The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: Freestyler on June 04, 2017, 02:12:11 PM
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Was reading the forum and became suddenly curious about this.
BMI= weight (kg) / height ^2 (meters)
Edited: Removed wording that was making people uncomfortable.
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I voted but I just had a baby 2 months ago, so not my typical weight.
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I'm fat af, tbh. I know I'm considered morbidly obese. Fwiw, BMI is something of a flawed index, as it only takes weight into account, not muscle mass. Going by BMI alone, Shaq was technically "obese" during his playing days.
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Agree it is flawed for athletes - but most people are not Shaq.
Technically I'm overweight, But I really only have 3-5kg to lose without being skin & bones, not the suggested 7-10 to get me into the "healthy" weight range
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I'm fat af, tbh. I know I'm considered morbidly obese. Fwiw, BMI is something of a flawed index, as it only takes weight into account, not muscle mass. Going by BMI alone, Shaq was technically "obese" during his playing days.
That's true but bmi works pretty well for 95% of the population. If you are a true athlete then you know it doesn't apply. If you really don't like bmi you can use hip to waist ration instead, the score won't make many of the bmi debunkers feel any better though.
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Suspect this will be a self selecting poll for people at lower end of BMI. I am thrilled after 3 years of struggle with being underweight, to have gotten over the 18.5 BMI 'hump' to 'normal'. Hope it sticks.
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I have a feeling the OP expects Mustachians will be slimmer than average since they are more disciplined and otherwise morally superior. Eyeroll.
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I have a feeling the OP expects Mustachians will be slimmer than average since they are more disciplined and otherwise morally superior. Eyeroll.
If so, shouldn't the poll be "FI or not and BMI?" ;)
Suspect this will be a self selecting poll for people at lower end of BMI. I am thrilled after 3 years of struggle with being underweight, to have gotten over the 18.5 BMI 'hump' to 'normal'. Hope it sticks.
To ensure that it's not I voted. :)
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I am 26. Was Over thirty at the end of 2015. There was a small injury and operation, unrelated, that put a wrench in some of the lost. Hoping to drop another twenty pounds by the end of 2018.
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Agree it is flawed for athletes - but most people are not Shaq.
Technically I'm overweight, But I really only have 3-5kg to lose without being skin & bones, not the suggested 7-10 to get me into the "healthy" weight range
Yeah, not to join in on the humblebraggy chain here, but for another data point, when I found MMM, I was skinny fat and definitely unhealthy at a 20 BMI. Today (4+ years later), I am a significantly fitter and stronger 26, though technically overweight by BMI standards. My eventual target weight would get me somewhere in the 28-29 BMI range, just shy of "obese.":)
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yea, probably should have asked about body fat % versus body mass that doesn't take muscle into account. It's a bit more 'healthy' of a calculation.
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25.1 .. Based on random google BMI calculator.
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yea, probably should have asked about body fat % versus body mass that doesn't take muscle into account. It's a bit more 'healthy' of a calculation.
for 95% of the population muscle isnt the reason they have a high BMI. its b/c they have too much body fat. and body fat is not easily calculated via a quick ratio of weight to height. People will claim all day that its not a fair calc for their build but really most everyone is fat in the USA so you look normal carrying around extra weight and that makes you feel like the calc is bad.
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I have a mid-average BMI, but I exercise for a minimum of 10 hours each week which helps a lot. I also eat vegetarian for three days a week to limit my animal fat intake. I had a problem with cholesterol before I got that under control. I think the Mustachian lifestyle lends itself well to a healthy lifestyle.
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22. When I was working out and in better shape I was 24.7, or 2lbs away from "overweight." Yeah ok....no.
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yea, probably should have asked about body fat % versus body mass that doesn't take muscle into account. It's a bit more 'healthy' of a calculation.
for 95% of the population muscle isnt the reason they have a high BMI. its b/c they have too much body fat. and body fat is not easily calculated via a quick ratio of weight to height. People will claim all day that its not a fair calc for their build but really most everyone is fat in the USA so you look normal carrying around extra weight and that makes you feel like the calc is bad.
But all the morally superior mustachians are probably carrying tons of muscle...right?
/funny? story. A friend at work lost her fitness incentive because she was measured as having an obese BMI. She was 8 months pregnant. The company doing the health screening did not care. By weight and height she was obese. BMI is a tool that should be used in conjunction with other things, and the sole reliance on it as a measure of health is ridiculous.
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yea, probably should have asked about body fat % versus body mass that doesn't take muscle into account. It's a bit more 'healthy' of a calculation.
for 95% of the population muscle isnt the reason they have a high BMI. its b/c they have too much body fat. and body fat is not easily calculated via a quick ratio of weight to height. People will claim all day that its not a fair calc for their build but really most everyone is fat in the USA so you look normal carrying around extra weight and that makes you feel like the calc is bad.
Eh, I largely agree with you, but I am not sure the 95% thing is true. Last time I had it measured, I had 144 lbs of lean body mass, which means I'd have to be at 12% body fat to be normal weight. I'm a woman so not happening. And I'm not an athlete, just someone who is reasonably active and carries a decent amount of non-lean weight, which also increases muscle mass. So yeah, my high BMI is mostly because of fat but also because of muscle.
It's often overlooked that the overweight category has the lowest mortality of any weight category. So basically if you're under a BMI of 30, you're probably good, health wise. (Overweight ups your risk of certain diseases, but not nearly as much as actual obesity, and not your risk of dying from disease)
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31 yo male BMI 27.1
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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BMI of 20. I just ran a marathon in April and I'm a triathlete.
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24.4 currently
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My BMI is around 25 so just edging into overweight but I'm pretty active. I lift weights and play sports and biking and walking are my main forms of transportation. When I last got my BF% measured it was low 20s and I'm female so that qualifies as fit I think. Visible abs aren't important to me but being strong and flexible and healthy does matter, so I live my life accordingly and don't pay much attention to the number on the scale or my BMI.
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22.7, but I'm really really short (4'11" or 1,5M) and pretty muscular so it's rather flawed for me as a metric.
When I was a figure skater I was considered overweight based on BMI because I had 15% body fat as a teenage girl.
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BMI - 23
runner and lift weights, in very good shape. not sure BMI tells you much (as others have said)
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6'4", 190 lbs. BMI - 23.
My BMI has been steadily creeping upward, even as my bodyfat% has been dropping. As others have mentioned, it's usefulness is quite limited.
Oh, and pre-FIRE?
6'4", 248 lbs. BMI - 30+
I don't need BMI to tell that things are much better now. ;)
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I can't vote.
25.0. It fits into 2 categories.
But reality is I vary between 24.9 and 25.2.
Although apparently if I slouch, I lose 1/2 inch at the doc's office.
My neighbor thinks I've lost weight! All the running up hills - weight hasn't budged, but maybe it's shifted? I dunno.
(In case you are wondering - female, short, late 40's, "stocky" - very muscular thighs, calves, butt. Not a fan of BMI, doc says I'm great.)
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God I hate BMI as a measure of body fat/muscle and health and fitness so much. My BMI indicates I'm either a healthy fit long distance runner or climber or a twitchy methhead or dying cancer patient.who can barely left their own arm.
ha! I LOL'd
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I'm a fattie with a sweet tooth, coming in at 34.4 on the chart. (and no, it's not muscle mass.)
Change is hard, but I think I might finally buy a bike this summer and start taking it to work.
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5'7.5", 135lbs. I think and people say I have a runner's body. It's actually kind of embarassing b/c I"m only a slightly above average runner, people just assume I would dominate races. Really humbling when chubby runners pass me by.
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God I hate BMI as a measure of body fat/muscle and health and fitness so much. My BMI indicates I'm either a healthy fit long distance runner or climber or a twitchy methhead or dying cancer patient.who can barely left their own arm.
I know, right?
My low BMI is not an indication of health. I wish it were.
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21.7
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I'm 6'6" and 225lbs. I'm about 12% body fat, but hold a BMI of 26.05. Ergo, I'm "overweight". I've had a a BMI as high as 30 in the past, but with 10% body fat.
My wife is a nutritionist, and we both laugh at our BMI measurements.
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I'm 5'10" 200 lbs....muscular and surf/bike everyday. I'm obese . Oh well, I'll own it ;)
The BMI Gods say I should lose 50lbs. That would be unhealthy for me
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22.4 male, distance runner
This is about the lowest I feel I can maintain (+/-2-3lb)...I've dropped to 21 before, which is single digit body fat for me. Ideally, for marathoning I would sit around 140-143 lb, which is a tad under 20, but I really enjoy good food and good beer.
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Standard BMI = 25.8 & Lean BMI = 22
I work out so I think the later is more realistic as I carry a fair bit of muscle.
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Overweight at 26.4. 6'1" 200lbs. If I were 189 I would be Normal BMI. Height to waist ratio 0.48, which is healthy (under 0.52 is healthy for men, 0.48 for women, measure inches at waist divided by inches in height) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waist-to-height_ratio .
I don't like BMI for the general public and never recommend it to friends. It can give people of all measurement levels the wrong ideas about their health. For instance someone who is skinny-fat with very little muscle mass would register as lean or normal, and think they are Okay. Realistically they need to lose some fat and gain some muscle if they want to be healthy and mobile over a long life. Someone my height at 185lbs gets worried about gaining 5lbs of muscle so doesn't lift weights, even if the main problem is their high body fat percentage. Seriously almost everybody needs to take in to account their body fat alongside BMI which basically makes BMI useless since body fat is a good enough measure as a stand alone.
Of course body fat is ALSO flawed mostly because of how hard it is to measure. Calipers are shit, for example, so you need a displacement tank or bod-pod style machine which you can find readily in big cities but not small towns, and they can be expensive. Height to waist ratio is honestly one of the best ones I've found out there because anybody can measure it at home and it's predictive as a stand-alone. You can measure your progress with less confounding factors than BMI and without spending cash on testing. It also has issues of course nothing takes the place of a thorough physical exam but lets be honest most people aren't getting that done on a regular basis.
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Overweight at 26.4. 6'1" 200lbs. If I were 189 I would be Normal BMI. Height to waist ratio 0.48, which is healthy (under 0.52 is healthy for men, 0.48 for women, measure inches at waist divided by inches in height) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waist-to-height_ratio .
I don't like BMI for the general public and never recommend it to friends. It can give people of all measurement levels the wrong ideas about their health. For instance someone who is skinny-fat with very little muscle mass would register as lean or normal, and think they are Okay. Realistically they need to lose some fat and gain some muscle if they want to be healthy and mobile over a long life. Someone my height at 185lbs gets worried about gaining 5lbs of muscle so doesn't lift weights, even if the main problem is their high body fat percentage. Seriously almost everybody needs to take in to account their body fat alongside BMI which basically makes BMI useless since body fat is a good enough measure as a stand alone.
Of course body fat is ALSO flawed mostly because of how hard it is to measure. Calipers are shit, for example, so you need a displacement tank or bod-pod style machine which you can find readily in big cities but not small towns, and they can be expensive. Height to waist ratio is honestly one of the best ones I've found out there because anybody can measure it at home and it's predictive as a stand-alone. You can measure your progress with less confounding factors than BMI and without spending cash on testing. It also has issues of course nothing takes the place of a thorough physical exam but lets be honest most people aren't getting that done on a regular basis.
I'm between college swimmer and bodybuilder.
If only the rest of me fit that model...LOL.
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God I hate BMI as a measure of body fat/muscle and health and fitness so much. My BMI indicates I'm either a healthy fit long distance runner or climber or a twitchy methhead or dying cancer patient.who can barely left their own arm.
I know, right?
My low BMI is not an indication of health. I wish it were.
Amen. I came in at 18.8. I'm a runner, but I am underweight right now due to some recent health issues. Working to get back up higher/regain some muscle.
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24.4 currently
Twins! I'm 24.4, and exercise regularly. Would like to drop 5kg (more to reduce
Pressure on an old ankle injury) but otherwise pretty happy with where I'm at!
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19.6, and I'd really feel better if I could gain about 10lbs. I've hovered on the edge of underweight my whole adult life. I just can't seem to keep weight on.
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19.6, and I'd really feel better if I could gain about 10lbs. I've hovered on the edge of underweight my whole adult life. I just can't seem to keep weight on.
Same. I've been able to creep up from mid 18's to around 20 over the last year. That has required consistent strength training and conscientiously eating/resting enough. If I simply follow my appetite, I lose weight and settle back into the 18's. I'd like to add at least another 10lbs of (mostly) muscle in the next year, but I'm OK if it takes longer than that.
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I'm going to be the odd one out and say that even though my BMI is 17.8, I don't feel underweight. I think I was around 17.3 in early adulthood, then I did martial arts and it gradually went up to around 19.2 from muscle gain. After I stopped training, my weight naturally and gradually went back down which is how I'm at 17.8 now. I come from a family with skinny genes and light frames so that's just how it is. And I really liked my body at 19.2, but it's also fine as it is now.
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Currently 22, (129lbs) at 4 months pregnant. I am 5'4" with small bone structure. I played with the calculator a little and found out that I barely skimmed 25 at the end of my last pregnancy (~145 lbs). I tend to feel best around 115 lbs, BMI 19.74 (fewer issues with acid reflux) but I was closer to 122 going into the pregnancy this time around. Scale says I'm 25% body fat but I'm not sure how accurate that is.
BMI is meant as a screening tool, not a diagnosis. For example, if someone is fluid overloaded they can have a high BMI even though they are quite malnourished.
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19.2 but I am skinny fat. (5'9 and 130 pounds (weighed myself yesterday)
I think metric conversion is 175CM and 59/60 KG.
The funny thing is I look quite athletic and I get that a lot.
"You look athletic."
I did exercise and play sports until college.
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I'm going to be the odd one out and say that even though my BMI is 17.8, I don't feel underweight. I think I was around 17.3 in early adulthood, then I did martial arts and it gradually went up to around 19.2 from muscle gain. After I stopped training, my weight naturally and gradually went back down which is how I'm at 17.8 now. I come from a family with skinny genes and light frames so that's just how it is. And I really liked my body at 19.2, but it's also fine as it is now.
If you feel healthy at that weight, then good for you! Definitely don't feel the need to gain wait just because others with similar BMI are looking to gain :)
For me, I gained weight in college and felt a lot healthier. Combination of infinite food at the dining center and working out every day thanks to joining a sport. Once I lost that weight in the year after graduating, I realized I was getting light-headed a lot, muscle weakness, less energy, feel cold all the time, etc. So I've spent the last five years trying to put the weight back on, without success. Unfortunately I have a tendency to skip meals when I'm absorbed in something, and I don't even notice I haven't eaten until I'm light-headed and achy.
I'm getting a little off-topic here, but I was really annoyed with several people in my life who congratulated me on losing weight. "Oh you look so thin!" Well gee, thanks, glad to know that when I could squat my bodyweight you thought I was fat. :/
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Ugh. I'm at a 29 BMI now. I'd much rather be around a 24. When I lifted weights 3-4 times a week and swam multiple times a week, I floated around 178-180 at with my 6'1" height. Now, I'm floating between 215 and 220 for the last few months. NOT good. I have too many excuses...
I fit in with the 95% where the BMI works. Yes, I'm overweight, although I look very athletic with clothes on. It's when i take my shirt off that I realize...yep...my fat rolls are showing.
Far too many folks at work will victimize themselves saying "OH MY GOD THEY TOLD ME I'M OBESE" meanwhile I'm silently judging as they eat fatty breakfast burritos and chicken tenders every day. Nothing inherently wrong with those things, but don't kid yourself...you're overweight, and no, you're not a bodybuilder.
That's another thing. Among guys, plenty of fat guys think they're body builders because they can bench an insane amount or squat a bunch. Yes, you're strong, nobody's debating that. But, you're also fat.
Rant over.
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I'm.currently in.the 18 range but by end of summer it could be in.the 25 range because of a sport I play which requires I build a lot of muscle even if I don't gain any fat at all or even lose some. Sigh...
If you're 5' tall, a 18-25 BMI jump represents 35 lbs. If you're 6' tall, that jump is ~50lbs. You're not putting on 35 or 50 lbs of muscle by the end of the summer, even with steroids! :D
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24.4 currently
Twins! I'm 24.4, and exercise regularly. Would like to drop 5kg (more to reduce
Pressure on an old ankle injury) but otherwise pretty happy with where I'm at!
175 lb and 5'11", you?
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Well I'm 5'10" and yeah I am putting on a lot of muscle - without steroids ;-). I posted a couple of photos in Jordan Read's fitness thread last year (photos deleted now) to show the difference. One with a BMI of around 18 ish another with weight and BMI much higher but not much fat..
I'm not questioning your effort or the fact that you'll put on a good amount of muscle. I'm just saying that you're not going to put on 35 pounds of muscle in a few months. 8 pounds of muscle in three months would be ambitious (and difficult). If you're putting on more than that, it's likely water and fat. No judgment -- I'm sure you'll look great at the end of the summer!
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I'm going to be the odd one out and say that even though my BMI is 17.8, I don't feel underweight. I think I was around 17.3 in early adulthood, then I did martial arts and it gradually went up to around 19.2 from muscle gain. After I stopped training, my weight naturally and gradually went back down which is how I'm at 17.8 now. I come from a family with skinny genes and light frames so that's just how it is. And I really liked my body at 19.2, but it's also fine as it is now.
If you feel healthy at that weight, then good for you! Definitely don't feel the need to gain wait just because others with similar BMI are looking to gain :)
For me, I gained weight in college and felt a lot healthier. Combination of infinite food at the dining center and working out every day thanks to joining a sport. Once I lost that weight in the year after graduating, I realized I was getting light-headed a lot, muscle weakness, less energy, feel cold all the time, etc. So I've spent the last five years trying to put the weight back on, without success. Unfortunately I have a tendency to skip meals when I'm absorbed in something, and I don't even notice I haven't eaten until I'm light-headed and achy.
I'm getting a little off-topic here, but I was really annoyed with several people in my life who congratulated me on losing weight. "Oh you look so thin!" Well gee, thanks, glad to know that when I could squat my bodyweight you thought I was fat. :/
Yeah, for me, under 17 is where I feel like I really need to fill out a bit, that was where I was as a teenager and I'm glad I've put on weight since then. Probably around 17.5 - 20 works for me.
I just remembered other than being 19.2 and fit, I've also briefly been at 19.2 from overeating (I was on a holiday and stuffed myself silly). Same weight but looked very different. 19.2 and fit looked great, 19.2 from overeating I looked like a stout little barrel...
I get annoyed by people telling me I'm too skinny and to eat more in a rude persistent way, and it's typically from people who don't know me well and have no idea. People who know me well, like my parents, know I love to eat!
Your anecdote reminds me of when I used to train martial arts... once in a while, you'd get a girl who complains that their arms or thighs are getting too big. Meanwhile, when my clothes started to get snug in those areas, I LIKED it and I thought I looked better than I ever did! People value different things, I guess!
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yea, probably should have asked about body fat % versus body mass that doesn't take muscle into account. It's a bit more 'healthy' of a calculation.
for 95% of the population muscle isnt the reason they have a high BMI. its b/c they have too much body fat. and body fat is not easily calculated via a quick ratio of weight to height. People will claim all day that its not a fair calc for their build but really most everyone is fat in the USA so you look normal carrying around extra weight and that makes you feel like the calc is bad.
BMI is absolutely flawed for more than just elite athletes. It is not valid for 95% of the population because it takes nothing into account other than weight and height. There are many, many different body types in the this world.
For instance, like someone upthread state, I feel fat af right now at 41 years old. At 5'10.5 215 lbs I'm just dipping into the obese range. Anybody who saw me would see I've got a little belly going on, but I daresay no one would refer to me as obese. I have broad shoulders and big ass. Other than that I think I look like an average sized guy.
The BMI calculator says I would need to get down to 176 lbs to sneak just out of the "Overweight" range. LOL! I would look like Tony Horton (of P90X fame) if I were to get below 180.
I worked out pretty hard up into my late 20's and even in my mid 30's got back into pretty good shape (another P90X plug). IMO, the weight I felt and looked best at was 185-190, which is still 10-15 lbs overweight according to BMI.
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yea, probably should have asked about body fat % versus body mass that doesn't take muscle into account. It's a bit more 'healthy' of a calculation.
for 95% of the population muscle isnt the reason they have a high BMI. its b/c they have too much body fat. and body fat is not easily calculated via a quick ratio of weight to height. People will claim all day that its not a fair calc for their build but really most everyone is fat in the USA so you look normal carrying around extra weight and that makes you feel like the calc is bad.
BMI is absolutely flawed for more than just elite athletes. It is not valid for 95% of the population because it takes nothing into account other than weight and height. There are many, many different body types in the this world.
For instance, like someone upthread state, I feel fat af right now at 41 years old. At 5'10.5 215 lbs I'm just dipping into the obese range. Anybody who saw me would see I've got a little belly going on, but I daresay no one would refer to me as obese. I have broad shoulders and big ass. Other than that I think I look like an average sized guy.
The BMI calculator says I would need to get down to 176 lbs to sneak just out of the "Overweight" range. LOL! I would look like Tony Horton (of P90X fame) if I were to get below 180.
I worked out pretty hard up into my late 20's and even in my mid 30's got back into pretty good shape (another P90X plug). IMO, the weight I felt and looked best at was 185-190, which is still 10-15 lbs overweight according to BMI.
The average American is 23lbs over the ideal body weight (http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/is-fat-the-new-normal#1). Everyone's body is different, but as a large sweeping generalization "average" is going to be heavier than ideal.
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4'11" and 97 pounds, that's 19.6. Interestingly, the random calculator I used online asks if you are Asian or Asian American. If you say yes, it adjusts the BMI assessment (not the #, but whether it's "normal" or "low").
BMI is such crap. I'm at the low end of normal. I am fit and active, and my body fat % is probably 18%. But I'm no elite athlete. If I weighed 120 pounds, my BMI would be 24.2, which is still "normal." But I can assure you that at 120 pounds, I would not be healthy. (Not to say that another person at 4'11" would be unhealthy at 120 pounds, but people are just made differently. My even more athletic sister is 5'0" and easily 120. We can almost fit in the same pants. We are both healthy.) On the flip side, me at 92 pounds would be considered normal based on BMI, but again, I can promise you, I'd be sickly skinny if I were 5 pounds lighter.
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yea, probably should have asked about body fat % versus body mass that doesn't take muscle into account. It's a bit more 'healthy' of a calculation.
for 95% of the population muscle isnt the reason they have a high BMI. its b/c they have too much body fat. and body fat is not easily calculated via a quick ratio of weight to height. People will claim all day that its not a fair calc for their build but really most everyone is fat in the USA so you look normal carrying around extra weight and that makes you feel like the calc is bad.
BMI is absolutely flawed for more than just elite athletes. It is not valid for 95% of the population because it takes nothing into account other than weight and height. There are many, many different body types in the this world.
For instance, like someone upthread state, I feel fat af right now at 41 years old. At 5'10.5 215 lbs I'm just dipping into the obese range. Anybody who saw me would see I've got a little belly going on, but I daresay no one would refer to me as obese. I have broad shoulders and big ass. Other than that I think I look like an average sized guy.
The BMI calculator says I would need to get down to 176 lbs to sneak just out of the "Overweight" range. LOL! I would look like Tony Horton (of P90X fame) if I were to get below 180.
I worked out pretty hard up into my late 20's and even in my mid 30's got back into pretty good shape (another P90X plug). IMO, the weight I felt and looked best at was 185-190, which is still 10-15 lbs overweight according to BMI.
This is a very good point. It's so hard to figure out what "ideal" is. From long ago, there used to be a calculation for women: 100 lbs at 5', and 5 lbs for each inch over. So, my ideal weight is 112.5?
Um...yeah I did hit 110 once, as I graduated from HS, and stopped menstruating. That happened at around 120-125 lbs for me, which is way too low. Later, in my 30s, I hit 123, and I could not sleep. My hipbones would dig into the mattress and I could not sleep. For other health issues like fertility, I learned that I need to be >135 to get pregnant.
The "max" per BMI at my height is 139. There are many factors that go into my actual weight, however.
1. I have wide hips, and large muscular lower half -thighs/ calves/ butt. They aren't going anywhere.
2. After 2nd pregnancy, my shoulders and ribcage got noticeably broader. I hit my pre-preg weight and my shirts did not fit. Now, some of this (shoulders) is because during the pregnancy I started swimming a lot. My upper body is a lot more muscular now from swimming and carrying around a baby-then toddler, and now even picking up a 36 pound 4 year old. The ribcage...well, it just got broader. Also, studies show that men and women's hips get wider with age. That means more circumference and more weight just to fill the space.
3. Exercise. The trimmest I've been is when I was distance running. I'm not really built for that (injury). Back then, my upper body was quite skinny and my legs were slimmer. Swimming obviously increases my upper body size. I like weights and yoga too - and during the times that I've done concentrated PiYo (lots of pushups and squats), I look pretty fine - but my weight is DEFINITELY higher than when I'm running, by a good 5-10 lbs.
Lately I've been running more, so my weight is down...but I'm not a fan of how I look. At almost-47, my legs are thinner (but still big), but that just makes the loose skin/ cellulite more noticeable. Time to do more squats.
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I am moderately amused to see that 55% of respondents are in the 21-22ish range, along with me. Confirmation bias, much? (Also, selection bias based on who fills this thing in.)
I had to guess on my weight, though -- we don't have a scale, and the last time I needed to weigh something heavier than a kitchen scale could hold I found out that none of my neighbors have one, either. Had to take whatever-it-was (maybe a small child?) to the rec center, weigh my self with and without said object. I already liked my neighbors, but at that moment I felt an odd sense of kinship -- everyone appears to be in decent shape, and no one worries about exactly how much they weigh. (Plus, I see most everyone out for after-dinner walks this time of year...)
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I'm a very average person, so I'm pretty happy using BMI to guage my weight.
Female. 25yo. 165cm/5'5 (ish?). BMI = 24.5
I would classify myself as fatty. Muscular legs and small waist, but fatty everything else. My scale says I'm 28% bf.
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I'm 5' 8.5", 130 lbs. So that puts my BMI at around 19.5. I'm a pretty skinny dude...
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6'2" + 178lbs = 22.9 BMI currently, guessing I'm right around 15% body fat currently. When I was long distance running/training in college my BMI was 19.3 and I was 4.8% body fat!
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FWIW, BMI is a rudimentary calculation of the likelihood someone is overweight. It is used because providing a DEXA scan or BodPod to thousands of doctors offices wouldn't change that calculation for a significant portion of the population. 95% likely isn't an accurate number, BUT if you're active, your resting pulse, low blood pressure, and good blood markers are great ways that insurance companies measure health other than just BMI.
If you want a true gauge of change in body composition instead of the number on a scale, look for a local BoPod to measure you're composition prior to intervention with diet or exercise.
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There's strong correlation between bodyfat and BMI, but of course it doesn't nail it for everyone, and I believe that's why there's a confidence interval in what's considered "healthy" and over- or under-weight.
I find it interesting that the World Health Organization says "To achieve optimum health, the median body mass index for an adult population should be in the range of 21 to 23 kg/m2, while the goal for individuals should be to maintain body mass index in the range 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2. There is increased risk of co-morbidities for body mass index 25.0 to 29.9, and moderate to severe risk of co-morbidities for body mass index greater than 30." (http://www.who.int/gho/ncd/risk_factors/bmi_text/en/)
In any case, my BMI is a bit over 24 right now and I'm fairly sure getting into that 21 to 23 range for me (even if I built up a lot more muscle) would be healthy. This is my goal, actually, having dropped below 25 in the last couple months.
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18.7. I am one scrawny mofo...
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I'm 5 6 female. First 2 years in h s I weighed just under 100 pounds. Then I gained weight, and through college was 115, 116 as well as 3 years after college. In grad school with poor eating (vending machines in the basement, beers and pizza with friends) gained the grad school 10. When pregnant gained to just under 150, because they wanted me to gain weight. During the breakup of my marriage last year, I dropped down to 119 (grief), Now I weigh the most I have other than pregnant/post partum: around 130, because I'm driving instead of walking, and so busy I skip exercising. guess I'm saying, my weight doesn't fluctuate a huge amount, but I can def tell when I feel more or less fit.
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Ironically gaining some fat doesn't seem to have hurt my chances with guys...
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Ironically gaining some fat doesn't seem to have hurt my chances with guys...
I'm totally not surprised. When I was young, I was obsessed with getting that last little bit of fat off my butt and thighs. Now, as a middle aged woman who only recently managed to climb back to a reasonable weight after several years struggling not to drop under 100lbs (5'4"), I realize that I look a hell of a lot better at 110 lbs and with a dimpled ass. 100lbs and I look gaunt....it's not pretty. It was do-able in my dewy early 20s, but definitely not now. And my breasts have recovered! :hoping to hang onto this weight:
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In my circle of friends we have a saying (which I think originally came from a famous actress) that women at a certain age have to choose between your ass (being thin) or your face.
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I have a feeling the OP expects Mustachians will be slimmer than average since they are more disciplined and otherwise morally superior. Eyeroll.
If so, shouldn't the poll be "FI or not and BMI?" ;)
Suspect this will be a self selecting poll for people at lower end of BMI. I am thrilled after 3 years of struggle with being underweight, to have gotten over the 18.5 BMI 'hump' to 'normal'. Hope it sticks.
To ensure that it's not I voted. :)
I know, me too!
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BMI is "A" good tool but not "The" good tool. It's funny seeing people who need to stop drinking mountain Dee and need to exercise a little complaining about it.
PS I don't think that everyone over 25 is overweight but most everyone in the high 20s or 30s is overweight.
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23.75
6'3, 190 #.
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Ironically gaining some fat doesn't seem to have hurt my chances with guys...
I'm totally not surprised. When I was young, I was obsessed with getting that last little bit of fat off my butt and thighs. Now, as a middle aged woman who only recently managed to climb back to a reasonable weight after several years struggling not to drop under 100lbs (5'4"), I realize that I look a hell of a lot better at 110 lbs and with a dimpled ass. 100lbs and I look gaunt....it's not pretty. It was do-able in my dewy early 20s, but definitely not now. And my breasts have recovered! :hoping to hang onto this weight:
It is sad that gay photographers and gay magazine editors decided to put girls that looked like skinny pre-pubescent guys on the covers of their magazines for years. (Serious joke.) While different men do *cough* like different figures most men like women who look like a healthy woman.
As a father of a daughter, and a human in general, it breaks my to hear your and partgypsy's stories. I can invision the trials and efforts you both took; the pressures that society coerces unto women is disheartening.
[MOD NOTE: I don't know what "Serious joke" means, but don't go blaming this crap on homosexuals. Thank you.]
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Ironically gaining some fat doesn't seem to have hurt my chances with guys...
I'm totally not surprised. When I was young, I was obsessed with getting that last little bit of fat off my butt and thighs. Now, as a middle aged woman who only recently managed to climb back to a reasonable weight after several years struggling not to drop under 100lbs (5'4"), I realize that I look a hell of a lot better at 110 lbs and with a dimpled ass. 100lbs and I look gaunt....it's not pretty. It was do-able in my dewy early 20s, but definitely not now. And my breasts have recovered! :hoping to hang onto this weight:
It is sad that gay photographers and gay magazine editors decided to put girls that looked like skinny pre-pubescent guys on the covers of their magazines for years. (Serious joke.) While different men do *cough* like different figures most men like women who look like a healthy woman.
As a father of a daughter, and a human in general, it breaks my to hear your and partgypsy's stories. I can invision the trials and efforts you both took; the pressures that society coerces unto women is disheartening.
What is this homophobic bullshit?
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Ironically gaining some fat doesn't seem to have hurt my chances with guys...
I'm totally not surprised. When I was young, I was obsessed with getting that last little bit of fat off my butt and thighs. Now, as a middle aged woman who only recently managed to climb back to a reasonable weight after several years struggling not to drop under 100lbs (5'4"), I realize that I look a hell of a lot better at 110 lbs and with a dimpled ass. 100lbs and I look gaunt....it's not pretty. It was do-able in my dewy early 20s, but definitely not now. And my breasts have recovered! :hoping to hang onto this weight:
It is sad that gay photographers and gay magazine editors decided to put girls that looked like skinny pre-pubescent guys on the covers of their magazines for years. (Serious joke.) While different men do *cough* like different figures most men like women who look like a healthy woman.
As a father of a daughter, and a human in general, it breaks my to hear your and partgypsy's stories. I can invision the trials and efforts you both took; the pressures that society coerces unto women is disheartening.
What is this homophobic bullshit?
Yeah... I think the entire fashion industry, a lot of visual media, and certainly cosmetics and hair industries are all culpable, certainly not just the gay men.
Also, I think my comments might have been misinterpreted to mean that I spent all the time worrying about my body or weight when I was young. But I totally didn't. I mean, I always had an image of my 'ideal' body and my 'ideal' weight in my head (I suspect most people do), and I felt good about myself to some degree when I attained those ideals occasionally, but I didn't make huge efforts to get there and I didn't worry much about it after my early 20s...just cut back on eating crap a bit if I started climbing to the high end of my typical weight range. I mean, I didn't have time to worry much about it once I was in college full time!
My main point was just that my body's natural weight plateaus include one (~100 lbs) that looked totally healthy and normal in my twenties, but I discovered when I ended up there in my forties (from health problems, not efforts to lose weight), it was no longer comfortable or healthy looking. My perceptions didn't change (Objectively, I really did look fine in my twenties at that weight, and objectively, I no longer do). My body changed with age, so I had to adjust and try to take in more calories and keep my weight higher.
But this made me really question the limitations of BMI as a measurement of health. My body was healthier and more functional in my twenties, but that 100 lbs that was normal and fine for me at that age (probably because I maintained more muscle) was still considered 'underweight' by the BMI.
Anyway I am aware that a lot of women and girls [ETA: and in recent decades, a lot of men and boys as well] really do struggle with body image their entire life. I could have fallen into that, I suspect, but by my twenties I was starting to focus more on body functionality and health. Also, several of my jobs emphasized physical performance. None of my jobs emphasized clothes, makeup, hair, or appearance beyond basic cleanliness and presentation. Most of my female friends took only passing interest in those things, also. I never really read/watched a lot of material that focused on female appearance. And I never had to deal with body shaming of any sort, from either gender, fortunately.
To sum up, I think body functionality and health should be more emphasized in our self-monitoring/cultural monitoring, than weight on a scale/BMI.
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Ironically gaining some fat doesn't seem to have hurt my chances with guys...
I'm totally not surprised. When I was young, I was obsessed with getting that last little bit of fat off my butt and thighs. Now, as a middle aged woman who only recently managed to climb back to a reasonable weight after several years struggling not to drop under 100lbs (5'4"), I realize that I look a hell of a lot better at 110 lbs and with a dimpled ass. 100lbs and I look gaunt....it's not pretty. It was do-able in my dewy early 20s, but definitely not now. And my breasts have recovered! :hoping to hang onto this weight:
It is sad that gay photographers and gay magazine editors decided to put girls that looked like skinny pre-pubescent guys on the covers of their magazines for years. (Serious joke.) While different men do *cough* like different figures most men like women who look like a healthy woman.
As a father of a daughter, and a human in general, it breaks my to hear your and partgypsy's stories. I can invision the trials and efforts you both took; the pressures that society coerces unto women is disheartening.
What is this homophobic bullshit?
I agree with SimpleCycle.
That post was just 100% wrong.
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Ironically gaining some fat doesn't seem to have hurt my chances with guys...
I'm totally not surprised. When I was young, I was obsessed with getting that last little bit of fat off my butt and thighs. Now, as a middle aged woman who only recently managed to climb back to a reasonable weight after several years struggling not to drop under 100lbs (5'4"), I realize that I look a hell of a lot better at 110 lbs and with a dimpled ass. 100lbs and I look gaunt....it's not pretty. It was do-able in my dewy early 20s, but definitely not now. And my breasts have recovered! :hoping to hang onto this weight:
It is sad that gay photographers and gay magazine editors decided to put girls that looked like skinny pre-pubescent guys on the covers of their magazines for years. (Serious joke.) While different men do *cough* like different figures most men like women who look like a healthy woman.
As a father of a daughter, and a human in general, it breaks my to hear your and partgypsy's stories. I can invision the trials and efforts you both took; the pressures that society coerces unto women is disheartening.
What is this homophobic bullshit?
I agree with SimpleCycle.
That post was just 100% wrong.
Agreed.
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Ironically gaining some fat doesn't seem to have hurt my chances with guys...
I'm totally not surprised. When I was young, I was obsessed with getting that last little bit of fat off my butt and thighs. Now, as a middle aged woman who only recently managed to climb back to a reasonable weight after several years struggling not to drop under 100lbs (5'4"), I realize that I look a hell of a lot better at 110 lbs and with a dimpled ass. 100lbs and I look gaunt....it's not pretty. It was do-able in my dewy early 20s, but definitely not now. And my breasts have recovered! :hoping to hang onto this weight:
It is sad that gay photographers and gay magazine editors decided to put girls that looked like skinny pre-pubescent guys on the covers of their magazines for years. (Serious joke.) While different men do *cough* like different figures most men like women who look like a healthy woman.
As a father of a daughter, and a human in general, it breaks my to hear your and partgypsy's stories. I can invision the trials and efforts you both took; the pressures that society coerces unto women is disheartening.
What is this homophobic bullshit?
I agree with SimpleCycle.
That post was just 100% wrong.
You disagree that [straight] men usually like women that look like women? Lol
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I've got BMI down from 26.5 to 24.4 since about mid-April! Significantly changed my eating and exercise habits to do so... hoping to get down to at least 23 and then maintain it there. Still a long road ahead...
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Ironically gaining some fat doesn't seem to have hurt my chances with guys...
...
It is sad that gay photographers and gay magazine editors decided to put girls that looked like skinny pre-pubescent guys on the covers of their magazines for years. (Serious joke.) While different men do *cough* like different figures most men like women who look like a healthy woman.
Ok, so since the whole PC crowd can't seem to get past shouting homophobe, I will try to come up with some arguments instead to address this. While it is true that many fashion designers are gay (or woman), that does not mean they are forcing their desires on the models. The mistake you make is thinking that models are supposed to appeal to men. Instead they are supposed to appeal to woman who should buy the clothes. Or better put, the models should make the clothes look appealing to woman. And it just so happens that a thin woman makes the clothes look better. Most woman just want to clothes that make them look slim.
Having said that, I can see people like Karl Lagerfeld do give the impression it is like you said, but he is simply following the current fashion. It is woman who collectively vote for this with their wallets who perpetuate the thin fashion.
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Or in other words, people who work in fashion are professionals who know their market and who gear their work towards what people are buying. Do you think a dentist does whatever they personally prefer to their clients' teeth? Why are media industries any different? They mirror what the public wants. I don't see why this needs explaining, any more than to say that the comment was blatantly homophobic.
ETA the homophobic part, if you need it explained, is the insinuation that a) gay men can't act in a professional manner and b) that they are attracted to prepubescent boys.
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Or in other words, people who work in fashion are professionals who know their market and who gear their work towards what people are buying. Do you think a dentist does whatever they personally prefer to their clients' teeth? Why are media industries any different? They mirror what the public wants. I don't see why this needs explaining, any more than to say that the comment was blatantly homophobic.
I don't agree. See https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/tolerance-of-racism-and-homophobia-on-this-site/msg1611721/#msg1611721 (https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/tolerance-of-racism-and-homophobia-on-this-site/msg1611721/#msg1611721) for the reason. And lets move the discussion to that thread.
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5'9" and 114 lbs. 16.8. Pretty sure I'm skinny fat because I don't work out aside from walking my dogs and gentle yoga.
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5'9" and 114 lbs. 16.8. Pretty sure I'm skinny fat because I don't work out aside from walking my dogs and gentle yoga.
Wow, have you ever had your percentage of bodyfat calculated? I would think it'd be extremely low to have those numbers?
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Ironically gaining some fat doesn't seem to have hurt my chances with guys...
I'm totally not surprised. When I was young, I was obsessed with getting that last little bit of fat off my butt and thighs. Now, as a middle aged woman who only recently managed to climb back to a reasonable weight after several years struggling not to drop under 100lbs (5'4"), I realize that I look a hell of a lot better at 110 lbs and with a dimpled ass. 100lbs and I look gaunt....it's not pretty. It was do-able in my dewy early 20s, but definitely not now. And my breasts have recovered! :hoping to hang onto this weight:
It is sad that gay photographers and gay magazine editors decided to put girls that looked like skinny pre-pubescent guys on the covers of their magazines for years. (Serious joke.) While different men do *cough* like different figures most men like women who look like a healthy woman.
As a father of a daughter, and a human in general, it breaks my to hear your and partgypsy's stories. I can invision the trials and efforts you both took; the pressures that society coerces unto women is disheartening.
No, I didn't go through any trials or tribulations to be at that body weight, my natural set point. So no, never dieted to be like that. Don't feel bad for me. I am also very lucky that both of my daughters are at healthy weights because I think "diet" is a 4 letter word. Healthy eating though, is different.