Now that I know I'm big boned. . . :(

katoato
katoato Posts: 26 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello, all! I am a newbie and some what of a lurker as I have been on MFP for about a month but haven't created a topic or responded to posts until today.

So I did the test of the index finger and thumb and I discovered something what I have surmised all along, that I have a "large frame". The problem is, although I am at a body fat percentage of 23%, at 147 pounds and a height of 5'4" my BMI is in the "overweight" range.

Now, I can work my "large frame" and I know it's okay to be different. :) But what gets me is that I am so heavy, even though I can see a six-pack and run 8.5 min miles on my 5 mile runs. I FEEL healthy, I LOOK healthy, but MFP is telling me I am NOT HEALTHY. Is it okay to be heavier if you have a "larger frame"?

Input from EVERY-sized frame welcome :):):)

"
«1

Replies

  • spazofthedead
    spazofthedead Posts: 175 Member
    BMI is pretty much useless with individuals. It's better for using against broad populations of people of which generalizations can be made and it didn't seem to be designed with athleticism in mind, as it doesn't take lean mass (muscle, bone, ligaments, etc) into account at all.

    At 23% bodyfat you have quite a bit of lean mass, so BMI would be extra unhelpful for someone like you. I'm in the same boat you are - 5'6", 162lbs and at a BMI of 26, which puts me squarely in the overweight range, despite my athletic build and dense bones.

    Ignore BMI and go by measurements and body fat percentages. You'll be less likely to pull your hair out in the process. Keep doing what you're doing. :)
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member
    BMI is pretty much useless with individuals. It's better for using against broad populations of people of which generalizations can be made and it didn't seem to be designed with athleticism in mind, as it doesn't take lean mass (muscle, bone, ligaments, etc) into account at all.

    At 23% bodyfat you have quite a bit of lean mass, so BMI would be extra unhelpful for someone like you. I'm in the same boat you are - 5'6", 162lbs and at a BMI of 26, which puts me squarely in the overweight range, despite my athletic build and dense bones.

    Ignore BMI and go by measurements and body fat percentages. You'll be less likely to pull your hair out in the process. Keep doing what you're doing. :)

    Yuuuup.
  • CrazyMidget611
    CrazyMidget611 Posts: 102 Member
    I am so large-framed, it's unreal. I mean, I'm def flabby, but I'm 5'2 and have shoulders like a linebacker and a rib cage that could house a ferret!
  • 42kgirl
    42kgirl Posts: 692 Member
    The Boy is very broad shouldered like his dad. According to the BMI chart, he needs to lose a chunk. Fortunately, his pediatrician is not a moron & realizes that he is large framed and very muscular from gymnastics.
  • Emv79
    Emv79 Posts: 245 Member
    I am so large-framed, it's unreal. I mean, I'm def flabby, but I'm 5'2 and have shoulders like a linebacker and a rib cage that could house a ferret!

    I love this. I'm just shy of 5'10'' and currently 157lbs, but I too have the shoulders of an NFL player and my rib cage could "house a ferret"...probably even its entire family! On a positive note, I've never broken a bone!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    i'm small framed (teeny rib cage and small wrists) and i've always been heavier even when i was a size 4. i've always been a lot heavier than i appear since i cant blame it on my skeleton, i guess have heavy organs, capillaries and muscles :laugh:

    i agree with the others who say go by you're measurements and body fat% not necessarily on how hard the earth has to work to keep you grounded
  • katoato
    katoato Posts: 26 Member
    Thank you so much, all you lovely people! Now I know that BMI will be an unhelpful metric for me. It just took people are more savvy than I to realize this. Thank you all so much and I hope I can support you all as well in your pursuits of healthy lifestyles. :)
  • sar04tamu
    sar04tamu Posts: 27
    At 23% body fat, you are in the middle of the healthy female range, according to WebMD. You rock!
  • katoato
    katoato Posts: 26 Member
    Thank you so much :) I'm trying!
  • tat2dmrsgrimm
    tat2dmrsgrimm Posts: 226 Member
    I am 5'5" and currently weigh 271. My goal is 176. When I got married 8 years ago I was 180. I have had 2 kids since then. At 180 most people guessed that I weighed 160. I am very broad shouldered, broad hipped and even when thinish I have very large fingers (my first boyfriend's hands were smaller than mine when I was 17 and weighed 150)

    I am definitely a big boned woman and I have no intention to listen to any nonsense that says that I should weigh 130 pounds. I would look like I died and had been mummified if I was that light! If I hit 176 and decide I need to lose a little more, then so be it.
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
    I've always weighed more, but I'm not larger-framed; I just have more lean mass, so it shows on the scale. But I can run miles and miles, and am around 24% BF. Yet I'm barely under the overweight designation according to BMI. So I've always ignored it, and gone by overall fitness level isntead.

    BMI is a good tool for figuring out general body health in a broad population, but it's not a good tool for individuals.
  • 2Bgoddess
    2Bgoddess Posts: 1,096 Member
    I wanna figure out what size frame I am. and/or my body fat percentage. and what is normal. who can help me out with those things? (can i figure it out at home?)
  • abberbabber
    abberbabber Posts: 972 Member
    What index finger test? I'm confuzzled, lol
  • tat2dmrsgrimm
    tat2dmrsgrimm Posts: 226 Member
    What index finger test? I'm confuzzled, lol

    Me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!:embarassed:
  • PlunderBunneh
    PlunderBunneh Posts: 1,705 Member
    Just don't worry about it. Body fat % is the way to go, and you know that you are doing great there. BMI is annoying, but not worthy of stress.
  • steph124ny
    steph124ny Posts: 238 Member
    i'm small framed (teeny rib cage and small wrists) and i've always been heavier even when i was a size 4. i've always been a lot heavier than i appear since i cant blame it on my skeleton, i guess have heavy organs, capillaries and muscles :laugh:

    i agree with the others who say go by you're measurements and body fat% not necessarily on how hard the earth has to work to keep you grounded


    OMG!! That's me! I used to be a teeny-tiny 5'4" and 98 pounds. I was tiny my entire life until I had 4 kids. I just hit 136 today, down from 140. Most people would be thrilled to be 140, but on me it looks like I strapped a tire arounf my middle. I have a good friend who told me there was no WAY I could weigh 140 until I stepped on a scale and proved it. But then again...she's never seen me naked with my spare tire, so.... I've learned to hide my tire well with appropriate clothing. ;)
  • kennie2
    kennie2 Posts: 1,170 Member
    bmi is bull****
    dont worry about it :)
  • SmashleeWpg
    SmashleeWpg Posts: 567 Member
    Apparently in his bodybuilding days, Arnold would have been "obese" given his BMI ... and we all know that's not true so... take it with a grain of salt :)
  • LovingLisa2012
    LovingLisa2012 Posts: 775 Member
    this is why NOT to use bmi
    bmi_body_comparison.png
  • sugarandspice27
    sugarandspice27 Posts: 521 Member
    BMI is a bunch of bull created by insurance companies... as a simple way to classify people (and most likely to label more people as "obese" to charge more for premiums.). There are several things that would skew the accuracy of BMI. Body Fat % is ABSOLUTELY the way to go. And beyond that, if you are living a healthy lifestyle and you FEEL healthy- WHY do you care what a website says?
  • HealthyHappy120
    HealthyHappy120 Posts: 262
    i too am large framed... D:
  • cheremince
    cheremince Posts: 28
    I'm not large framed by the finger tests but apparently i have dense bones? -_- or maybe i just have a lot of lean muscle mass. I am 5'6'' 144lbs my measurements are 33.5-25.5-36.5 i wear a size 4/6

    oh and bmi is a load of bologna. it doesn't take account into the muscle your body has. i know so many fit and good looking people that are overweight by bmi standards. Also it seems that people with african ancestry tend to fall into this category i'm explaining. The ones that look tiny but weigh so much more.
  • rhinojoe
    rhinojoe Posts: 21
    That's a good one! I'm gonna start using that. Nice "ferret cage!"
  • elelat
    elelat Posts: 117
    gosh... im quite big, and most of my goals are bmi related

    :(
  • joanneonline
    joanneonline Posts: 158
    If you feel good and healthy, I wouldn't worry.

    Funny, but MFP shows a "healthy" weight range for a person weighing 147 who is 5' 4.3" tall is 108.8 - 147.0 lbs. Just stand up straight and your "healthy" ;)
  • dancingdeer
    dancingdeer Posts: 373 Member
    The index finger test is this:

    Wrap your thumb and index finder around your wrist.

    If your fingers overlap (like mine) you have a small frame

    If they touch - medium frame

    If they don't touch - large frame

    Or you could just chalk it up to skinny wrists or chubby wrists. It's all so relative, so take it with a grain of salt! :bigsmile:
  • Newf77
    Newf77 Posts: 802 Member
    You really do not want me to get going on the difference of what is considered a societal norm and what is the true societal norm. People come in different sizes so why tag me with if you are a certain height you will be a certain weight.
  • sugarandspice27
    sugarandspice27 Posts: 521 Member
    For all the people trying to determine body frame size:

    http://www.am-i-fat.com/body_frame_size.html
  • abberbabber
    abberbabber Posts: 972 Member
    So does that mean my wrists will never get smaller? That's depressing...I was looking forward to being able to wear normal watches and bracelets :cry:
  • unhinge
    unhinge Posts: 318 Member
    I have 7 inch wrists and am only 5'3 if I went by the dang BMI charts I would need to loose another 40 plus pounds to be out of overweight and into healthy range.... just makes me angry!!

Categories