Is there an ideal BMI?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m 43F, lost 20 lbs since February (163 to 143). Height is 5’9”. I’m not sure when I should stop trying to lose weight. I’m worried that if I shift my mentality away from weight loss then I’ll gain back at least some of the weight. Obviously I know that an underweight BMI is bad, but aside from that how do I know when to stop losing??

According to my calculation, you are a perfect 21 bmi. Shift your focus to maintaining your weight. Congratulations on the weight loss, I bet you look great!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mortality studies that use BMI say 22+ is when mortality increases.

Your friendly actuary

Mortality increases at 22, really? Right in the middle of the "healthy" range? I've never heard this. Lost weight down to 22.3, thought I was pretty healthy, so I'm interested in the sources.

[Anonymous]

I've been losing on GLP1s and the doctor wants me to stay between 21-22.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, BMI is a ridiculous tool to use and not used by anyone with any knowledge in the field other than for very vague references.

Most professional athletes would be considered "obese" and bodybuilders "morbidly obese" when using BMI and obviously they are not.

Conversely, BMI very accurately predicts the over fat. People just don’t like it, so they shit all over it as a rough tool. I can guarantee 95%+ of people with an overweight or obese BMI in the US are carrying around way too much body fat. That’s just the truth.

PP and true, because most Americans (includes South America now as well) and Europeans are all extremely fat and obese.

So you are just throwing a dart at a bundle of balloons. It's no big revelation.

Doesn't negate the fact that BMI is using a backhoe to perform a minor surgery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mortality studies that use BMI say 22+ is when mortality increases.

Your friendly actuary

No wonder insurance is still such a scam and overpriced if you are using indexes like BMI to evaluate anything.

Try doing a better job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Focus on body composition not the scale.

OP here, how do you assess this? A scan of some kind?

Look at waste versus hip ratio if you’re a woman.

BMI has been shown to be a terrible measurement for people who are extremely healthy and muscular. They even stopped using it for the military.

I really don’t know the answer. But I know BMI is not that great.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, BMI is a ridiculous tool to use and not used by anyone with any knowledge in the field other than for very vague references.

Most professional athletes would be considered "obese" and bodybuilders "morbidly obese" when using BMI and obviously they are not.

Conversely, BMI very accurately predicts the over fat. People just don’t like it, so they shit all over it as a rough tool. I can guarantee 95%+ of people with an overweight or obese BMI in the US are carrying around way too much body fat. That’s just the truth.

PP and true, because most Americans (includes South America now as well) and Europeans are all extremely fat and obese.

So you are just throwing a dart at a bundle of balloons. It's no big revelation.

Doesn't negate the fact that BMI is using a backhoe to perform a minor surgery.

You just agreed it’s a valid assessment tool. You just don’t like it because it gives you a bad answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BMI doesn't take into account muscle mass vs fat. At best, it's a VERY rough guideline on obesity.

Two people can have the same BMI (same weight, height, age, etc) and look quite different, if one has more muscle mass and another has more fat.

Example in picture. Both pictures = same BMI but obviously very different levels of fitness and health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Focus on body composition not the scale.

OP here, how do you assess this? A scan of some kind?

Look at waste versus hip ratio if you’re a woman.

BMI has been shown to be a terrible measurement for people who are extremely healthy and muscular. They even stopped using it for the military.

I really don’t know the answer. But I know BMI is not that great.

Strangely enough, most people in the military are overweight and not very fit anymore. It's not the 1990s anymore. I blame ACUs. They decreased morale.

[Anonymous]

Ok I'll subject myself to abuse here! I've recently lost 35 lbs (200 to 165 lbs), BMI is now 26 and all labs are finally perfect, and this is the weight I was at in my teens and twenties (in my fifties now and in perimenopause). Doctor and I agree that it's a good time to try to maintain which is the hardest part. I'm happy to be in my size 10/12s after miserable in 16s, I'm pretty active, eating well, sleeping well, not drinking, feel better all around than I have in years. So there are different ways to look at this, labs being one of them. And I can't be the only one on this board in this kind of body!

[Anonymous]

For me it's 17-18. Currently at 19, so not to fussed about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For me it's 17-18. Currently at 19, so not to fussed about it.

Stop the eating disorder posts.

[Anonymous]

I’m at 22 and happy to be here, 5’7, 140.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok I'll subject myself to abuse here! I've recently lost 35 lbs (200 to 165 lbs), BMI is now 26 and all labs are finally perfect, and this is the weight I was at in my teens and twenties (in my fifties now and in perimenopause). Doctor and I agree that it's a good time to try to maintain which is the hardest part. I'm happy to be in my size 10/12s after miserable in 16s, I'm pretty active, eating well, sleeping well, not drinking, feel better all around than I have in years. So there are different ways to look at this, labs being one of them. And I can't be the only one on this board in this kind of body!

NP. Thank you for posting! I am in your starting position and this is so encouraging to read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok I'll subject myself to abuse here! I've recently lost 35 lbs (200 to 165 lbs), BMI is now 26 and all labs are finally perfect, and this is the weight I was at in my teens and twenties (in my fifties now and in perimenopause). Doctor and I agree that it's a good time to try to maintain which is the hardest part. I'm happy to be in my size 10/12s after miserable in 16s, I'm pretty active, eating well, sleeping well, not drinking, feel better all around than I have in years. So there are different ways to look at this, labs being one of them. And I can't be the only one on this board in this kind of body!

NP. Thank you for posting! I am in your starting position and this is so encouraging to read.

OP - you can do it! It took me 10 months on a GLP-1 (slow and steady) and I feel so great - good luck!