BMI

[Banjo]

With a bit of luck in the next week or two hopefully I should get down to 14 stone 7 which is a special milestone for me as at 5 ft 9 inches tall male I would then be overweight rather than obese.

To get into the healthy weight zone I would need to get down to 9.5 to 12 stone.

Even when extremely fit in my 20s to 30s I was allways close to 12 stone so wonder about the usefullness of BMI ?

 

[beancounter]

My ideal weight according to BMI (i.e. middle of the "normal" range) is 11 stone.

When I was 13 and a half stone this seemed ridiculous. But now I'm just under 12 stone I can easily see that I've got at least another stone of surplus fat to get rid of. So now 11 stone makes perfect sense and (very hopefully) I might get there later this year.

Certainly makes a BIG difference not lugging all that flab up the hills!

bc

 

[potsy]

I'm in same boat as you 5' 8" tall and 14stone 6lbs so right on the border of overweight/obese. I can't imagine getting back to under 12 stone (not been there since my early 20's I think as long as I'm getting fitter and losing some weight then I would not worry too much about BMI.

 

[jimboalee]

BMI ??

Forget it.

You are a cyclist, therefore an 'athlete' and not in the same demograph as 'ordinary' folk.

Don't even bother with bathroom scales either.

The test you should be doing is the "Pinch an inch" test just above your belt line ( Suprailiac fold ). Couple this with a full length mirror and you can see what needs to be done.

 

[PK99]

BMI ??

Forget it.

You are a cyclist, therefore an 'athlete' and not in the same demograph as 'ordinary' folk.

Don't even bother with bathroom scales either.

The test you should be doing is the "Pinch an inch" test just above your belt line ( Suprailiac fold ). Couple this with a full length mirror and you can see what needs to be done.

I agree.

Since upping my cycling from 100-150 leisure miles a month to 500plus per month mainly club riding, my weight (and therefore BMI) has not changed but waist measurement has dropped by a good couple of inches as fat has gone only to be replace by muscle elsewhere

 

[MacB]

well based on the NHS tool my weight range should be:-

BMI - 19 to 25
Kg - 64 to 85 with 73 being in the middle
Lbs - 10st3 to 13st7 with 11st7 in the middle

I'm currently 15st9, targetting 13st but believe I'd be dead before I reach 10st3

 

[jimboalee]

Nuns, no sense of humour.

Oh yes they have.

Two nuns in the bath. One says "Where's the soap?" The other replies "Yes it does, doesn't it".

 

[Ben M]

As said, BMI means little. It's based on averages for everything, if you have more or less muscle on you than average, then it'll read differently.

Percentage body fat is the only real way to judge. Adipose (fat) tissue levels are all well and good, but a mirror is the best way to judge how you're doing.

 

[ASC1951]

Percentage body fat is the only real way to judge. Adipose (fat) tissue levels are all well and good, but a mirror is the best way to judge how you're doing.

Even that isn't foolproof, at least for non-exercisers. Apparently skinny smokers with a tiny beer belly often have great wodges of fat round their internal organs.

 

[jimboalee]

The only tool you need to qualify yourself as a cyclist is a tailor's tape measure.

Band it around the most upper thigh ( quads and hamstrings ), right up against your crotch.
If your upper thigh measurement is the same as your waist, you're doing fine.

​

 

[Banjo]

I dont give to much credence to the BMI ratings but I was still well happy on Friday morning to move out of the BMI obese level and into the plain overweight section. :-)

I really do plan to continue towards 12 stone which will put me just into the healthy weight section but its likely to take a year or two.I am very happy with a slow gradual weightloss.

 

[Riverman]

ah not again..

 

[Riverman]

The only problem with "slow gradual weight loss" is it seems a nice idea but in reality, the longer the duration of the weight loss the higher the likelihood it's going to go up rather than down.

If you can push yourself for a few months do that + the slow gradual weight loss. Maybe do the kinda programme you're doing now in between intense periods of exercise.

It doesn't take that long to lose weight, you could lose all that weight in 6 months with moderate exercise and the correct diet.

I'm convinced diet plays a larger part in losing weight than exercise. Get the diet right and all you have to do is moderate exercise to shed the pounds quickly.

 

[jimboalee]

The only problem with "slow gradual weight loss" is it seems a nice idea but in reality, the longer the duration of the weight loss the higher the likelihood it's going to go up rather than down.

If you can push yourself for a few months do that + the slow gradual weight loss. Maybe do the kinda programme you're doing now in between intense periods of exercise.

It doesn't take that long to lose weight, you could lose all that weight in 6 months with moderate exercise and the correct diet.

I'm convinced diet plays a larger part in losing weight than exercise. Get the diet right and all you have to do is moderate exercise to shed the pounds quickly.

There are some most interesting statements.

Firstly, a person should NEVER eat less than the Basal Metabolic Rate applicable to their height and the weight they WANT to be; or they may suffer internal organ damage.
Secondly, we are not doing 'moderate exercise', we are cyclists and regularly take our HR to over 75% max.
Thirdly, to be able to cycle a bike for over an hour, some extra energy is required, however overfat we are.

Balancing energy requirements for cycling AND shedding fat weight is a very fine thing. A chap who is 10lb overweight in fat cannot synthesise it quick enough to sustain a 50 km bike ride. He WILL use some in the periods his HR is around 60% max, but mostly, he will be running on ready available glycogen. Simple carb intake minutes before it is required becomes norm for long distance riders.

Some riders, including myself who have a sub 60 minute morning commute do it as 'fasted lipolysis', i.e. no carbs for 12 hours before the ride – no breakfast.
90 minutes after the ride, we eat mainly protein for muscle building, relying on our system to synthesise some fat while we sit waiting for the canteen to open.
A small carb snack at lunchtime and we're ready for the ride home to another protein meal.

Some riders, including myself who ride 200km Randos, 'carboload' for two days before the event and eat high carb cakes during the ride.
90 minutes after the ride, we eat mainly protein for muscle building, relying on our system to synthesise some fat while we sit waiting for the Balti house to open.
A small carb snack at bedtime and we're ready for the ride into work the next day.

 

[Lisa21]

You are a cyclist, therefore an 'athlete' and not in the same demograph as 'ordinary' folk.

Does that include me??!!