How Important Is Your Bmi?

[sissy12 56]

I was updating my tickers and I noticed that the number I'm shooting for as my goal weight, still leaves me with an "Overweight" BMI.

So...I'm wondering how you all feel about the BMI factor.

[kah1213 311]

I think it all depends on how you feel and what your doc says. I think there are quite a few people who are at goal, but still "overweight" according to their BMI. Does your doc know about your goal weight?

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

Doctors around here seem to live by the BMI so I have made it important to me. Even my OBGYN mentions it. Of course as wilh all generic charts you need to take into consideration your personal circumstances. Being 1 point into the overweight area isnt always a bad thing. Discuss it with you Dr and see how he or she feels about it.

And on a side note... your goal weight may change as you get closer. Mine has gone down by 10 lbs!

[Sojourner 2,446]

I've discovered that the goal weight my doctor had set for me also left me in the low range of "overweight" according to the BMI. My thoughts are that on average, the bandster will loose only a portion of their excess body fat, and that the surgeon bases their goal for you based on the weight that loosing that average percentage of body fat would leave you.

I feel that I have not gone to all of this time and effort to still only move from "obese to overweight".

I added an additional 5 pounds of weight loss to my goal to allow me to reach my "normal range". I feel comfortable with this, and that given the time and perseverance I will be successful.

The really frustrating part of all this is that I have lost nearly 2 " of height through the years...and I would be much further towards achieving my goals of a normal range BMI if I had those 2" back!

Still taking it a day at a time...and a pound at a time...

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

I am taking it day by day. My goal weight still leaves me in the overweight range, but I also know I'm big boned and felt good at that weight as teenager. I'm not as concerned about the BMI as I am about my overall health. Blood pressure, blood sugar, heart rate, cholesterol, etc. If those things are all good then I'm ok if I end up in the overweight range.

[sHeLLaBee 130]

The BMI is important, but remember that the only BMI that is actual is the one that you have to be tested for in an office. They usually weigh you in a pool and figure your exact fat percentage. These calculators and charts on line are all guesstimates based on a very generic chart of the "average" person at that weight and height. Are any of us really average? haha.

[karewpah 173]

The BMI is important' date=' but remember that the only BMI that is actual is the one that you have to be tested for in an office. They usually weigh you in a pool and figure your exact fat percentage. These calculators and charts on line are all guesstimates based on a very generic chart of the "average" person at that weight and height. Are any of us really average? haha.[/quote']

sHeLLaBee...that's % body fat, not body mass index which is a calculation of age, height, weight etc.

I this body fat is more important than BMI...but like sojo said...i didn't come all this way to move from obese to over weight;)

[sHeLLaBee 130]

sHeLLaBee...that's % body fat, not body mass index which is a calculation of age, height, weight etc.

I this body fat is more important than BMI...but like sojo said...i didn't come all this way to move from obese to over weight;)

Agreed! According to my BMI I think I am still obese! What?! I am totally not going for that. Haha. I don't want to be considered overweight by anyones definition.

[sHeLLaBee 130]

Check out this website...

http://www.webmd.com/diet/calc-bmi-plus

[vlp1968 83]

Another point is that BMI is based soley on weight and height. It does not take into acount muscle mass. We all know muscle takes up less room on the body then fat. A lot of muscle will give you a higher BMI then if you didn't have that muscle mass and that weight was fat.

[Jachut 487]

I also felt there was no way I'd settle for "overweight". But for some people that would be fine, those lucky women who are more muscular and can have curves without flab, for example. Me, I'm tall and skinny - my BMi is 20 but I could definitely stand to lse fat and gain muscle. But I have noticed that having a BMi of 20 makes health professionals really nervous, like you're going to suddenly become anorexic - it's simply where I ended up, by chance!

It's a ballpark goal, nothing more. Your body composition is what counts. Skinny fat people like me need to be lighter than stronger, more muscular folks. I was still muffin top, belly roll, Spanx under everything fat at a BMi of 28!

[sissy12 56]

I think it all depends on how you feel and what your doc says. I think there are quite a few people who are at goal, but still "overweight" according to their BMI. Does your doc know about your goal weight?

No, we have not talked about a goal weight. We have talked about about how much he feels I will lose, and that it will be enough so I can get off of most the medication.

[sissy12 56]

Doctors around here seem to live by the BMI so I have made it important to me. Even my OBGYN mentions it. Of course as wilh all generic charts you need to take into consideration your personal circumstances. Being 1 point into the overweight area isnt always a bad thing. Discuss it with you Dr and see how he or she feels about it.

And on a side note... your goal weight may change as you get closer. Mine has gone down by 10 lbs!

Good advice Floridays, and I have seen many on LBT that go past the initial goal weight

[sissy12 56]

I've discovered that the goal weight my doctor had set for me also left me in the low range of "overweight" according to the BMI. My thoughts are that on average, the bandster will loose only a portion of their excess body fat, and that the surgeon bases their goal for you based on the weight that loosing that average percentage of body fat would leave you.

I feel that I have not gone to all of this time and effort to still only move from "obese to overweight".

I added an additional 5 pounds of weight loss to my goal to allow me to reach my "normal range". I feel comfortable with this, and that given the time and perseverance I will be successful.

The really frustrating part of all this is that I have lost nearly 2 " of height through the years...and I would be much further towards achieving my goals of a normal range BMI if I had those 2" back!

Still taking it a day at a time...and a pound at a time...

LOL! I would love to have 2 inches of height too!

[sissy12 56]

I am taking it day by day. My goal weight still leaves me in the overweight range, but I also know I'm big boned and felt good at that weight as teenager. I'm not as concerned about the BMI as I am about my overall health. Blood pressure, blood sugar, heart rate, cholesterol, etc. If those things are all good then I'm ok if I end up in the overweight range.

I agree, my overall health and well-being is my ultimate "goal".