Lowering BMI - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

rainbowmom · 10-03-2011, 09:06 AM

We have a Tanita scale that gives your BMI along with weight. I can't get my BMI to budge. Will adding some strength training help that? I'm thrilled to be losing the poundage, but want this BMI to lower too.

Any words of wisdom?

Lilivonshtupp · 10-03-2011, 10:16 AM

Tanita is fine as a scale, but notoriously inaccurate when it comes to body composition. And BMI = body mass index, which is calculated mathematically, only factoring in your height and weight, so if you've lost 34 lbs, your BMI HAS changed...your scale just can't do math.

At 217, your BMI would have been 37.2, and now at 183, it's 31.4. If you want to calculate it yourself, the formula is: weight in lbs / (height in inches x height in inches) x 703, so yours would be 183 divided by 4096 (64"x64") = .0446, times 703 = 31.4. Or here's a link to an online BMI calculator: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

rainbowmom · 10-03-2011, 10:21 PM

Thanks. I feel slightly better.

The funny thing is that I weigh more on my home scale than the doctor's scale, so I'm not totally sold on the Tanita technology. I may look into other scales.

Lilivonshtupp · 10-03-2011, 10:49 PM

Aw, let yourself feel a lot better - you're averaging a loss of 4 lbs a week, and you're doing great!! But yeah, Tanita is iffy...I'd go by the doctor's scale, inches lost, and how you're feeling. And remember, you're losing mostly fat on IP, so your BMI is getting lower along with your overall body fat percentage.

OneGuyonIP · 10-03-2011, 11:08 PM

I have a 13 year old Tanita scale that is supposed to check body fat composition. It is amazing the degree to which the measurements can vary. There is no way humanly possible that my body fat percentage can go down 4% points one day, and then back up several percentage points the next day, only to go down the following day. It was one of the very early models, so the technology and accuracy has likely improved. I just use mine as a scale and it is almost identical to the one in my doctor's office, which is nice. It reduces the suspence of the weekly weigh-ins.

rainbowmom · 10-04-2011, 09:46 AM

Lilivonshtupp, I just got your name. I love Blazing Saddles!

Lilivonshtupp · 10-04-2011, 09:44 PM

Best. Movie. Ever.

Ha, and quite possibly the most politically incorrect!