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BMI irritates me

amymeenieminymo
amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
I see a lot of posts here of people saying that they have lost enough weight to not be considered obese anymore or what have you.

It's really irritating to me that after losing almost 40 pounds, and thinking what I see in the mirror is starting to look pretty good, according to my BMI I am still obese. I would like another inch or so off my upper arms, and maybe off my inner thighs, and from a side profile my tummy still sticks out a bit, but not so much that I am embarrased or horrified of it. That to me is not what an obese person looks like.

Right now my goal weight is 150, but again, according to my BMI I would still be overweight. Yeah I am short, but I don't understand how a height and weight ratio is even used as a reliable measure as to whether or not you're overweight or obese. I have a rather muscular build, I honestly think I would be sick if I were to get down to what my BMI would be "healthy" at which is between 101 and 136.

I know I need to do what's right for me, but why is BMI still heavily relied on when classifying weight when it can be so innaccurate based on somone's body type?
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Replies

  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
    I don't go by my BMI...according to it I'm under weight. I'm not even quite 5 feet tall, I'm thin framed, and weigh 95 lbs. I'm trying to gain muscle mass and still loose the 'post-baby' belly that doesn't seem to want to go away. I go by inches and my scale only.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    If it's a problem for you, go with Body Fat %, BMI is just the ratio of how much mass you have in proportion to how tall you are. People who are extremely short, or have a very athletic body (also children, and pregnant women) are skewed in this scale, so it's not as accurate for them. BUT You'd be surprised at what obese looks like, look at this picture of me before, I'm not ashamed to admit, I was a BMI of 32.5 in this picture (2 years ago). Remember, obese and morbidly obese are 2 completely different things.

    Picture063.jpg
  • JoyousMaximus
    JoyousMaximus Posts: 9,285 Member
    Have you tried getting your body fat percentage taken? That would probably be a better indicator for you.

    And yes, it CAN be horribly inaccurate. I have a friend with 17% body fat and he was told he was boarder line obese.
  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
    It should. Check out something that makes me feel better about BMI (and it's wrongness)- The Illustrated BMI. It's pictures of real people and shows their BMI. http://www.flickr.com/photos/77367764@N00/sets/72157602199008819/

    BMI was created to get an idea of general health among large populations. It's a snapshot and most doctors use it as a starting point- not the end. It seems a lot of others put more stock in it- I'm look at YOU gym teacher from 8th grade!

    Body fat is much more important, imho, and reveals a lot more about your health. It's true BMI can be useful, but it is not the be all end all that the media/ non medical professionals make it out to be.

    *steps off soapbox and gets some water* :tongue:
  • moujie
    moujie Posts: 229
    and for someone who is heavy - I mean litterally I weight a lot more than I look (which is a little depressing when I get on the scale) - my goal weight would have my BMI still in the overweight range and I'd have to reduce my goal weight by more than 20 lbs to make it just barely not overweight...and really I don't think 20+lbs under my goal weight is healthy or sustainable!
  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
    - my goal weight would have my BMI still in the overweight range and I'd have to reduce my goal weight by more than 20 lbs to make it just barely not overweight...and really I don't think 20+lbs under my goal weight is healthy or sustainable!

    I'm the same way. My frame just wouldn't support it. I've been down in the 'healthy' BMI range for me and had people asking me if I was sick or talking to me about chemo treatments. Eeek. I'm a big polish girl- we don't do small frame in my family heh heh

    I think it's such a personal thing, this healthy living. We each have to find our right point for our bodies and lives.
  • 135gratitude
    135gratitude Posts: 364
    I hear you! :grumble:

    My BMI is 25.2 so I am technically "overweight" (see my av pic - that was taken yesterday).

    .... and while I do feel I have too much body fat, I can run 10 km, I wear a size 8 jean from the Gap, and I feel pretty strong and healthy!

    I DO however want to lose more weight, quite a bit more, so I use the BMI as my guide.

    My doc explained the BMI to me as an index for weight related illness - after a BMI of 25 there is a marked increase in illness, and again, after a BMI of 30, you see another significant increase. This is how they delineated 25 as over weight, and 30 as obese.

    Don't get too caught up in the BMI though, you are doing AMAZINGLY well!
    :flowerforyou:
  • BABYLILAC
    BABYLILAC Posts: 148 Member
    I hear you! :grumble:

    My BMI is 25.2 so I am technically "overweight" (see my av pic - that was taken yesterday).

    .... and while I do feel I have too much body fat, I can run 10 km, I wear a size 8 jean from the Gap, and I feel pretty strong and healthy!

    I DO however want to lose more weight, quite a bit more, so I use the BMI as my guide.

    My doc explained the BMI to me as an index for weight related illness - after a BMI of 25 there is a marked increase in illness, and again, after a BMI of 30, you see another significant increase. This is how they delineated 25 as over weight, and 30 as obese.

    Don't get too caught up in the BMI though, you are doing AMAZINGLY well!
    :flowerforyou:

    Betty76 how can you be overweight.You look good!!! I also use BMI as my guide and I am overweight right now:sad: Hopefully I will have a normal BMI after 2-3 months
  • rbeglen
    rbeglen Posts: 37
    Check out this website!

    http://www.maxmuscle.com/fitness-magazine/article/health-matters/195/



    226234.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Food Diary
  • 135gratitude
    135gratitude Posts: 364
    Betty76 how can you be overweight.You look good!!! I also use BMI as my guide and I am overweight right now:sad: Hopefully I will have a normal BMI after 2-3 months

    Thanks - you put a smile on my face :flowerforyou:

    I am technically overweight! BMI of 25.2...... 5'8", 165 pounds! My goal is 148 - so that's 17 lbs off and I hope to feel slim and fit!

    Good luck to you, and don't get too hung up on the numbers! We WILL reach our goals using MFP - so lets post when we get there!
    :flowerforyou:
  • MacMadame
    MacMadame Posts: 1,893 Member
    My first goal was to get a "normal" BMI. After that, I'm all about the body fat percentage...

    I do have a small frame and I'm short. I think BMI was under-estimating my fatness before. It was saying I was "only" obese and not morbidly obese when I was over 200 lb and anything over that has a major impact on my lifestyle and health.

    My husband is tall and I think BMI is all under-estimating his fatness. All of his fat is in his tummy and that's *really* bad for you.

    I think BMI works best for people of average height who aren't muscular.
  • hungrybear
    hungrybear Posts: 45
    Don't look at and trust BMI too much. It doesn't take bone density and muscle weight as a measure. You can be tone and weight a lot due to muscles or high bone density. Try looking at body fat % or measure your waistline. Those are better measures.
  • njjswim
    njjswim Posts: 178 Member
    BMII is just an indicator to help providers mostly Pediatricians to recognize or red flag patients who may need more assistance then others with preventive services such as a dietician, exercise physiologist or testing for hypertension, diabeties etc. BMI is only meant to statistically evaluate medical type diseases which start to occur in BMI %'s above 30% BMI...HTN, diabeties, stroke, cancer etc.

    So you are right BMI is just an indicator. THe real proof of the pudding is your ratio of fat and lean content. The more lean mass the more calories you burn when at rest. The more fat content the harder the heart has to pump to circulate blood through all the extra fat which can strain your heart. Fat burn 2-5 calories per pound where as lean about 35 calories per pound which can add up....

    If you ever have an opportunity to have hydro testing or an air displacement chamber test your amount of lean and fat in your body you would be able to know exactly how healthy you are. You could be skinny as a rail and not work out and have mostly fat and no lean or you can be a big with mostly lean but healthier since you work out...

    Your heart is a muscle and needs exercise routinely...Smoking and drinking are tough on the heart and liver

    The best workout is 30-60 min of cardio 5-7 days a week and some resistence training 3 days a week with weights or with calistetics which costs min amount of $$$ to do at home...
  • njjswim
    njjswim Posts: 178 Member
    Wow impressive weight loss I am back to 0 again since stressing over recent home and job changes I need to stick with something to jump start good eating habits again. What has worked for you?
  • 135gratitude
    135gratitude Posts: 364
    BMI is particularly inaccurate for men (see SHBoss pic above - he clearly doesn't look "obese"). Think of two men - both 6 feet tall, both 200 lbs - one has 20 lbs more muscle than the other, both have the same BMI.

    With women, we generally don't build and maintain muscle as men do - hence, it is a better predictor for us. While my BMI is 25.2, my body fat is 28% - both say the same thing.... time to lose some bodyfat!

    My hubby is quite fit, and clearly had great muscle definition, but his BMI is close to the same as mine!
    :noway:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    this is why I always call BMI a flawed calculation. Guys, don't misunderstand, BMI is an important tool, especially if you take it for what it is, just one measure.

    One thing you can take away from BMI, and this is how I use it, It gives you a starting point, regardless of whether the initial number is an accurate measurement of you vs. the world average, it's still going to be consistant for YOU. And as such, you can use it as a measure to track your progress.

    And remember, for those who have a relatively normal body mass, it WILL be generally accurate (maybe 1 or 2 points off in either direction).

    Other tools to use (you can google any of these), and remember most of these are going to be rough estimates unless you go get them done by a medical professional.

    - Waist to Hip ratio
    - body fat % (there are plenty out there that you can get with about a 5% margin for error just by putting in measuring tape numbers)
    - Lean tissue mass calculators
    - size measurements
    - and yes, even the infamous scale

    If you use 3 or 4 of these tools, and track them consistantly, you can be relatively sure about your progress. Any one of these tools alone may be uniquely flawed, but put them all together and the overall picture should be relatively accurate. I'm thinking of building a web application that takes all of these numbers and comes up with an analyzer that can be way more accurate than any one alone, it would take a few months to build, but I have the time, maybe if I build it, Mike can add it to the tools section.
  • 135gratitude
    135gratitude Posts: 364
    this is why I always call BMI a flawed calculation. Guys, don't misunderstand, BMI is an important tool, especially if you take it for what it is, just one measure.

    One thing you can take away from BMI, and this is how I use it, It gives you a starting point, regardless of whether the initial number is an accurate measurement of you vs. the world average, it's still going to be consistant for YOU. And as such, you can use it as a measure to track your progress.

    And remember, for those who have a relatively normal body mass, it WILL be generally accurate (maybe 1 or 2 points off in either direction).

    Other tools to use (you can google any of these), and remember most of these are going to be rough estimates unless you go get them done by a medical professional.

    - Waist to Hip ratio
    - body fat % (there are plenty out there that you can get with about a 5% margin for error just by putting in measuring tape numbers)
    - Lean tissue mass calculators
    - size measurements
    - and yes, even the infamous scale

    If you use 3 or 4 of these tools, and track them consistantly, you can be relatively sure about your progress. Any one of these tools alone may be uniquely flawed, but put them all together and the overall picture should be relatively accurate. I'm thinking of building a web application that takes all of these numbers and comes up with an analyzer that can be way more accurate than any one alone, it would take a few months to build, but I have the time, maybe if I build it, Mike can add it to the tools section.

    SHBoss - you are amazing! That is an excellent idea. I do my body fat at the gym on a tanita scale, and using the calculators online - they all say the same thing! Do you think those are accurate? They say the error rate is less than 1% either way. True in your estimation?
    :smile:
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    this is why I always call BMI a flawed calculation. Guys, don't misunderstand, BMI is an important tool, especially if you take it for what it is, just one measure.

    One thing you can take away from BMI, and this is how I use it, It gives you a starting point, regardless of whether the initial number is an accurate measurement of you vs. the world average, it's still going to be consistant for YOU. And as such, you can use it as a measure to track your progress.

    And remember, for those who have a relatively normal body mass, it WILL be generally accurate (maybe 1 or 2 points off in either direction).

    Other tools to use (you can google any of these), and remember most of these are going to be rough estimates unless you go get them done by a medical professional.

    - Waist to Hip ratio
    - body fat % (there are plenty out there that you can get with about a 5% margin for error just by putting in measuring tape numbers)
    - Lean tissue mass calculators
    - size measurements
    - and yes, even the infamous scale

    If you use 3 or 4 of these tools, and track them consistantly, you can be relatively sure about your progress. Any one of these tools alone may be uniquely flawed, but put them all together and the overall picture should be relatively accurate. I'm thinking of building a web application that takes all of these numbers and comes up with an analyzer that can be way more accurate than any one alone, it would take a few months to build, but I have the time, maybe if I build it, Mike can add it to the tools section.

    SHBoss - you are amazing! That is an excellent idea. I do my body fat at the gym on a tanita scale, and using the calculators online - they all say the same thing! Do you think those are accurate? They say the error rate is less than 1% either way. True in your estimation?
    :smile:

    Tanita scale accuracy has a 4.5% margin for error, but should be close enough for what you want. Be careful with those though. I find it amusing that they use electrical impedance in a gym (I see them all over) since the NCSM recommends (as do most manufacturers) that you do not exercise for at least 6 hours before using one, and that you are hydrated and haven't eaten for at least 3 hours before.
  • 135gratitude
    135gratitude Posts: 364
    :noway: :noway: :noway:

    Oh man! So 4.5 is a big deal!!!! To be honest, I don't "feel" all that "overweight", but heck, I could be 4.5 % MORE!!!!

    Thanks for the info.
    :flowerforyou:

    Oh dear - I think the scale and a measuring tape with just be my measures of choice! There is no denying whether change is occuring on the scale or whether I am actually shrinking.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/calc-bmi-plus

    I use this one because it also uses your pants size, which is important IMHO
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