What weight are you vs your BMI weight?

[Pigeon05]

Hi all,

So, I'm 5ft and I'm 8 stone 11lbs. I'm just below the 'overweight' category on my BMI. I've lost weight, as was closer to 9stone 2lbs last month, which would make me overweight.

However, it says I should be about 7.5 stone to be in the middle of my healthy range. I was hoping to get to about 8 stone 6lbs to be honest! So only 5lbs more to go.

I wear a size 8 on top and 10 on bottom, and I'm a pear shape so don't carry much on my belly. I already notice the weight loss and I'm still just under the 8 stone 12lbs 'overweight' category. So I think I'll be skinny if I diet until under 8 stone - I actually don't even think my body would go that low. I was 7.5 stone at 17 years old and haven't been since!

I'm just within 'healthy' category, at 24.7

But I look considerably better with a BMI of about 22.5, so want to get down to that by Christmas (when I'll probably pile at least some of it back on!!)

I used to be very overweight, and lost it all (aged about 50) to get back to my weight in my twenties. I felt marvellous on it! (BMI was down at just over 21 for a while, when I was fully marathon fit, but I'm not aiming to go quite that low again)

It crept up during lockdown, and I need to stop making excuses and change that

I'm 9 stone, bmi of 21 so right in the middle.

Really happy at this weight and feel just right. I used to be a stone bigger but I feel much healthier now, clothes fit me better much more agile.

I felt really horrible at 9 stone 2lbs and feel much better just losing the small amount I have - so maybe I will continue feeling better as I lose and it'll help me reach the perfect BMI.

Losing weight is difficult. I can only eat about 1300 calories and it's so easy to go over. The calories on menus is helping me a bit though (although these should always be optional).

Op I'm your height and I'm 9st but during lockdowns i was up to nearer 10 as you can imagine at our height how that weight sits and it took me a while to shift. I have been the lowest bmi when I was younger and running about after kids now I'm older I'm happy at that size I am and will probably stick to this.

BMI isn't an ideal measurement on its own because it doesn't account for body shape. Your waist should be half your height or less, so if you're a pear you might be fine even a bit overweight. Fat on thighs might be aesthetically annoying, but it's not metabolically unhealthy, unlike fat on your waist. See how your waist to height ratio comes up.

People often also think that anything in the BMI range for height is automatically healthy but unfortunately this isn't true, again due to body shape. I'm tall and have a large frame, so at a BMI of 24-25 my waist is under half my height. Smaller-framed people might need a lower BMI to get to a healthy waist-height ratio, if you see what I mean.

168cm and 55kg. I think that I’m the “right” shape in that it works very well for the sports I do and I like how it looks.

BMI is around the middle of “healthy.”

You know that BMI is a shit measure at individual level, yes? And it's a range, being right in the middle isn't better than being close to the top or close to the bottom. If you feel and look good at 8 stone 6, then struggling to get to 7 stone 5 isn't "healthier" or "worthier", you don't get additional benefits. In fact if you end up yo yoing then it's worse for your health.

However, it says I should be about 7.5 stone to be in the middle of my healthy range.

"It" really says that? Where?

As far as I am aware there is no evidence at all for aiming to be perfectly in the middle of the healthy band. It is an approximate range which is [in general] healthier than the overweight range. Not a precise target that you should be aiming for a bullseye in the middle of.

Thanks, I think I'd look awful below 8 stone tbh and my calorie intake would need to be tiny to maintain it.

Also, re BMI being a load of shit... I knew it was if you were gaining muscle mass, but I have zero muscle so thought it would be quite helpful for me. Interested in the waist vs height thing. My waist is 25inches so it is actually pretty narrow because of my shape.

By 'it' I meant the NHS BMI calculator...

I didn't like being 7.5 I don't think I looked great.

It’s generally a decent guide.

As you say, it’s not going to work if you have masses of muscle, or no legs, but it’s far from “shit” as was suggested above.

Very similar to you at 4'11" and 8.7 stone. Just below the overweight BMi. Would like to lose half a stone. 10 at the top 12 at the bottom.

I find it almost impossible to lose weight though

Yeah, I find it easy to shed like 4lbs or so and I think that's just bloat after cutting out junk food.

I struggle to lose weight after that though. When you're small in height, and can only eat 1300 calories or thereabouts a day, it's crazy that that is the equivalent to 1 meal in a lot of cases. DH had a 1300 calorie Balmoral chicken last night! So you can see how it easily creeps on.

5'8 with BMI of 20: I have a very narrow frame, do a lot of sport but no boobs or bum so if my BMI is any higher than 21 I look 'chunky': A bmi of 24 or 25 I'd look huge: The range of bmi is very wide so agree that with a pp that unless you are a body builder it's a good general guide allowing for differences is body frame size:

I'm 5ft too OP, the healthy range is madness, ignore it! I think it goes down as low as 6 stone something.

I've been 7.5 stone before and I was very thin, almost model thin. I'm currently 8 stone 8lbs which I think is about bmi23? I look healthy.

The reason the BMI healthy weight for your height is a range and not an exact number is because for some people BMI 25 will be their optimum weight (in terms of health and what looks good) and for others (someone with a very small frame, narrow hips etc) might still have excess abdominal fat at a BMI of 25 and their optimum might be a BMI of closer to 20

As others have pointed out there is no reason to aim for a BMI of 22 if your look and feel healthy at BMI 25

Also agree with PP about waist to height ration as avoiding excess fat around your middle is more important than focusing purely on BMI

@Pigeon05 I've struggles off and on with my weight ever since I left home and was truly in charge of my own food consumption.

The popular idea of eating low fat calorie restriction probably works really well for lots of people. It really doesn't fit me. As soon as I "know" I have to restrict my food, I start to rebel and eat everything in sight.

This year, I've been following MN's own low carb boot camp and find it a way of eating with which I am much more in tune.

Calories do still count, but low carb means that my blood sugar is pretty stable so I don't get that terrific urge to eat as if it is life or death to me. Frankly, for the first time in decades I can take or leave a meal.

Im loosing weight very slowly, in fits and starts averaging out just under a pound a week.

The good news is really doesn't feel restrictive. I eat if im hungry, don't have to 'stave' myself and feel much healthier for avoiding junk food.

Lots of veg, enough fat snd protein to make it palatable. Delicious and healthy, who knew.

Would be great to 'see' you on the low carb bootcamp threads.

I'm the same height as you op so I'm 5 foot tall but just under 14 stone 😱

BMI is 37.

I need to lose some weight, well about 5 stone really but it's so hard. My happy weight post children was around 11 stone even though that's overweight I'd love to be back at that weight again.

Lowest ever weights as an adult was 8.10 when I was 23 so I don't see that happening ever again tbh

My healthy weight is between 8 stone 6 and 11 stone 5.

I'm currently 9 stone 12 and hate it, I feel best at 9 stone but I'll be ok around 9 stone 4/5. BMI of 21.6

When I'm nearer 10 stone I find I'm a size 12 and hate how round I look even at 5 ft 7. These threads always surprise me as there are people my height and a good stone heavier who get into an 8- just shows we all carry weight differently

I'm 5ft and I'm 9stone 6 which is classed as very overweight.

Tbh I feel it! At 9stone I feel fine. But an extra 6lb is like 2 dress sizes for me.

BMI 25.9

www.nytimes.com/2021/05/18/style/is-bmi-a-scam.html
"For all its utility as a research tool, though, body mass index is “fairly useless when looking at the individual,” said Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Ottawa."

www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a35014386/is-bmi-accurate-wrong/
"While higher BMI is correlated with certain conditions on a population level, there is little evidence that higher weights cause these in individuals."

www.sciencefocus.com/comment/bmi-we-know-its-flawed-so-why-do-we-still-use-it/

The research on which BMI was based was done by Dr Ancel Keys - who would be horrified at the idea of a low carb bootcamp by the way as he popularised the carbs = good opinion - and his research was inherently flawed.

podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-body-mass-index/id1535408667?i=1000530850955

There is some evidence that BMI is effective at population level. That does not translate to being an effective measure of individuals' health. High BMI does not translate to worse outcomes for individuals. The scientific evidence is easily accessible, even if you don't agree with it.

I’m heavier than I’ve ever been at 11 stone 8. BMI 27.something. I tried calorie counting before and it worked a dream but now it’s just not working! My fitness pal says I have to eat 1200 calories but I can’t stick to that so have been doing around 1500 with the aim to lose slowly and healthily. However, that isn’t happening so I’m feeling really disheartened and eating crap again!

I think being 41 now and not breastfeeding anymore don’t help.

I'm 5ft 2 with a BMI of 33 which is obese. My BMI was 25 before lockdown and I have literally just piled it on. I'm doing something about it now but I'm so mad with myself for allowing this to happen.

Why in society are we obsessed with 'doesn't work for everyone' and 'we need to look at it at an individual level?'If bmi works broadly as a tool then we need to stick with it. People need use their brain and think that maybe their massive boobs weigh a lot and therefore at a bmi of 19 they look like a stuck with boobs. It is a general tool if measurement. The majority of the population have no where near the amount of muscle to fall outside it.

The half waist to height is also good although nit sure how apples do this measurement. So again it's using some common sense. For the record my bmi is above what it should be and I know I feel fab when it's less than 25.