BMI

[Jim_Noir]

BMI and scales, ditch them and go with body measurements. I was sitting at 58kg before I started cycling, now I am at 62kg and the only increase is in my leg muscles. I often look at body builders and what their BMI says, I mean someone of 5 foot 8 and 16 stone of pure muscle is going to show as having 30 BMI, which isn’t the case.

 

[Riverman]

the "ah not again" comment was a double post btw.

 

[piedwagtail91]

bmi is pointles. my doctor's using it and he hasn't a clue. i lost three and a half stones mainly down to depression, a lot was muscle.( i weight train a lot) so at 12 stone my doctor decided to record my weight, he says my bmi has been the same for 6 months now and he's happy. what he hasn't taken into account is that i'm losing fat and putting some muscle on. i'm losing fat off my waist because my jeans are now too big again ,though my bmi and body weight are unchanged.
it may be a reference when you're losing weight ( but so is getting weighed) but it's no indicator of health. it's probably just as good to see how your pants fit at the waistband

 

[AWG]

5ft 9 ins and between 9.5 to 12 stone. I'm just over 5 / 9 but could not imagine myself being as light as this. I'm 60 so maybe considerably older than you, but I can't remember when I was that light - probably about 1969. Anyway, last year I made 14 stone 6 lbs and felt and looked like sh*t. Now bounce between 13 - 7 and 13 - 10 down a trouser waist size and gladly accepting shirts that my 24 year old son buys but then decides he doesn't want. I would love to make it down to 13 stone 0 lbs, but any less I'd worry about loss of stature (look less physically intimidating to potential aggressors maybe I honestly mean by this); I'd also be concerned for my energy and physical performance levels (either rightly or wrongly).

 

[speccy1]

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".

It took me years to understand that joke!!

 

[Dan B]

The only tool you need to qualify yourself as a cyclist is

a bicycle

 

[arallsopp]

Hmmm... I'm 6ft 2, 170lbs. BMI of 21.8.
'Normal' weight has a BMI of 18.5-24.9, smack in the middle of that is 21.7.

Sh1t. I'm above my ideal weight

I wonder how many people are actually in that 'normal' band. I bet its way < 50%.

 

[RedBike]

I'm 5'9" and 15stone (and a bit) too. I could do with loosing a bit of weight but I certainly wouldn't class myself as Obese/porky. Ignore the BMI rubbish.

btw that <<<<< isn't me!

I don't like this photo but it was only taken last week
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3398/3572656509_a02e2ddf8d.jpg

 

[fossyant]

Be careful with BMI - works for couch potatoes...

Also a lot depends upon body type.

When I was young and racing, I was about 12 stone, 5' 9"....that was about as light as I'd get. I'm now 12.5st (down from 14.5 two years ago), but right on the 25 BMI rating.... yeh, I could stop drinking and loose a few more lbs..... but I'm still as quick, and get loads less colds, and I'm nearly double that racing snake age now.....

Don't worry, work on a long term plan.

 

[jimboalee]

a bicycle

There are two types of bicycle rider.

The 'cyclists' are those who are British Cycling Federation or Cyclists' Touring Club.

Then there are the others.

The difference is also....

"OK Darling, I'm going cycling"
or
"OK Darling, I'm going for a ride on my bike".


You also know which type you are when your nearest and dearest asks;

"Are you cycling this weekend?"
or
"Are you going out on your bicycle this weekend?"

 

[yello]

The difference is also....

"OK Darling, I'm going cycling"
or
"OK Darling, I'm going for a ride on my bike".

I say the latter. Does that mean I'm not a cyclist?

Often pondered the wisdom of BMI though. At 25.1, I'm borderline overweight but I think in my case that'd be true as I could do with loosing a couple of kilo. However, I don't have to think too hard to realise that it's not really applicable to athletes (not that I class myself as an athlete!) as athletes tend to carry more muscle than your average person. Then I found this...

BMI is a reliable indicator of total body fat, which is related to the risk of disease and death. The score is valid for both men and women but it does have some limits. The limits are:

* It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build.
* It may underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass.

So it is acknowledged as a limitation. The question now is, when do you class yourself as an athlete?!