RunningAHEAD - Topic: Ideal Body Weight

jb944

Chicago RnR 1/2 Marathon

posted: 5/13/2008 at 4:47 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?

BenBuck6

posted: 5/13/2008 at 4:54 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 (at 175 now) RUN 6:00 MILE (at 6:29) RUN BELOW 25:30 5K RUN BELOW 55:00 10K RUN A MARATHON (DEC. 6TH - MEMPHIS - ST JUDE)

jsobo119

posted: 5/13/2008 at 4:55 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...

Marcus L S

The Greatest of All Time

posted: 5/13/2008 at 5:32 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!

all you touch and all you see, is all your life will ever be

Obesity is a disease. Yes, a disease where nothing tastes bad...except salads.

jEfFgObLuE

I've got a fever...

posted: 5/13/2008 at 6:05 PM

Quote from Marcus L S on 5/13/2008 at 5:32 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.

On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office. But you will wish that you'd spent more time running. Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

RunZRun

running yogi

posted: 5/13/2008 at 6:10 PM

Quote from Marcus L S on 5/13/2008 at 5:32 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.

jb944

Chicago RnR 1/2 Marathon

posted: 5/13/2008 at 6:13 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. . .

Ennay

A Saucy Wench

posted: 5/13/2008 at 6:54 PM
modified: 5/13/2008 at 6:54 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 Roll eyes

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.

I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

Trent

Good Bad & The Monkey

posted: 5/13/2008 at 9:58 PM

Quote from jb944 on 5/13/2008 at 4:47 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 Marcus L S on 5/13/2008 at 5:32 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.

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

Mtnchk1

Top 'O the World!

posted: 5/13/2008 at 10:23 PM

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 Roll eyes

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!! ~ Masters Group

jb944

Chicago RnR 1/2 Marathon

posted: 5/13/2008 at 10:33 PM

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.

Trent

Good Bad & The Monkey

posted: 5/13/2008 at 10:37 PM

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". Roll eyes

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

finney

Resident pinniped

posted: 5/13/2008 at 11:12 PM
modified: 5/13/2008 at 11:12 PM

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.

Ennay

A Saucy Wench

posted: 5/13/2008 at 11:17 PM

Quote from finney on 5/13/2008 at 11:12 PM:

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.

I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

finney

Resident pinniped

posted: 5/13/2008 at 11:26 PM

Quote from Ennay on 5/13/2008 at 11:17 PM:

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".

Ideal Body Weight (Read 1162 times)