Question regarding body compositions vs BMI : Community Message Boards
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akmomma84
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Thu, Apr 25, 2013 01:04
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Question regarding body compositions vs BMI
I'm somewhat confused here and am wondering if anyone can clarify for me. I joined a fitness club in September, at which time they did a body composition on me. My weight at the time was 282, and my Lean Body Mass was 163 lbs and my body fat was 42.1%. According to their calculations, a healthy weight for me based on my muscle mass and height is 218 lbs (stating a healthy range of 35-54 lbs fat). My question is, why do websites tell me that my healthy weight range should be between 135-175 based on my height and age? It seems to get in that weight range would be unattainable because of my lean body mass? I'm confused! I'd be happy to hover right under 200, which seems to be the healthiest range for me. Thoughts? Thanks in advance!
Erin
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donnasim
Baton Rouge LA
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Thu, Apr 25, 2013 07:04
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Unsure
???? but I know some of these pros on this site will be able to explain. There are lots of very knowledgeable people here ---
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1144
Desert Hot Springs CA
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Thu, Apr 25, 2013 12:04
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I would ask the person at the fitness club why they differ so much from what you found on line.
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akmomma84
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Thu, Apr 25, 2013 15:04
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They actually put little diodes on my feet and it sent an electrical pulse through my body and gave them a computer reading. It also told me what my retained water weight was as well. Just even as a general question I've always wondered how the BMI standards could be cut and dry, black and white for everyone, because everyone's body's are different.
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LotsaLbs2Lose
NC
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Thu, Apr 25, 2013 21:04
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Not sure, but you know your body best...
There are people who are more lean even when weighing "too" much according to basic height/weight charts...but they are firmer, more muscular and have less body fat. That is your mass. Your body fat is different than the Body Mass Index...so just b/c someone is thin, doesn't make them lean...so your point is well taken.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/263237-difference-between-bmi-body-fat-percentage/
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jjswbs2
Pittsburgh PA
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Thu, Apr 25, 2013 22:04
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Many internet calculators will only take into consideration BMI as the basis of a recommended healthy weight. But as you suspect, BMI alone is a poor indication of overall health. A much better measure of your health is you body fat percentage.
I am guessing that the websites you are seeing are using BMI to make a weight recommendation and your fitness club is using Body Fat Percentage (among other things) to make more custom recommendations for you.
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8191
CT
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Fri, Apr 26, 2013 07:04
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donnasim
Baton Rouge LA
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Mon, Apr 29, 2013 08:04
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1144
Desert Hot Springs CA
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Mon, Apr 29, 2013 11:04
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I go with the body fat%, not BMI.
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MatsuDawn
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Mon, Apr 29, 2013 18:04
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Frame size
Use this: http://www.superskinnyme.com/body_type_calculator.html
to get your general frame size,
then use this: http://www.superskinnyme.com/ideal_weight_calculator.html
to get a weight range
This just shows the different range base on your bones. Then you add in the different amounts of muscle people have . . .
I am 5'3", when I joined the USMC I was about 110 pounds (I had been sick & didn't gain the weight back). When I came home after boot camp tons of people comment on how much weight I'd lost & that I looked really good. I weighed 135 pounds. I put on a lot of muscle in that 8 weeks but most of the women did not. I had to be taped measured while in the USMC since I was always "over-weight" according to the charts, even though my uniform was a size small.
I read years ago that those general BMI charts were really made by the health insurance industry as a bases to adjust people's rates - and of course the goal is to charge people MORE for their monthly premiums.
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