1

BMI <25 for first time since 1979! (Read 192 times)


Petco Run/Walk/Wag 5k

    As I sit here eating my first bowl of steel cut oats in near six months I can't help but think its the first time since fall of 1979 that I am having breakfast at a healthy BMI. I weighed 154.7 this morning so am officially no longer overweight, even tho the Endocronologist told me that I should ignore the BMI because of all the muscle my legs have its still nice to meet the official number.

    This is the weight I graduated HS at, Enlisted at, went to Vietnam at - twice, got married at and stayed in range until the fall of 1979 when I cleaned the plate for a few months in Nashua, NH until we could get the family moved up & in. The yo-yo journey began, but never returning into the mid 150's. Original Weight Watchers goal was 166, which I reached a few times while riding the yo-yo. One bounce got me to 220 when I stopped looking... refused to go into 48 pants... lost, but stuck in the low 180's/upper 170's. Briefly got down to 169 after the 2008 heart attack but bounced again, especially after moving to Austin summer of 2010.

    Last week I transitioned to the weight management part of the Austin Diagnostic Clinic's Health Risk Management program, Phase 2, which I intend to stay with the rest of my life- attended first class yesterday. Really can't afford to bounce again. Want to maintain to counteract the effects of a number of things; 1 - being an aging white man - many disease possibilities all of which are multiplied by 2) compounding effects of exposure to Agent Orange during my 15 1/2 months in Vietnam - Ischemic Heart Disease (which I already have), Prostate Cancer, Type 2 Diabetes, Parkinson, and other "old man" diseases as well - its a long list of diseases on a watch list, with more slowly being added, and 3) PTSD - Focusing on Weight Management and Training for Road Races as projects helps keep me distracted enough not to slip down the slop into full blown PTSD again.

    So the next step in my journey begins - on a high note and I want to keep it that way! Ya'll be good now, and Keep on Keeping on!

    bob e v
    2014 goals: keep on running! Is there anything more than that?

    Complete the last 3 races in the Austin Distance Challenge, Rogue 30k, 3M Half, Austin Full

    Break the 1000 mi barrier!

    History: blessed heart attack 3/15/2008; c25k july 2008 first 5k 10/26/2008 on 62nd birthday.


    #artbydmcbride

      Hooray for you, bobev!  You gave me a big smile with your post!  May you run long and prosper!  Smile

       

      Runners run

      kcam


        That is so very impressive.  Congratulations and keep it going.


        Rungry!

          Awesome Job Bobev! Big grin Cool Big grin  I'm hoping to be able to post the same someday, very inspiring.

          Jen


          Walk-Jogger

            Congrats on getting to sub-25, and welcome to the club!! Nice work! I've been up and down the ladder a couple of times over the years with my weight also, but have kept it mostly down for the past 6 years now. It's the best thing you can do for yourself and your health!

            Retired &  Loving It


            Latent Runner

              Hey Bob,

               

              Great and inspiring story; thanks for sharing.

               

              Like you I graduated high school with a BMI below 25, however, by the time I got out of the Marines in 1979 I was well above that point, even though I had a waist of 30 inches.  Over the last few years I've restarted my running on several occasions in an effort to forestall many of the health issues which accompany aging and being overweight, and over the last three and a half months I've managed to ramp my running up enough to lose over 40 pounds (which still leaves me with a BMI of 31.2).  Unlike you, I rather suspect that the next time my body has a BMI south of 25, I'll be rotting in my grave; I'd have to get down into the low 160s, and I don't believe it would be healthy for me to get so light.  Instead, my goal is to hit 175 pounds (which would give me a BMI of 26.6), which is the same weight I was when I ran a marathon in late 1979, and even that might not be possible as I have much more upper body muscle than I did back then.

               

              Keep up the running.  Smile

               

              Regards,

              Dale

              Fat old man PRs:

              • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
              • 2-mile: 13:49
              • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
              • 5-Mile: 37:24
              • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
              • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
              • Half Marathon: 1:42:13


              Latent Runner

                Cecil58, love the Connie!  Smile

                Fat old man PRs:

                • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
                • 2-mile: 13:49
                • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
                • 5-Mile: 37:24
                • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
                • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
                • Half Marathon: 1:42:13
                TJoseph


                  Congratulations.  As of yesterday, I am 2 pounds away from that milestone.  It is harder to diet now that my weekly mileage has gone up.

                  LedLincoln


                  not bad for mile 25

                    Congrats Bobev!  Stick to the program; it is SO worth it.  It occurs to me that there is no drug with greater benefits and fewer objectionable side effects than running.


                    Petco Run/Walk/Wag 5k

                      Thanks Guys!

                       

                      Congrats Bobev!  Stick to the program; it is SO worth it.  It occurs to me that there is no drug with greater benefits and fewer objectionable side effects than running.

                       

                      LED - so true. Running has many physical and mental benefits for sure.

                      Dale/Shipo: My doctors said not to focus on BMI because of all the muscle I have from running and that I was at a very healthy weight even tho a few pounds over the 155lb BMI=25 threshold. That said I ignored them and was able to get under 155 just to show I could do it! The old Seabee/Marine attitude kicked in and I couldn't pass it up being so close. You may be in the same situation with enough muscle that makes it impractical to use BMI to determine healthy weight because it doesn't account for muscle which weighs more than fat. So don't beat yourself up but certainly maintain as a healthy lifestyle as possible and your good to go!

                       

                      Semper Fi buddy! BTW I did AIT in Camp Pendleton in 1966. that's when I learned to hate hills! LOL

                       

                      cheers ya'll

                      bob e v
                      2014 goals: keep on running! Is there anything more than that?

                      Complete the last 3 races in the Austin Distance Challenge, Rogue 30k, 3M Half, Austin Full

                      Break the 1000 mi barrier!

                      History: blessed heart attack 3/15/2008; c25k july 2008 first 5k 10/26/2008 on 62nd birthday.


                      Food, Folks, Fun, Beer

                        way to go bobby!!!

                         

                        can i join your parade and make the announcement that my BMI is 23!  The last time I weighed this weight was in high school.  Yahoo!

                        Marylander


                          Congrats! I'm heading in that direction too. I hope to be as successful as you although I'm not specifically working on getting below a 25 BMI.


                          Latent Runner

                            Thanks Bob,

                             

                            Semper-Fi my friend!  Smile

                             

                            Regards,

                            Dale

                            Fat old man PRs:

                            • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
                            • 2-mile: 13:49
                            • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
                            • 5-Mile: 37:24
                            • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
                            • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
                            • Half Marathon: 1:42:13