Bmi

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WKR
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Dec 27, 2013
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Durango CO
That index is absurd. It places me on the lowest end of "overweight", but my body fat is only 10.5%

I don't know the backstory of it or how it is calculated, but I'm sure there are websites that will totally debunk it. (Off the top of my head, the fact that it is only 2 dimensional should raise some flags. It doesn't account for body fat %). Luke might be the only person I have seen come in the normal range, even then, he is on the high side of it.
 

PMcGee

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Pottsville, Pa
I'm 5'9" 165 as well. I used to be around 180. I was down to 153 back in the spring when I was training for a race but I like beer to much to stay at that weight. I agree it is absurd.
 

Will_m

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Jul 7, 2015
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BMI is useless for anyone who considers themselves physically active. I think it has it's roots in the insurance industry from the 1950's or something like that. Either way, completely useless, as anyone who is physically active and in the proper range will look similar to an elite marathoner. If you move iron, you will be overweight according to BMI.

Better test is the mirror and body fat percentage. Like Poser said, he's "overweight" but extremely lean, so he's very healthy and has an appreciable amount of muscle mass that the BMI lumps into an overweight category.
 
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BMI is a load of crap. I'm 5'7" and 160, and it tells me I'm overweight as well. Like a few of the others who posted above, I'm pretty lean, but my short & stocky body type translates to "overweight" by BMI standards. The irony is that if I stopped lifting and lost 10lbs of muscle, BMI would suggest that I would be "healthier".
 

jmez

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Jun 12, 2012
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Piedmont, SD
It is old and outdated. I does not apply for athletic/muscular body types. I'm 6'0" and weigh 205. It has me on the borderline of being obese. My body fat runs about 12%.
 

Becca

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Feb 26, 2012
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Wasilla, Alaska
It also doesn't take into account gender, which I have always found interesting...

I am 5'3, and 133 this morning for a BMI of 23.6...so I also rate at the high end of normal.

According to the BMI chart, a healthy weight for someone my height of either gender is anywhere from 104lbs to 141lbs.
 

Poser

WKR
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Dec 27, 2013
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Durango CO
What's an active, healthy person's body fat percentage range?

Probably between 8% and 16% with emphasis on the 12% range, depending on your specific pursuit, goals and genetics. A runner would be on the lighter end, but a firefighter might want to be on the higher end.
 

bourbon

Lil-Rokslider
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Nov 11, 2014
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Kentucky
BMI is a JOKE...

I'm 6'6" / and run from 258 - 265 depending on water intake or whether i'm on a creatine cycle or not...Yep, you guessed it ... OBESE! Body is around 12%

NFL Linebackers are obese according to the BMI scale (not that I am one...very from from it, but you get the idea).
 

Poser

WKR
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Dec 27, 2013
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Durango CO
Formula:

Height x Bodyweight x ape index divided by body fat % + 1RM deadlift minus 1RM Standing Shoulder Press divided by Vo2 max x max speed while running with the bulls (Spain) minus 1/2 of your vertical jump before taking a dump + 1/2 of your vertical jump after taking a dump. Do this math problem while standing in front of a mirror deciding whether or not you look fat :)
 

djsmith46

Lil-Rokslider
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Mar 31, 2014
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When a person goes to the doctor (primary care), for probably at least the last 30-40 years there is a high likelihood the doctor will say the following. You're overweight......based on an antiquated formula. They may recommend a low fat, high carb (oh but "good carbs") diet, based on shit science. And there is a super high likelihood the doc will prescribe some sort of anti-depressant, sleep aid, or anti-anxiety medication.....even to your kids!

Many primary care physicians are nothing more than drug dealers (albeit prescription) and 90% of their value (at least to me) is taken from the fact that they can order blood work. With Google, there is NO excuse for any of us to walk into a primary care physician's office and have them tell us anything we couldn't have already figured out for ourselves. Controversial statements? Yes. Should they be controversial? Nope. With that being said, some physicians are doing it right, most are not.
 

Ray

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Oct 5, 2012
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Alaska
When they switched out the three classes of body type to one and standardized the BMI charts in the early 2000's one of my co workers came in pretty mad after a physical. He has been a muscle headed, six pack sporting hockey goon since he was 6 years old. BMI chart said he needed to loose 20 pounds. He looked down at his abs, his quads popping out, and his twitching forearm muscles and asked the doc which arm he should cut off?
 
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