In my opinion I think BMI is wrong for most people. I'm 5'7 190ish right now and by BMI's standards I should weigh in at 155lbs. That is ridiculous! Any opinions or experiences with BMI?
I've lost 15lbs so far and all I've done is exercise and eat regular smaller portions with no real emphasis on healthier foods, however, I did cut out fast food and all soda. Strictly water and juices seem to have really made a difference. Also I use portion control when eating.
When I started I was 205lbs. and I'm 5'7, obese by BMI's standards!! Although it didn't show, I sure feel better! Heck if I can do it, You can do it!!! My goal now is 20lbs to lose.
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My main criticism of BMI is people who are very athletic and muscular would be considered overweight of even obese even though they may have extremely low body fat.
I does not measure body fat.
Personally I go by how my clothes fit. If your pant sizes are dropping faster than your weight then you know your losing body fat and gaining muscle mass. That's what we want right? Muscle burns more calories than fat.
I'm 5'5" 125-130 lbs depending on the time of the month. But in two years I have gone from size 6 to size 2. Without losing or gaining a pound really.
ReplyI think for an average person looking for a guide BMI is a fine tool. Obviously if you are muscular or athletic yes you will have a misrepresenting BMI- but chances are if you are athletic/ very muscular you already have a grasp on your health and dont need such a referance. If a person is so concerned with the results of their BMI on a calculator they should discuss options with their doctor/dietician. Overall for an average person looking for a ball-park range it is okay to use.
ReplyNPR.org did a great piece on why BMI is rubbish:
"Top 10 Reasons Why The BMI Is Bogus" (July 2009)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439
1. The person who dreamed up the BMI said explicitly that it could not and should not be used to indicate the level of fatness in an individual.
2. It is scientifically nonsensical.
3. It is physiologically wrong.
4. It gets the logic wrong.
5. It's bad statistics.
6. It is lying by scientific authority.
7. It suggests there are distinct categories of underweight, ideal, overweight and obese, with sharp boundaries that hinge on a decimal place.
8. It makes the more cynical members of society suspect that the medical insurance industry lobbies for the continued use of the BMI to keep their profits high.
9. Continued reliance on the BMI means doctors don't feel the need to use one of the more scientifically sound methods that are available to measure obesity levels.
10. It embarrasses the U.S.
--
There are explanations of each reason at the story link. Hope that helps.
=^.^=
ReplyBMI is wrong for me, but for the opposite reasons cited by most people. I'm 5'2" and 98-100 lbs with a BMI of around 18.4-5. Some calculators label that as underweight and recommend a weight ranging between 105-135. I have a small frame, and back when I weighed 115-120, I was pudgy with little stamina, endurance, strength, or resistance to common illnesses. I think BMI is an adequate measure for people with average frames and average builds, but it may not be as accurate for those of us who fall on either end of the spectrum.
ReplyLike most blunt measurement tools BMI is design for the "average person" people with body types on the fringes will not be well served by the BMI measurement.
Reply@justinmcneil
Only bodyfat % matters.
ReplyI suppose it's how good you feel at any particular weight. However, I suppose Arrowsmith is correct in that it is a matter of bodyfat%.
Does anyone know of a simplified way of calculating your Body Fat Percentage?
thanks!
ReplyAs Justin said, the BMI works for the "average person" -- that would be the vast majority of people. Even the CDC says that it doesn't work for those who are muscular. Without prejudice at all against anyone I don't know (that's anyone who has commented on this post), most of the people I know who claim the BMI doesn't work for them because they are muscular are, judging by their bellies, overweight.
It works for me. I feel and function best when I'm in the upper range of normal, a BMI of 23.7-24.9. Interestingly enough, most people think I look right when I'm at a BMI of 25-26.5 -- up to 11 pounds over "normal".
ReplyAt a Weight Watchers meeting once there was a discussion about how people look at their goal weight (WW's goal weights are based on BMI). The leader had seen a lot of people reach goal and she thought that women look fine at a "normal" BMI but men tend to look too thin at a "normal" BMI.
ReplyBMI is good place to start looking at your goal weight. Depending on your build it can at least help you get started in the right direction. From there you can use other estimates to help get you closer.
Body fat percentage can be measured cheaply with newer scales within about 5%-7% or with hand held models as well. You can also get an inexpensive set of calipers and do a skin fold test. All of which won't mean a thing if you still don't like what you see in the mirror.
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