BMI

[rendermatt]

Whats your BMI? Mine is exactly 20..which studies have shown is the most attractive weight for women!! I'm looking to get up to 24.

 

BMI calculator:

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_BMI/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.htm

[xphilx]

the bmi is insignificant and irrelevant, especially for bodybuilders.

[blabbate]

the bmi is insignificant and irrelevant, especially for bodybuilders.

Couldn't agree more. If you're concerned about health or appearance, body fat is a better indicator. As long as your bf% is low, ignore your BMI. In fact, it's probably ok to ignore it completely in favor of bf and a mirror.

[rendermatt]

the bmi is insignificant and irrelevant, especially for bodybuilders.

 

Really? I've never heard of that view, could you explain why? To my understanding its a measure of weight with a persons height taken into consideration. So a short person and a tall person with the same BMI, and the same body fat% will be just as buff, or so I thought. I just know no matter how much I eat my body fat % doesnt change, so any extra weight (higher BMI) will mean more muscle.

[blabbate]

the bmi is insignificant and irrelevant, especially for bodybuilders.

 

Really? I've never heard of that view, could you explain why? To my understanding its a measure of weight with a persons height taken into consideration. So a short person and a tall person with the same BMI, and the same body fat% will be just as buff, or so I thought. I just know no matter how much I eat my body fat % doesnt change, so any extra weight (higher BMI) will mean more muscle.

If your body fat stays the same, then all you need to look at is weight, since your height certainly isn't changing.

 

If your body fat doesn't stay the same, then a change in BMI could be good or bad, but you won't know without the bf % change.

 

All BMI really measures is weight, which is useless without knowing what constitutes that weight. If my BMI is over 25 but my bf is 9%, I'm probably just covered in muscle and very trim, but the BMI calls that "overweight."

[xphilx]

All BMI really measures is weight, which is useless without knowing what constitutes that weight. If my BMI is over 25 but my bf is 9%, I'm probably just covered in muscle and very trim, but the BMI calls that "overweight."

 

that's the point!

[Marcina]

I'm borderline underweight, and keep losing. I dunno what's going on! I stopped doing cardio.

My BMI is 18. My muscles are keeping me in the "normal" range I think.

[rendermatt]

All BMI really measures is weight, which is useless without knowing what constitutes that weight. If my BMI is over 25 but my bf is 9%, I'm probably just covered in muscle and very trim, but the BMI calls that "overweight."

 

that's the point!

 

i see

[blabbate]

All BMI really measures is weight, which is useless without knowing what constitutes that weight. If my BMI is over 25 but my bf is 9%, I'm probably just covered in muscle and very trim, but the BMI calls that "overweight."

that's the point!

i see

I think he means the point is to be "overweight" according to BMI, but lean according to body fat %, and I agree completely. That's my goal. I'm at about 23.3 BMI and 9.5% BF. I'm trying to get up to over 25 BMI and BF around 10-11%, then cut back down to about 8%.

[pamela]

BMI is crap. I am muscular enough for my size (esp my legs), but my BMI is 17. If you check out my before and after shots in the gallery here, my "before" shots were when my BMI was 21.5, but I was grossly unhealthy. I have a small frame and light bones. My body fat % is also around 13-14%.

[sosso]

I checked my BMI not long ago and it told me I was borderline overweight.. I laughed.

[cubby2112]

I am borderline overweight also according to BMI. It really is useless for anyone into physical activity, especially weight lifting.

[el_flaco]

All BMI really measures is weight, which is useless without knowing what constitutes that weight. If my BMI is over 25 but my bf is 9%, I'm probably just covered in muscle and very trim, but the BMI calls that "overweight."

You are still overweight, just not fat.

 

The BMI is still useful, say for assessing risk of disease. I don't know whether your chances of certain types of disease change depending on your body composition. Is a 260lb bodybuilder at a lower risk of heart disease than a 260lb fat man who is into jogging?

[Dr. Pink]

Height: 5 feet, 5 inches

Weight: 145 pounds

 

Your BMI is 24.1, indicating your weight is in the Normal category for adults of your height.

 

 

Maintaining a healthy weight may reduce the risk of chronic diseases associated with overweight and obesity.

 

For information about the importance of a healthy diet and physical activity in maintaining a healthy weight, visit

[blabbate]

All BMI really measures is weight, which is useless without knowing what constitutes that weight. If my BMI is over 25 but my bf is 9%, I'm probably just covered in muscle and very trim, but the BMI calls that "overweight."

You are still overweight, just not fat.

Sure, by the BMI definition. And I'm ok with that.

 

The BMI is still useful, say for assessing risk of disease. I don't know whether your chances of certain types of disease change depending on your body composition. Is a 260lb bodybuilder at a lower risk of heart disease than a 260lb fat man who is into jogging?

Yes, significantly lower. Not only does body composition matter in terms of fat vs lean tissue, but even the placement of the fat is an important predictor. The BMI takes none of this into account, so I stand by my statement that it's useless without knowing at least a rough body composition. (It was much more useful to me 100 pounds ago, when I was obviously mostly fat.)

 

Even the CDC admits that the BMI is best for population assessment. When you start to use it on an individual level, it breaks down.

[HCPinGviini]

BMI is crap. I am muscular enough for my size (esp my legs), but my BMI is 17. If you check out my before and after shots in the gallery here, my "before" shots were when my BMI was 21.5, but I was grossly unhealthy. I have a small frame and light bones. My body fat % is also around 13-14%.

I'm sure that it's only because your fat% is so low. As if you had that about 20-25% f% then I guess you'd weight a lot more than what you do now.

[el_flaco]

All BMI really measures is weight, which is useless without knowing what constitutes that weight. If my BMI is over 25 but my bf is 9%, I'm probably just covered in muscle and very trim, but the BMI calls that "overweight."

You are still overweight, just not fat.

Sure, by the BMI definition. And I'm ok with that.

Of course you are. The BMI definitions aren't pejorative terms, they're just categories.

 

Yes, significantly lower. Not only does body composition matter in terms of fat vs lean tissue, but even the placement of the fat is an important predictor. The BMI takes none of this into account,

Just as you didn't take into account the activity levels of the subjects. And to my knowledge no studies on heart disease have been done involving a population of 260lb bodybuilders...

 

Even the CDC admits that the BMI is best for population assessment. When you start to use it on an individual level, it breaks down.

What do you mean "use it on an individual level"? All you can do with it is index into population studies to see what the risks are for other people with your BMI. This isn't a breakdown.

 

What do people expect from a ratio of bodyweight to height? A horoscope?