BMI Charts ... Grrr!

[Ali*]

I haven't set myself an end-goal ... I wouldn't know what to set it at so I was going with the flow and enjoying the ride until I just looked up my BMI.

The good news is I am out of the obese range and into the overweight range.

The bad news is to get out of the overweight range and into the normal range I would need to be less than 10st! This is ridiculous!

20 years ago when I was at the peak of my fitness and lightest weight (and it was flipping hard work) I hovered between 9st 10lbs and 9st 12lbs. At 25 when I got married I had increased to 10st 4lbs. Even the thought of being this weight is a dream too far ...

I won't lie to you guys, this has knocked me back a bit ... what on earth to I set my target as?

 

[ermintrude]

My targets are very small - the next half stone, the next time I see the scales roll from a XYst 1 to an XXst 13, the next badge I get. I don't ever expect to weigh what a 'normal' person weighs as that is light years away and in all likelihood unachievable for me, but any little bit I lose makes me healthier than where I am now.

Just aim for the next half stone or whatever little goal you think is achievable.

 

[*EB*]

I am currently the lightest i have been as an adult that i can remember. I dont know what I will look like when i get to a lower weight - i look 'okay' now - but have huge thighs and legs!!! hehe!

I am taking it 7lbs at a time (well a shiny sticker!) and seeing how i feel - with SW, you choose your target, so if you want to be above the BMI then thats fine.

I think BMI is the wrong way to look at your weight and you should just judge it on how you feel, so please dont let it knock your plans out! You are doing great! x

 

[Shrimpy]

Ali, you chose the weight that you want. Do it based on look and feel. Set yourself an interim and not a PAT and see what happens. I think BMI is a load of bumpf, Look at my photo, so I look like I'm verging on the overweight? 3lb up from my upper target weight takes me out of healthy and into overweight. I'm a size 8 at this size, do I really wanna get any smaller?? Would it be safe? Pfft. You choose. Chose a number to aim for and see how you feel at that weight. If you want to lose more, you can or you can stay there. That's the beauty of SW.

 

[Mrs.S.]

Hey hunny.

Completely ignore what BMI's say. Everybody is different and you should call target when you feel happy and comfortable.

So what if that means you're classed as 'overweight' or whatever!

Do it when it feels right for you and you think 'yeah, this is me'!

Who invented the 'BMI' anyway?

As has been said on here many times, it's completely out of scope for the likes of bodybuilders and athletes etc.

Nothing is one size fits all!

Work towards your figure and not a numerical figure if that makes sense! xxx

 

[LittleMissPeacock]

Bmi is such a rubbish way to assess some ones "health".

Don't this put you off, you're doing so well. I'm 5' 3" as well and would dearly LOVE to get under 10st (9st 13.5lb is my magic number!) but at 33 and after a child i know that's not realistic. Get to where you're happy and remember it's not all about the scales. How you feel is THE main factor

 

[Ali*]

Thanks girls. I'm embarrassed to say I nearly thought "Sod It, what's it all about?" But I know deep down I have no intention of putting my weight back on and I love the feeling of aiming for my next mini target and then achieving it ... who'd have thought grown men and women would love a sticker so much, lol

I will stick to my own mini-targets from now on - hey I bought a BIKINI yesterday, lol!!!! It's going back but I bought it!!! Not quite got the confidence to wear it, lol! And a size 14 dress - woo hoo!

Let's focus on the positives people :clap::clap:

 

[Tinkerbellarella]

The
Bmi charts really piss me off. As someone with surgery upcoming i've been told i need to be in the green area of the bmi chart to get the best result. Now i have i think a stone and a half to get into the green, cool. But to be in the
Middle as my cons would like is near 10st. Sounds alot? Well i'm 5'9 and pretty sure my whole skeleton weighs a good 9st alone!lol lightest i have been as an adult is 9st 7lbs. I wore age 12-14 clothes, had no breasts and was constantly asked if i was ok/on drugs/ or anorexic! 10st for me is 2 and a half stone away. My current target is 11st purely coz then i am in the green and i def get my op. Past that i daren't think.

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins *4st of me gone since 03/01/2011*

 

[kerryarron]

Apparently at 5 foot my weight should be between 97 and 127 lb, even 127 seems unachievable!

 

[ermintrude]

Totally know where you're coming from, I've been up and down like a yo-yo all my life and I remember being 9st 10 when I was about 16, 17 and my gym teacher took me to one side and said I should think about eating more as I looked anorexic! Whereas my BMI says my ideal weight is about 9st 7lb but could be as low as 8st 6lb. Eight stone six???

 

[Barb]

I think the whole BMI thing is dreamt up. It doesn't allow for frame, muscle mass or big boobs! I am aiming at a weight that I think will feel right and look right to me.

 

[Bench]

As others have said, BMI isn't a great estimation. I think body fat percentage is probably more accurate for knowing how far you are away from being a healthy weight. I had a measurement of mine done by a personal trainer a little while ago (using metallic callipers - ouch!). I was amazed to discover that my body fat % indicates that i'm "a bit overweight" whereas my BMI indicates that i'm almost on the borderline of obese. I know which one i'll take

I've found out since that there are some online calculators which can help you estimate it using measurements of various parts of your body. I don't know how accurate these are though

Also, if we were to believe that BMI was at all reliable, then heavyweight boxers and bodybuilders would be in a lot of trouble. And at the end of the day I think the most important thing is how good you feel in yourself rather than worrying about statistics

 

[Ali*]

Ladies.

Meaure your waist and put it against your height.

BMI is relative obesity, so overall.

For health it is most important that excess waist is not located around your abdomen. Having it around your abdomen is the most risky place. If your abdomen meansures up okay in proportion to your height then happy days.

Now that makes me feel a little better! I have gone from Take Action to OK!

And seeing as you are a nurse I will believe you

Thanks Allie x

 

[Funky_Munky]

My old boss used to tell me my problem wasnt that i needed to lose weight, it was that i needed to grow!! When i did ww i felt under sooo much pressure to lose three pounds to get into my bmi range it sent me a bit messed up for a while. Thing that makes me laugh is ive since found out i am half an inch smaller than i thought so after all that to shift three pounds i was still technically overweight!!!!