Is this accurate? If I use this, I would have to weight 214 pounds before I'm not considered obese anymore. I talked to my doctor about my goal weight and he said that he thought 190 would be perfect for me. But according to this calculator I would still be overweight.
Do you have big bones? I think your frame size needs to be taken into account, and I've also heard that for really short people and for tall women, like you, the BMI calculator isn't completely accurate, because women need a little more fat to be proportional. I'm not sure if it's true, but that's what I've heard.
Also, you could see how you look and feel when you do get to 190, and keep going if you feel like you'd prefer to be even thinner.
Last edited by aurelie; 11-20-2008 at 03:53 PM.
Reason: forgot something
I am for sure large framed. Right now 190 seems like a dream... But I know it will happen. I was just shocked about the being obese until I was 214, which is really skinny for me.
BMI calcs say that anything over 25 is overweight. but it can be bs if you have a lot of muscle or have a bigger frame. ditto that if you like the way you look at 190 and are healthy, that's what matters the most.
I don't know how reliable BMI is... If my dad were to go by BMI he'd be WAY overweight and he is in awesome shape- he just has a lot of muscle and a large frame. I just don't believe in those arbitrary numbers, I think there's way too much to consider than weight vs height and age, etc.
SO... I'd listen to your doctor. You are tall, and 190 is probably a great weight for your height and build.
I use it as a general health metric. I wouldn't let it be the only thing I measure my health on. I am 6'0'' and large frame to where I can hold more weight and look like I don't. I am gonna have me some baby makin' hips when I am done with my weight loss journey lol. The way my BMI thing is going if I were weigh what the calc says I am supposed to at mid range I sincerely believe I would not look healthy. However, Ill see about it when I get closer to being there.
My gyno seems to think its the only thing that matters, but pffft I still love him anyway. It depends on what your doctor believes is important.
*eye roll* the BMI thingy says I should be between 95-110...that is highly unlikely. My boobs probably weight 40lbs by them selves. Once you get down to your goal weight, see how you look. I personally think I'd look sick at a very low weight because of how my face is made so I'm aiming for a curvy goal weight. 170.. once I reach there, I might look at 145, but no less.
I thought BMI was calculated in the same way everywhere.
So the BMI calculator of that website is no more wrong or less than any other. But I also have seen their "Ideal Weight" page and I must say I find it kind of a shot in the dark. My healthy weight lies anywhere between 54 and 71 kg. I'm 67 now. My ideal weight would be 62, or maybe 66 or if I decide I have a small frame even 55. I mean, what the ****? I don't even know if I want to be much smaller than I am now. I am quite attached to my boobs .
LOL! Leigh. Exactly! My problem has always been my G cup chest...there's no way I could be a healthy 110 lbs with those things taking up most of my weight. I'd be passing out from malnourishment.
Exactly! I used to be 54 kg when I was 18, had no boobs and no muscles at all (because I never worked out). I can imagine no way to have that weight and be healthy. Yet according to Mr Calculator that's what I should weigh, because I definitely have a "small frame".
"Accurate" could mean a few things... if you're wondering if you should go looking for another BMI calculator, then no, because they'll all tell you the same exact thing.
Any professional I've talked with has said that the BMI calculators are ok as guidelines, but sometimes they can be pretty far off. I had a gym teacher in high school who was at the top end of the "overweight" range on BMI charts, but she was very muscular and athletic and had no desire to lose an ounce of weight.
If you're very short or very tall, they seem to be even more likely to be unrealistic. Like everyone said, it all depends on your body shape/type/composition.
The BMI calculators are all the same. For me, I have to get to 119 to be at the "normal weight". One pound more at 120 makes me overweight.
What is even more discouraging is that I would need to be at 105 pounds to be at the midpoint of "normal weight".
I am going to get to a point that is reasonable for me to maintain while being really comfortable with myself. That may mean 130 which means I would be overweight.
Especially the ones that just take height and weight.
The ones that calculate your waist, hips, forearm, wrist, neck, and sometimes the measurement around your knee are the most accurate.
I find that with the calculator like you showed, to the one above there is as much as a 10% discrepancy, especially for women over 5'5". Then they become very inaccurate -- either too low or too high. Like according to that thing i'm 21.1% BF, but I just had a docs appt where he calculated my BMI the way I mentioned above and I was actually more around the 17% range. I am CERTAINLY not underweight by any means, nor am I even remotely slender. Just really muscular. I've got an athletic build.
They're okay as a guideline for someone who isn't athletic, but those calculators don't take into account lean muscle mass or the size of your bones.
Last edited by NishKitten; 11-20-2008 at 06:17 PM.
BMI Calculator
But I know it will happen. I was just shocked about the being obese until I was 214, which is really skinny for me.
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