Body Mass Index

[Bolohead]

Here is something that I found, which might help others.

http://www.totalgymdirect.com/bmi.php

For being 5' 11" @ 197 lbs, my BMI is 27.5

[Robmeister]

HHhhhmmmmm.....

That calculator might be a little simplistic (at least for my build)

I'm 6'1" and 240 it says I'm obese at 31.7 BMI.

Maybe if that 240 was more adipose than muscle...but I can't imagine anyone (especially when I show up for the Sheriff's Dept Physical Fitness Test in two weeks) would see me or talk of me and say, "Poor guy, his obesity is really a shame."

[Razor X]

HHhhhmmmmm.....

That calculator might be a little simplistic (at least for my build)

I'm 6'1" and 240 it says I'm obese at 31.7 BMI.

Maybe if that 240 was more adipose than muscle...but I can't imagine anyone (especially when I show up for the Sheriff's Dept Physical Fitness Test in two weeks) would see me or talk of me and say, "Poor guy, his obesity is really a shame."

You're right -- that's the major flaw with BMI - it doesn't take muscle into account, so anybody who works out and bulks up is going to be considered overweight.

[wpruitt]

Would you say it is a good estimate for the guy with an average build?  Or at least a decent benchmark?

[DarrelB]

Yeah, BMI can be very innacurrate depending on your build. It's better used as a way to categorize large groups of people rather than individuals.

A better benchmark would be body fat % which can be measured through a variety of different ways...

The easiest and most practical is the method used here - http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/diet.html
Also check out http://www.linear-software.com/online.html for some other methods and a body fat chart.

[Razor X]

Would you say it is a good estimate for the guy with an average build?  Or at least a decent benchmark?

Yes, it's a decent benchmark for the "average" person.  It's designed to be more accurate than just stepping on the scale.  Just bear in mind that if you're muscular you'll probably be outside of their normal range.

[SLYinKC]

I agree that it's a general "ballpark" type benchmark.  I'm 5'11" and hover around the low 180's.  So this BMI index shows I'm in the "Healthy" range.  I've used other BMI indexes that showed that I was in the overweight range with anything over 25.  From my perspective, I know it's not the weight that I need to concentrate on, but the muscle and fitness.  But that's been the story of my life...

[Razor X]

I agree that it's a general "ballpark" type benchmark.  I'm 5'11" and hover around the low 180's.  So this BMI index shows I'm in the "Healthy" range.  I've used other BMI indexes that showed that I was in the overweight range with anything over 25.  From my perspective, I know it's not the weight that I need to concentrate on, but the muscle and fitness.  But that's been the story of my life...

All of these measurements can be helpful tools, but none of them are the last word, IMO.  A few years ago the government revised its guidelines for what is considered to be a healthy weight -- making them stricter, so that someone who was at the high end of the healthy range before is now in the "overweight" category.   Just something to bear in mind when we hear about the soaring obesity rate; the way obesity is measured has changed.  That's not to suggest that there isn't a big obesity problem, however.

At the end of the day, I think all any of us can do is try to eat healthy and do some sort of exercise to stay fit and just do the best we can, whether or not we can achieve some magic number on the scale, BMI or any other means of measurement.

[PBurke]

my doctor and i were talking about those FAT CHARTS one day and he laughed and told me to forget about those things. he said that if i got down to 160 like that chart says i should do. then i would look sickly. those charts just don't take into account for frame structure, muscle, etc. with the frame that genetics gave me, doc feels like 190ish would be about as low as i should go. but i am still looking for 210 for now. then i will start the next step(200). screw those blanket charts.

[Razor X]

my doctor and i were talking about those FAT CHARTS one day and he laughed and told me to forget about those things. he said that if i got down to 160 like that chart says i should do. then i would look sickly. those charts just don't take into account for frame structure, muscle, etc. with the frame that genetics gave me, doc feels like 190ish would be about as low as i should go. but i am still looking for 210 for now. then i will start the next step(200). screw those blanket charts.

It's been a long time since I looked at any of those charts, but I agree with you.  The lowest weight I've ever gotten down to in my adult life is 156 lbs -- about 11 years ago.  I was there for a couple of weeks but I just could not maintain it.  I wasn't exercising at the time, and I now know that I probably lost a lot of muscle tone as well as fat.  I also think all that dieting really played havoc with my metabolism in the long run.

[Robmeister]

Yeah...the lowest I've weighed in my adult life (after reaching my full height) was 165 at age 29 and I was a friggen rail, man.  And those charts STILL said I was overweight for my height.

Sorry J_B, me and the guys didn't mean to piss all over your original post....but it did open up an interesting topic as far as fitness.

[schro]

Yeah...the lowest I've weighed in my adult life (after reaching my full height) was 165 at age 29 and I was a friggen rail, man.  And those charts STILL said I was overweight for my height.

Sorry J_B, me and the guys didn't mean to piss all over your original post....but it did open up an interesting topic as far as fitness.

6' 1", 165? Shoot, you could sing for Tesla! Wait a minute, you can't sing.

In order for me to be in the normal weight range for the BMI calculations, I'd have to weigh 183 lbs (21 lbs lighter). Although I wouldn't be sickly skinny, I'd be too thin in my book.

[Robmeister]

Tesla ROCKS !!!

[xnewyawka]

I agree with PB on those charts. I am similar to Robmeister in build; 6' 2" 242.
I am heavier than I like to be right now and am planning on getting down to about 220. If I go by the charts, I believe it says I should weigh around 187 or so! I could never imagine myself under 200, I think I would look skinny. I was at my lowest of 214 about ten years ago, and I felt the best and was in the best shape of my adult life.
I agree with Razor, these charts are a guideline and not real world. You do have to take in muscle mass, etc. As others have said, eating healthy and exercising is the key.

And Tesla does rock!

Joe