Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to disregard BMI...... or feel like shit

49 replies

rebee · 02/04/2009 23:03

Ideal BMI for woman is 19-25. Today the Dr informed me my BMI is 29 which means I am officially over-weight and started giving me exercise and dietary advice.

Ok, I admit that I still haven't shifted that last stone I gained in pregnancy but I only gave birth 7 months ago... and I am 5"11 and a size 12.

Feeling really crappy as I am aware of the extra weight I am carrying round my tummy (had c-section so a little harder to shift)but didn't realise I am so medically over-weight.

I don't know if I'm simply bitching because I was surprised to be told I'm fat and pride dented and I'm therefore looking for ways to discredit the BMI system.

OR I should quit my bitching and lose a stone asap.

Anyone else had similar experience?

OP posts:
giantkatestacks · 02/04/2009 23:08

I have had a similar experience but the other way round - in the end I had to swallow my pride and start following the advice - I still think they're all wrong even now but the numbers are the numbers and I accept them for other things/risks and so should about myself iyswim.

MmeLindt · 02/04/2009 23:10

Do you feel that you want to lose weight? Are you unhappy with your figure, or is it pressure from others that is making you unhappy?

Were you asking the doc for advice on losing weight?

Shambolic · 02/04/2009 23:15

Are you BF?

7 months after pg is very quick to snap back into shape however you're feeding though...

Lifestyle changes are usually huge, and the whole 9mo on 9 mo off thing sounds sensible to me...

Personally I think the doc could have kept their mouth shut so soon after birth.

PrettyCandles · 02/04/2009 23:15

I don't think size 12 at 5'11 is fat. I think your dr is looking at you from a one-size-fits-all perspective. (No pun intended, LOL.)

I'm 5'8 and I have never been size 12 - even as a lean 21yo with a washboard stomach and without an ounce of fat. Oh, I wish I had appreciated my stomach. Little did I know...

Still having a bit of extra weight, and a bit of a tummy, 7m after C-section is not unrealistic, IMO.

Relax, eat and exercize sensibly, and concentrate on enjoying motherhood, rather than on being pushed around by the heavy-handed application of statistics.

callmeovercautious · 02/04/2009 23:19

I would re-check it. My BMI is 29 and I am 5'11" and a size 16 bottoms with a 18/20 top.

I would need to drop 2.5 stones to fit into a 12 all over. I know because I once was that size

I know we are all different shapes but I suspect their calculations ae out a bit

Shambolic · 02/04/2009 23:21

I only asked if you were BF BTW as IME as well as many others the whole "weight falls off" thing is a myth...

I didn't shift a pound while BF.

Nontoxic · 02/04/2009 23:24

Doesn't seem right to me either. I'm 5'7'' and wear size 14 trousers - think my BMI is about 26 - 27.

Anyone 5'11'' and size 12 surely can't be called overweight?

Ronaldinhio · 02/04/2009 23:27

I'm about your height. A BMI of about 29 at our height is around 15 stones.

If you weigh that and are happy with it it doesn't really matter what your BMI says.
You must have loads of great muscle to be a 12!!

I'm v jealous as at 3.5 stone thinner I'm not guaranteed to always fit into a 12.
I'm happy about myself and how I feel now though so NO MORE ENVY!!

Northernlurker · 02/04/2009 23:27

You aren't fat. Lose weight if you want to, if it will make you feel good. If it won't then dismiss this as non useful information!

Shambolic · 02/04/2009 23:28

I also think that BMI is a crude rule-of-thumb, which should be used to identify potential problems which should then be looked at properly.

We have all heard of eg super-fit rugby players being obese according to BMI.

It's a case of using some common sense. I only went into overweight BMI when I passed size 14...

For eg are you a pear or an apple? People (esp women) the same weight/height will have different risk factors depending on where the fat is stored.

And I still think 9 months after birth is too quick.

You know what happened, they plugged the numbers into the computer and it said what it said and they gave you the standard schpiel without thinking.

Have a think about it in 6 or 12 months time I reckon.

Original poster
rebee · 02/04/2009 23:35

sadly no longer breastfeeding.

I was shocked to be told this. I do want to shift a stone and if I didn't have a baby I could do so easily within a few weeks. But as some of you have said I would rather focus on my baby than my body shape and let it fall off gradually and naturally.

I eat very healthily and walk 3-5 miles every day with the push-chair and I was happy to let the weight fall off naturally over time.

Not only that, I have many friends who aren't as tall as me and are the same dress size and they look fabulous and healthy and not at all over-weight.... and the same goes for women my height and a larger size, callmeovercautious I bet you turn a lot of heads!

I think that with all the media coverage of "celebs" losing weight so fast and the medical profession saying it's unhealthy I have been blindsided by the serious health chat the dr had with me about "my weight-problem".

OP posts:
Original poster
rebee · 02/04/2009 23:37

(oops and I'm bet you turn heads too Ronaldinhio.. wasn't leaving you out, you posted as I was typing)

OP posts:
Shambolic · 02/04/2009 23:38

Rebee are you quite strong? it sounds like you're doing lots of exercise, maybe that is what has given the stupid BMI.

From what you say you sound really fit and healthy. I really think that the doc was being ridiculous.

Let the weight come off naturally over time. It's only been 9 mo FFS that's nothing.

Ronaldinhio · 02/04/2009 23:39

Sounds as though you've got the right idea. You sound very fine indeed

Yurtgirl · 02/04/2009 23:41

5ft11 and size 12 - wow I am jealous!

I am 5ft3 and size 16, I dread to think what your doctor would say to me Rebee!

Ronaldinhio · 02/04/2009 23:41

more like turn stomachs! arf

mummy2isla · 02/04/2009 23:44

My BIL is 7 foot (!) and tells me that there is a different way of calculating BMI for tall people .. if you google BMI tall then you get various sites explaining this.

I think 5'11 counts as tall, I'm 5'9 and come within it!

Ronaldinhio · 02/04/2009 23:53

Didn't know that, v interesting but the difference isn't that great really

June2009 · 02/04/2009 23:56

bmi is a guideline, that's it.
Your muscle will be heavier than fat so BMI generally does not work on athletes or people who just work out a lot.

I was training hard an hour everyday and more at the weekend before I got pg and my trainer not only weighed me but measured me (tummy, thighs, arms etc) as well to see how I was doing. She also measured my resistance and progress, how much cardio i could do etc.
I was doing quite a bit of weight training too and my weight was never going to be "ideal" according to bmi rules.
I was a size 12 for 5ft1, 68kg and had a toned body and was generally really happy with the way I looked and felt.
My bmi was 28/29 but I was more fit and healthy than some other people who would have a "healthy" bmi but would would be technically clinically obese because of the amount of fat in proportion to muscle, and very unfit as well.

Do you feel out of breath when you go up the stairs, are there other medical issues like high blood pressure that might have made this doctor say that? You probably shouldn't ignore what the doctor say but on the other hand if he is just basing his diagnostic on bmi then i would take it with a pinch of salt frankly and rely more on how I feel.

Original poster
rebee · 03/04/2009 07:02

Thank you so much ladies!

I think I will ignore the Dr on this occassion and continue to let to weight fall off steadily instead of feeling tpressured to lose weight asap.

June2009: I don't get out of running up the stairs and my blood pressure is low. I am no Michelle Obama, but my arms and legs are toned; he weight is around my tummy and on my boobs.

Will have a look for that mummy2isla

Thank you!

OP posts:
thomsc · 03/04/2009 07:32

Size 12 and 5'11", sounds great!

BMI is rubbish. Seriously, even the WHO think its a bad way of assessing weight problems. My brother is a GP and he's been banging on about BMI being nonsense for years.

It doesn't take in to account so many things and is a very crude and simple way to look at weight.

Ecto/Endomorph body type, body shape, body fat, muscle, having just had a baby...

Ignore BMI. Continue eating healthily, walk round the park a bit faster and keep losing the weight you want to.

smudgethepuppydog · 03/04/2009 08:42

Has your GP calculated your BMI correctly? I'm 5ft 8 wear a 10-12 and my BMI is around the 23 mark.

Longtalljosie · 03/04/2009 08:53

What? I'm 5'11 and a size 12, and my BMI is 22-23. And I'm not even a skinny size 12, I have to choose my shops.

This is very weird. I weigh 11 stone 4, if it helps. Or I am when I'm not being pregnant. Here, have a graph:

Sorry it's on a slimmer's website but it was the only one I could find that wasn't in US style pounds, and it does have a snazzy read-across line thing

Sorrento · 03/04/2009 08:56

It's wrong hun, take no notice, my BMI is 22.5 and I am a good size 12 at the moment, should loose a few pounds but still healthy. GP's don't know everything.

TrillianEAstraEgg · 03/04/2009 08:58

It really doesn't sound like he has calculated it right. Or else you have very dense weight that doesn't take up a lot of space. Give s your stats and we'll calculate for you. Apparently waist size is something they use now too.

If someone told me they were 5'11 and a size 10 I would imagine them as a skinny beanpole type shape, size 12 sounds about right for your height.