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| Ideal Body Weight (Read 628 times) |
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posted: 5/13/2008 at 8:47 PM |
| I don't obsess about my weight, but I had an interesting conversation with my doc today. I've lost about 7# since the beginning of the year which puts me at the high end of the "normal" BMI scale. She says my weight is fine - I think I could still lose a few pounds. Isn't it better to be closer to the middle of the range than at the top? Her answer was that the charts are designed for 25 year olds and as we age we automatically gain weight. When I pressed her a bit, her comment was it is just not realistic to think you can maintain weight as you age - and once you gain it is too hard to lose it, so don't worry about it. This seems like an absolutely ridiculous statement that actually gives the go ahead for people to gain weight as they get older. Has anyone else gotten this info? |
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posted: 5/13/2008 at 8:54 PM |
I have a close relative that is obsessed with nutrition and optimal weight. He maintanes, that for life expectancy purposes and overall fitness, that it is better to be on the bottom to middle of the BMI scale.
I have never heard that BMI is meant for 25 year olds...I thought weight trended down once you get past 60. I know that BMI does not take muscle mass into effect...there are some finely tuned athletes out there that would bust the whole BMI thingy. |
2008 GOALS
GET BELOW 175
RUN 6:00 MILE
RUN BELOW 25:30 5K
RUN BELOW 55:00 10K
RUN A MARATHON (DEC. 6TH - MEMPHIS - ST JUDE)
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| view log I did it! |
posted: 5/13/2008 at 8:55 PM |
strange... truly strange...
I just bumped into this yesterday and though it was intersting...
http://www.realage.com/WorkoutCenter/bmi.aspx
perhaps this will help you put it in perspective...
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2008 goals
Cleveland Marathon < 3:59:59 3:38:48sub 22:00 5k 20:46 HH firecracker 5000PR in the 15k this fall** 1:09:56 in a 10 miler- Have more fun = run more
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| view log Ball Tongue |
posted: 5/13/2008 at 9:32 PM |
My pesonal advice is to not pay attention to BMI scores if you're an athlete.
BMI doesn't differentiate between muscle and fat mass, therefore the results are skewed against athletes.
Think about how many professional athletes are seriously overweight according to BMI standards.
Bollocks to BMI!
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| The Gaijin Samurai. a.k.a The attorney dissin' attorney.
Read and Listen
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| view log Playmaker / nemesis |
posted: 5/13/2008 at 10:05 PM |
| Quote from DJ Marcus on 5/13/2008 at 9:32 PM: BMI doesn't differentiate between muscle and fat mass, therefore the results are skewed against athletes.
Think about how many professional athletes are seriously overweight according to BMI standards.
Yeah, a 5'10" 220lb 5% body fat NFL running back is a real fat-ass by BMI standards. I dare you to call him that, though. |
20th Century: 800m: 2:04 |1600m: 4:37 |3200m: 10:06 |5k: 16:23 |10k: 35:38 |15k: 54:20 |25k: 1:35:59
21st Century: 5k: 19:42 |10k: 43:00
What are you doing? |
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running yogi |
posted: 5/13/2008 at 10:10 PM |
| Quote from DJ Marcus on 5/13/2008 at 9:32 PM: My pesonal advice is to not pay attention to BMI scores if you're an athlete.
BMI doesn't differentiate between muscle and fat mass, therefore the results are skewed against athletes.
Think about how many professional athletes are seriously overweight according to BMI standards.
Bollocks to BMI!
Yes, I have read that BMI is not really for athletes.
I also agree with studies that show that as we grow older our metabolism slows down hence the idea that we gain weight as we grow old. |
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posted: 5/13/2008 at 10:13 PM |
| Somehow I don't consider myself an athlete. 49 years of inactivity before finally getting my butt off the couch . . . I've been at it for about 1-1/2 years, but really am just beginning to run. I'm excited that I actually ran 40 miles last month - nowhere near what most of the people on RA do. . . |
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| view log Bif! Bam! Pow! |
posted: 5/13/2008 at 10:54 PM
modified: 5/13/2008 at 10:54 PM |
Lose weight if you want to lose weight. BMI with all its limitations is merely a tool, although your doctor is full of crap. It is a statistical tool about what weights are most likely to affect your health in a negative manner period. It isnt age adjusted, if it were, there would be an age adjusted BMI chart. They LOVE to pepper us with useless statistics.
For some diseases the lowest mortality rate is the lower you go, for others its not. BMI is a conglomerate statistical snapshot of one very small aspect of health. ...lies...damn lies and statistics 
Hmmm...not realistic to think you can maintain weight as you age. Too hard to lose it. Damn. Let me go run out and put those 55 lbs right back on.
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Beware the Pink Boxing Gloves of DOOM!
"It's not enough to bash in heads, you've got to bash in minds" - Captain Hammer
2008 Goals New PR's in 5K 10K HM, M
Faster than a speeding toddler..... |
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| view log Funky Monkey |
posted: 5/14/2008 at 1:58 AM |
| Quote from jb944 on 5/13/2008 at 8:47 PM: ...her comment was it is just not realistic to think you can maintain weight as you age...
Get a new doc.
Period.
Quote from DJ Marcus on 5/13/2008 at 9:32 PM:My pesonal advice is to not pay attention to BMI scores if you're an athlete.
Define : athlete.
For most Americans, the BMI score is meaningful, and most Americans (including many of us) think themselves fitter than they are.
Most Americans are NOT NFL football players. And many NFL football players are fat.
Use BMI as a screen. If it is high, ignore the label, look at the number. If the number is above 25, get your body fat percentage tested. If that is high, it does not matter if you are (or consider yourself to be) an athlete; you are still fat. |
| It's all fun and games until the flying monkeys attack. |
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| view log Máiréad |
posted: 5/14/2008 at 2:23 AM |
Just throwing into the dog pile:
I know two young men (29ish) both approx 6' 225lbs....= BMI/30.6
one lives @ the gym - 34" waist, one lives @ McDonalds!!! 44" waist (McD's being the more common American affliction...)
Also, one older 5'3" woman who has been a "size 16 since High School"....due to 'vanity sizing' a size 16 30 yrs ago meant about 145lbs, now it means closer to 200lbs....I don't believe she's ever looked @ her BMI....but still she's awful young to "move" the way she does
I think BMI has meaning for most of us as a tool to measure general healthy weight/size...as does the # on the scale...but they are just tools to guide you......that's why there's a "range" for you to go by |
| Remember that doing anything well is going to take longer than you think ~
***************************************
2008 Goals:
Denver Marathon ~ , http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/denver08/chonebein,****************************************
Masters Group
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posted: 5/14/2008 at 2:33 AM |
| Thanks for all the responses. I understand BMI is just a tool. My bigger issue was her comment about not being able to maintain weight as you age. I think Trent just confirmed my line of thinking - get a new doc. Its funny - I've been going to her for years and was always pleased. Two years ago, I wouldn't have given this comment a second thought. Now it just makes me mad. |
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| view log Funky Monkey |
posted: 5/14/2008 at 2:37 AM |
Yeah.
It makes me mad too.
Next time I see a patient who smokes, I'll just say, "smoking becomes less dangerous as you get older, so don't worry about quitting".
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| It's all fun and games until the flying monkeys attack. |
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finney Resident pinniped |
posted: 5/14/2008 at 3:12 AM
modified: 5/14/2008 at 3:12 AM |
Guh, don't get me started on this one.
If I have one more nurse tell me I'm fat at 5'4", 122-125# (and that's dressed, nude I'm probably what? 117-ish) while fitting perfectly fine into a size 2-4 pant I'm going to scream. |
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| view log Bif! Bam! Pow! |
posted: 5/14/2008 at 3:17 AM |
| Quote from finney on 5/14/2008 at 3:12 AM: Guh, don't get me started on this one.
If I have one more nurse tell me I'm fat at 5'4", 122-125# (and that's dressed, nude I'm probably what? 117-ish) while fitting perfectly fine into a size 2-4 pant I'm going to scream.
How have any nurses called you fat? Even if you just use BMI that is 20 lbs under the limit. |
Beware the Pink Boxing Gloves of DOOM!
"It's not enough to bash in heads, you've got to bash in minds" - Captain Hammer
2008 Goals New PR's in 5K 10K HM, M
Faster than a speeding toddler..... |
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finney Resident pinniped |
posted: 5/14/2008 at 3:26 AM |
| Quote from Ennay on 5/14/2008 at 3:17 AM: How have any nurses called you fat? Even if you just use BMI that is 20 lbs under the limit.
That's a real good question. Probably because I put on about 18# since the last time they saw me. Except THEN I was unhealthy...unfit and underweight. Not now. But they call it a "rapid weight gain".
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