the top end of obese!
  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,870 Member
    Listen to your doctor and nutritionist. They know your body and the BMI is just a genralized tool that really doesn't take into account bone mass, muscle mass, etc. Yes, it gives you a "range" but it really isn't an accurate guage for many people.

    If you reach your goal weight as set by your doctor and feel like you want to go further, make sure you get your body fat % measured and seek the advice of the professionals as they may agree or may have other suggestions.

    Personally, my doctor said that my ideal weight would be 180-185. As a 5'10" woman, my BMI would need to be no more than 174.3 to be in the "normal" range. With that, I set my goal weight to 180 and was very happy with my health, fitness, and overall appearance when I reached it. My ribcage was becoming pretty prominent, however, and I really didn't want to get any smaller; however; I have struggled a bit to get the hang of maintenance and am currently 6 pounds lighter - 174 - and a full size smaller than my goal, even though I am at the very top of a "healthy" BMI. I have a healthy body fat %, a healthy waist-to-hip ratio, and have been healthy for at least 15-20 pounds.

    So, once again, I recommend you listen to the professionals who actually know you and your body.
  • Bankman1989
    Bankman1989 Posts: 1,116 Member
    i'm obese i am 5'10 and weigh 207 right now (i think) with low body fat. My doctor told me it ws ridiculous for me to even try to get to 165 or whatever the chart suggests.
  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
    bmi is a guideline only; it doesn't take into account your build or where you carry your weight.....doctors usually know best =)
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    If you are athletic, while technically it can be obese based on numbers, it's not an accurate representation. At 6', 245, my husband is well into obese. But he's got something like 10% body fat, and wears a size 33 pants. He's simply muscular. BMI is a guideline, and not one-size-fits-all.
  • Alee4nia
    Alee4nia Posts: 168 Member
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/calc-bmi-plus

    try this calculator it takes into account body type...hope this helps!!
  • poustotah
    poustotah Posts: 1,121 Member
    If I were at the top end of the 'healthy BMI range' for my height, I would look like a twig with broad shoulders, no butt and tree trunk legs. I hang out at least 10 lbs over, usually more.
  • adross3
    adross3 Posts: 606 Member
    I personally like a BMI scale. It adjusts to your height and weight and if you are just a dieter or athletic. I have had arguements here over the legitimacy. I personally like my scale. I don't think that my scale is off. If I adjust my height just 8 inches it adds a full percent of body fat. You have to put in your exact height. The argument was that they are off by several pecentage points. My scale says that I am 11.7% body fat. I have to agree with that. My stomach is flat and my abs are starting to show. With all of the research that I have done, I would say that my scale is right on. 10% is the goal for abs. If it is off by a bit, I will still take that. What it has done for me is show a "scaled down measurement".

    I know that there are many opinions based upon medical science. I have read many reports against the same positive scientific reports. All I know is there is one truth about your weight loss plan. Does it work and are you getting results.

    MFP has a general BMI settings. My MFP BMI says that I am 24% BF. I have been tested for my daily burn rate and my goals of weight loss and muscle gain are right on. The first thing about dieting is finding how many calories your 'really" burn in a down day. I would pay for that very valuable information.

    I just checked out http://www.webmd.com/diet/calc-bmi-plus from a link above and found that the amount of info needed is not enough to give you a accurate reading. You need to know what your muscle, fat, bone and water really are.
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member

    MFP has a general BMI settings. My MFP BMI says that I am 24% BF. I have been tested for my daily burn rate and my goals of weight loss and muscle gain are right on. The first thing about dieting is finding how many calories your 'really" burn in a down day. I would pay for that very valuable information.

    I have that info, the little box thing, the name escapes me!!! Figured out that my daily caloric burn is 2859 calories a day. Does anyone know with the little box you breathe into is called? I'll google it.

    Which isn't far off from what Myfitnesspal.com tool has me at. (2,445)
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
    This lady in this image is the breather thing I'm talking about... I don't know what it's called.

    rmrpic.gif
  • adross3
    adross3 Posts: 606 Member
    One person says it is on and another says it is off. Once again it goes to show you that it is important to know your true resting cal burn. There are many ideas and calculators out there. Getting tested is the only way to know the truth about yourself.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member


    MFP has a general BMI settings. My MFP BMI says that I am 24% BF.

    Can you explain what you're talking about? I've never seen the BMI tool on here talk about body fat percentage. I think you're confusing BF% with BMI again, just like in that thread about the scale.
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