NHS Bmi calculator says I'm overweight

[carrottbaton]

After 10 years of not weighing myself Ive this evening weighted myself and I'm 11 stone. Checked on the NHS and I'm officially overweight.

Im a size ten and I genuinely eat healthily. I actually struggle sometimes to eat three meals a day because I'm not hungry/too busy, whatever. I exercise most days - mix of cardio and weight lifting both freestyle and classes. I love exercising.

I feel really demoralised and upset. I don't exercise to lose weight but I'm upset that I'm classed as overweight.

On the other hand I have a BMI just now of 22.5 and my size 16 clothes are only just becoming a bit loose (I’m losing weight atm) and my 14s still feel a bit tight. To be a size 10 I need to have a BMI under 18- I’ve been that low before years ago when I was ill but it’s not a healthy weight/size for me. BMI and clothes sizes don’t always correlate well depending on your body shape. If you’re sure your scales are accurate I’d check your waist/hip measurements etc and if they +/- your body fat percentages are ok then I’d say you are fine!

Presumably, if you're a size 10, your waist measurement is healthy.

If you are keen to lose that half stone, 16:8 If would probably work for you. If you're eating well, rather than grazing on stodge, I wouldn't sweat it, though.

My waist is just under 30 inches

From what you’re saying I’d double check your scales.

Ok, I've checked my height and I'm 5 ft 6. Also think the scales might be a bit off.

Its poor judge. Muscle weighs more than fat, so a muscular slim person might weigh the same as a relatively fat person but they could both have the same BMI.

@NeverTalkToStrangers

From what you’re saying I’d double check your scales.

Agreed! I’ve just done the conversion to kilos and I’m taller than you, weigh less by a few lbs and am at least 2 sizes bigger! Also if you were checking in the evening you’ll prob be a couple of lbs heavier than morning weight.

Clothes sizes mean nothing, vanity sizing has stopped correlating to weight (as we imagine it).

I recently bought a dress from a proper old school dress maker. My dress there size was 2-3 sizes larger than my “high street size”.

So you’re probably an old school size/1990s size 14 or maybe 16. As a very slightly overweight 5ft5 person that makes sense.

Slightly overweight is no big drama though, I’m sure you could make a few tweaks and get into the healthy range.

29.5inch waist is a size 12. 27.5 is a size 10.

If you do have lots of muscle, that will weigh more than fat.

I'm taller than you at 5'7", weigh half a stone less than you and also have 30" waist. I'm a size 12 bottom. No way would I fit a size 10 pair of jeans unless they were being very generous vanity sizes.

I remember when size 10 used to be 24" waist! Most places size 10 would be 26-28" I think now.

If you're not happy with your bmi, weight or the amount of belly you mentioned, you could take steps to lose it. It wouldn't take much to bring you out of the "overweight" category.

If you're happy as you are and with your diet and exercise, ignore it.

Maybe I need to eat more regularly? Typical day right now I'd eat a couple of weetabix with semi skimmed milk, or a slice of toast. Then maybe an apple and a yoghurt at lunchtime, sometimes an omelette. Often nothing. Lots of tea coffee, water in the say. Always eat dinner, but often not til 8.30, 9pm once kids asleep and I've done everything else. Rarely eat meat. Occasionally- once or twice a week I'd have a biscuit or bit of chocolate. Maybe 2 glasses of wine a week.

One thing to consider: the BMI was introduced in the 1800s which was nearly 200 years ago. That guy didn't study medicine and wasn't a physician. It's crazy we're still using this tool IMO.

Because of this tool, I was classed high risk for my pregnancy as I'm underweight.

I'm the same height as you, sporty, size 10 and bob up and down on the cusp of being overweight. No one ever believes me when I say I'm overweight/borderline overweight. BMI doesn't work for everyone 🤷🏼‍♀️

Why does everyone still go on about being size x, y, z. The size you buy in clothes is 100% irrelevant. I am overweight but have a size 8 pair of trousers that I can get into. Do I think I am a size 8 and slim, no I am not deluded.

The NHS calculator is a tool. Measure you weight, height and waist. Look at your shape, muscle mass etc. Make an educated judgement call. DO NOT USE dress sizes, although actually if you want to buy something from the 19060/70s in a size 10 and see if it fits.

I'm 5'4 and feel overweight at 9 stone 4. Would feel huge at 11 stone and I'm very much an hourglass with big boobs and bum

@carrottbaton

My waist is just under 30 inches

You have a large waist, so wonder if that accounts for the extra weight.

I’m the same weight and height as you and a size 10-12. I do feel overweight but like you I fit these sizes easily! I think vanity sizing is to blame

If you are happy with the way you are I wouldn't worry!

It's not all in the norks, is it, OP? What are your
bust-waist-hips?
(? - 30 ? )

@happydays2345 you might feel overweight at 9st 4lbs but your BMI is 22.4 and pretty much in the middle of the healthy range.

People are different in build and frame, BMI is a bit of a blunt tool and as discussed here there are other ways of measuring whether someone is overweight.

Totally. I think it's what you are used to too. I've always been slim so I really don't like any extra weight 😊

Muscle doesn’t weight more than fat. A kilo is a kilo is a kilo. People perhaps mean it’s more dense.

BMI is a broad range (for my height it’s 56 tp 70kgs, a massive range for the same height) and most people will comfortably fit within it at a healthy weight. That doesn’t mean it’s a disaster to be slightly outside of it in either direction. If you’re healthy and happy with your weight you don’t need to act on this single number.

I am 5’5 and I start to feel overweight if I go above 10stone. I’m still an 8-10 at that weight though - I seem to carry weight evenly which disguises things but I have a small frame so really need to be around 9st.

I’d still be a 10-ish at 11st but not in every shop - a 10 in shops like Next, M&S etc are at least a size bigger than brands like Whistles, Jigsaw etc.

I have a friend who is the same height as me and at 10.5 stone, she looks so slim - all angles and sharp cheekbones and perfect legs. I guess some people are naturally heavier!

[quote ILoveAllRainbowsx]This is a much better way of deciding if you are overweight than BMI:

www.omnicalculator.com/health/waist-height-ratio[/quote]
This puts you at 0.45 which is great - in the green zone.

(I’m 0.46 so more than you even though my
BMI is middle of ‘healthy’ zone).

Waist to height ratio is a better indicator of health outcomes than BMI, so definitely take heart from that.

Food should fuel your body (and delight your senses). I like Stacey Sims on Instagram for diet and exercise advice geared specifically towards women; a lot of the advice we’re given works for men but not so much for women. Worth looking at to think about what to eat before and after you exercise rather than thinking in terms of your meals.