Considering that the formula was created in the early 19th century by a mathematician, who, according to NPR in an oft-referenced story, explicitly said to not use it to determine the level of a person's fatness - it's flawed logic. I don't worry about it, but focus on what I can do to work to get myself in my best shape. I've worked with athletes for decades - you don't have to be a body-builder or a for it to show "obese" ... you can be a 5' gymnast in a power-packed, muscular collegiate student-athlete's body and it is skewed. When we are overweight, we know it. Those who are fit know it.

You are not obese according to BMI you are normal weight.

I don't understand why everyone gets so offended by medical terms.

Obese is a medical term and these people are just doing their jobs and calling you what you are correctly.

The BMI charts are correct for most people other than those who are serious body builders so if it says you are overweight or obese then you should lose more weight.

BMI is a very good indicator and when you choose to close your eyes and ears to science it becomes delusion and allows people to get up to the morbidly obese area thinking they look fine and their blood work is coming back fine.

BMI doesn't discourage me but in this 'fat is ok' world it has become, I see it as 'a wake up call'
are we talking 'hit that perfect' number, nope.....but who are we kidding, the 'normal' is not the norm from before the junk food hit full craze. even clothes. my 'old beloved jeans I won't part with' size 14 is not a 14 today. they are a 12. even clothes have been modified to 'stretch material' to make it seem different. we are a fatter global society.

but 'where do I fall into all of this'?????

for me it is when I feel great. over their number, I don't care. where I WANT to be and my feeling good is my only concern.

if we let every single outside source control our life we are lost.
I refuse to live like that.

but don't think it is ok to settle. be the best YOU can be by your own terms that is how I attack this whole thing. forget 'what they' say, where do YOU want to be and can you make it happen?

I no longer pay attention to BMI as it only factors in a few small things instead of the bigger picture. For my height, 5'5", my "healthy" bmi weight range is 114-140 pounds to no longer be considered obese or overweight. The LOWEST weight I have been at before and have stayed healthy at was 180 pounds, which is still considered obese even though at 180 pounds I have very toned muscles, a flat stomach, etc but I still have large hips and thighs, small waist, etc.

When I started dipping into the lower 170s and 160s, my doctor immediately warned me to stop losing weight because my blood pressure was getting way too low and my blood work was all out of whack. That was when we came up with my healthy weight range, which is anywhere between 175-195 pounds. That's where my health is at it's peak, I look good and feel good and my energy is high, and I fit into size 12s with ease.

So that's my goal range, I think the BMI chart is good for some but not all. I come from a family of very curvy women, not fat, so I guess my frame is a little wider than many! Either way, as long as you are well within your healthy weight range, I think the BMI doesn't matter as much when you are nearing goal!