Normal != healthy

**tidalwave** · September 12th, 2009, 01:11 PM

Kind of common sense, but nonetheless interesting food-for-thought.

"But normal doesn’t necessarily mean healthy: Half of normal-weight women had body-fat percentages above 30 percent, commonly considered the cutoff for good health, finds a study from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota."
Unhealthy habits you can get away with - TODAY Health

Reminds me of some friends who might fall into the realm of 'skinny-fat', i.e. body composition carrying significant bodyfat without much muscle beneath it. Often times, one could be within the BMI realm of healthy (weight : height), but still not be within the range of healthy leanness. Sometimes I think that using the scale to gauge health or body image is a large mistake.

**ckn** · September 12th, 2009, 02:38 PM

You're right, BMI is no more than a rough guide at best. Unless you use it with body fat calculations as well, it's so inaccurate that it's almost unusable as an accurate way of judging a healthy body bulk makeup.

I know of one rugby player (Sebastian Chabal) who has a BMI of 31 but a body fat percentage of 7%. If you just knew and used his BMI, you'd say he was obese but he's actually a hulking super-fit bruiser of a man.

**A1food4U** · September 12th, 2009, 04:17 PM

Gotta funny story on this subject. I recently change primary physicians, his nurses put me through the usual battery of tests, collate all the stats and such.

the doctor comes in, I'm sitting down clothed, we chat a bit and without actually looking at me he heads over to the wall chart (BMI) and declares that I'm 30 pounds over weight and need to change my diet. I say, are you sure Doc, i'm pretty solid. At this point he finally takes a look, asks for the shirt removal and says, "Hmm maybe a pound or two" while he's laughing.

I'm 5 10 and 202 currently. I'll admit there is probably a bit around the middle that could go but I'm certainly not 30 lbs overweight. . .

**helpmespock** · September 13th, 2009, 02:43 AM

yup, im 5 10 and 240......apparently obese by my bmi of 34.3....but im about 10% bodyfat max.....

**pliny_2001** · September 13th, 2009, 10:40 AM

I just had one of my very rare physicals (I'll leave it up to you to guess which decade I've newly entered) and they do the height/weight thing. No one even looked at figuring the BMI; MD and nurse/physical assistant all joked about it -- 'anyone else, they should lose a few pounds - you can just ignore those guidelines.' Their advice going forward: maintain current habits, always wear a seatbelt, don't start smoking, don't restart riding motorcycles.

(My BMI's 28.7, btw, solidly in the single digits for BF)

**tooncesthecat** · September 13th, 2009, 11:19 AM

BMI, BF%, weight...all just small tools to know what's up with your body. Best tool??? THE MIRROR!!!!

**tidalwave** · September 13th, 2009, 12:15 PM

I agree def, Toonces, but I'd like to add a more qualitative factor to the mirror: how you feel. If the mirror were the supreme judge, then a bodybuilder (natural?) on comp day would be the pinnacle. However, if s/he is actually feeling tired and weak (input from those who have competed plz?), then I think the true peak is somewhere a bit more balanced.

Of course, the mirror etc are the best tools for those of us into physique sports, but for the general population, I think there's something more alarming that can be inferred - as many Americans are reported to be overweight or obese, there are likely to be even more that are considered 'normal weight', such as the ladies in the article, who should be lumped-in with the overweight people if you are speaking in terms of public health.

**wildstang** · September 13th, 2009, 05:04 PM

yup im also considered obese by the BMI @ 6'3" 285! im currently single digits in BF% also. pool kinda confirms that also since i have the tendency to sink like a rock if not treading lol

**pliny_2001** · September 13th, 2009, 07:23 PM

Wildstang, you're a beast! My height with another 55lbs! F*CK!

(not that the other sizes aren't huge, or even comparatively huger; but that's a 1:1 comparison. damn I feel small now

)

**Hans_Rachid** · September 13th, 2009, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tooncesthecat

BMI, BF%, weight...all just small tools to know what's up with your body. Best tool??? THE MIRROR!!!!

What about people with body dysmorphic disorders, like anorexia or muscle dysmorphia? (i.e. probably most bodybuilders and fitness competitors, and probably a few people on this very board)

The mirror is better used in combination with the scale, body fat measurement and other people's point of view. No single tool is good enough

**Insex** · September 22nd, 2009, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tidalwave

I agree def, Toonces, but I'd like to add a more qualitative factor to the mirror: how you feel. If the mirror were the supreme judge, then a bodybuilder (natural?) on comp day would be the pinnacle. However, if s/he is actually feeling tired and weak (input from those who have competed plz?), then I think the true peak is somewhere a bit more balanced.

Of course, the mirror etc are the best tools for those of us into physique sports, but for the general population, I think there's something more alarming that can be inferred - as many Americans are reported to be overweight or obese, there are likely to be even more that are considered 'normal weight', such as the ladies in the article, who should be lumped-in with the overweight people if you are speaking in terms of public health.

Inner well-being is a good indicator of health. On competition day, I may look good in the mirror, but I feel like crap. While my body is depleted in carbohydrates, I forget things easily and have to read over every paragraph at least twice.

**ckn** · September 22nd, 2009, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Insex

Inner well-being is a good indicator of health. On competition day, I may look good in the mirror, but I feel like crap. While my body is depleted in carbohydrates, I forget things easily and have to read over every paragraph at least twice.

I agree entirely, in 2007 I was laid up for the best part of 3 months after surgery (6 weeks in bed, 6 weeks on crutches) and many more months before I could get going again at full loadouts and cardio workouts. In that time, as my overall fitness declined my mental agility went downhill, I grew lazy and I was much less of a happy person to be around. I went from being able to read and digest information on the first pass to needing to give it multiple passes to grasp the concept.

To me, it's the difference between being a hawk and a sheep. Sheep are content to walk around munching grass and doing nothing, hawks must keep on top of their game or they die because their prey eludes them. If you're happy being a sheep then feel free to munch away at the grass and let the world go by, to be a hawk needs effort. Fat people = sheep.

Since my surgery, I've stabilised at 210lbs (5'10") and about 12-14% body fat. I simply have not got the time to put into getting myself back to my <10% body fat days plus working for myself means that I need to be less aggressive about body matters because I can't risk the time off through injuries.

As an aside, two years ago, I was applying for critical worker insurance (to cover my income if I were ever off that long again due to injury) and two of the quotes I got were very high because they considered me to be "obese" because of my BMI stats! The drones on the support lines didn't care that I was fitter than most 20 year olds and had half the body fat of someone on the borderline of "overweight", never mind "obese".

**lizzyb** · September 22nd, 2009, 05:36 PM

I once had a doctor many years ago advise me that I was a 'healthy' weight for my size and I should not worry....lots of women would love to be my size (I was 95lbs soaking wet, getting by on one meal a day and was asking for help to gain weight and be healthy....go FIGURE!)

My doc that I have now takes EVERYTHING into account before saying a word......is totally impressed with how I have transformed myself (I became his patient after my first child was born, and was about 30lbs heavier and it wasn't muscle, baby!!)