NationStates Jolt Archive

Inspired by another thread (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=500165), here is a more general topic about weight (BMI is related to both weight and height, i.e. what is right for you).

Here is a BMI test (http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/) - note that it is intended for adults, so if you are not yet an adult the results may be misleading.

So, what range are you in? (poll coming)

And what do you look for in a partner?

EDIT: Another good point that has been brought up - One other reason that the BMI is not infallible is because it fails to take into account the ratio of fat to muscle, which is also significant in determining whether someone is over/underweight.

Why can't Americans use stones properly?

Mine came out as 17.7, although that's an approximation as I haven't weighed myself in a while. I've always been slightly underweight, although I'm perfectly healthy.

BMI range = normal

What do I look for in a partner? Hmmmmm..... a pulse?:p

I actually went through this with you people a few weeks back, it says I am obese, but when I went to the doctor he did a body fat percentage test and I have 25% body fat which is within normal ranges for a woman my age who has had 2 children. I just have a LOT of muscle and it weighs a lot. Most people who see me think I weigh 40lbs less than I actually do. ;)

6'0, 147 lbs, 19.9.

And, in a partner, I look for unugliness.

Why can't Americans use stones properly?
Properly? I don't think they use them at all!

I'm a fatass, I don't need a test to know that. :p

My BMI has been at Obese for many years. Which people are really surprised about when I tell them. I don't even look overweight.

I actually went through this with you people a few weeks back, it says I am obese, but when I went to the doctor he did a body fat percentage test and I have 25% body fat which is within normal ranges for a woman my age who has had 2 children. I just have a LOT of muscle and it weighs a lot. Most people who see me think I weigh 40lbs less than I actually do. ;)

Good point. I have edited the first post to mention the importance of muscle/fat ratio.

Good point. I have edited the first post to mention the importance of muscle/fat ratio.

thanks. I forgot to answer what I looked for in a partner. I went 100% for personality, but I ended up with not only a great husband, but a great looking husband, he is quite intimidating at over 6 feet tall and 250lbs, he is all muscley and scary looking LOL, which is funny because before I met him all my boyfriends had been the short, thin, nerdy types.....I think they all had braces too. :p

thanks. I forgot to answer what I looked for in a partner. I went 100% for personality, but I ended up with not only a great husband, but a great looking husband, he is quite intimidating at over 6 feet tall and 250lbs, he is all muscley and scary looking LOL,
He doesn't sound that intimidating... he sounds top-heavy...

thanks. I forgot to answer what I looked for in a partner. I went 100% for personality, but I ended up with not only a great husband, but a great looking husband, he is quite intimidating at over 6 feet tall and 250lbs, he is all muscley and scary looking LOL, which is funny because before I met him all my boyfriends had been the short, thin, nerdy types.....I think they all had braces too. :p

Heh. Your husband sounds a lot like me in terms of build. Though I'm only 6 feet even and 230 pounds, currently.

I should weigh some kilos more to be in normal range, but I once asked a doc about it when he was doing a checkup of me, he just said it was normal for a student to have eating habits that were... considered unhealthy. He was the same when he was a student :)

He doesn't sound that intimidating... he sounds top-heavy...
he is properly proportioned. He does have nice pecs though *swoons*

Heh. Your husband sounds a lot like me in terms of build. Though I'm only 6 feet even and 230 pounds, currently.
probably.

5'1", 155lbs, 29.3.

I don't appear to be overweight? :confused:

I look for personality, looks do not mean anything to me for the most part, as I've had boyfriends from all across the board, from morbidly obese to ungodly skinny.

5'7", 160 lbs, so barely over in the overweight category. Seriously, if I lost a pound, I'd be normal.

I hate these things, they always make me feel bad about myself.

What do I look for in a partner? I dunno, somebody who doesn't see me as a BMI?

Mine is 21.5, up from 20.5 about a year ago.

I'm 5'10" and 150lb.

6'1" 205 pounds, BMI = 27.0. In the middle of the "overweight" category. :(

As a normal male, I'm attracted by appearance, but I fell for my current GF because of personality.

No idea what my BMI is, but I'm gonna go exercise so I don't get fat. ;)

My BMI has been at Obese for many years. Which people are really surprised about when I tell them. I don't even look overweight.

yeah, according the bmi scale i'm 'overweight'. and according to both the ymca and navy body fat% calculations, i clock in with about 13 or 14% body fat. funny, that.

I'm either around 5'11" or 6'... My ID card says the latter, though measuring tape says the former. Eh, whatever.

My BMI is around 19 either way, as I hover around 138 to 140 pounds.

BMI is fallible for many more reasons than that. BMI is a fudged calculation which only works for a specific group of people: sedentary adults of average height.

Anyone with average or above-average muscle mass breaks the scale because it's calibrate only to height and weight, so it's assuming a density for you.

Anyone who deviates from average height breaks the scale because it assumes that your ideal weight is proportional to the square of your height. Since we're not 2-dimensional, that's obviously absurb. As such, extremely short people are incorrently reported to be underweight, and extremely tall people are incorrectly reported to be overweight.

Also, when I was 21 I was 5'10" and weighed 126 lb. BMI says I was less than 2 lb underweight.

I was a skeleton. People were afraid to look at me. I was at least 20 lb. lighter than I should have been.

BMI is fallible for many more reasons than that. BMI is a fudged calculation which only works for a specific group of people: sedentary adults of average height.

Anyone with average or above-average muscle mass breaks the scale because it's calibrate only to height and weight, so it's assuming a density for you.

Anyone who deviates from average height breaks the scale because it assumes that your ideal weight is proportional to the square of your height. Since we're not 2-dimensional, that's obviously absurb. As such, extremely short people are incorrently reported to be underweight, and extremely tall people are incorrectly reported to be overweight.

Also, when I was 21 I was 5'10" and weighed 126 lb. BMI says I was less than 2 lb underweight.

I was a skeleton. People were afraid to look at me. I was at least 20 lb. lighter than I should have been.

I'm in agreement here. The BMI index says that I'm close to being underweight, though that's far from the truth; I have a lot of lean body mass (muscle mass). Most of it's in my legs and arms, though. I'd say my body fat percentage on my limbs is around 3% combined. :p

Also, when I was 21 I was 5'10" and weighed 126 lb.

!!!

holy shit, why?

30.1 (obese) :(

I would just like to point out that I haven't weighed myself lately, so I assumed 170lbs. I also entered 5'3" though I think I am closer to 5'4". I also have an unreasonably large chest. I look somewhat like a top. Skinny on the bottom, fat on the top. I'm going to go hide now. Possibly cry.

5'1", 155lbs, 29.3.

I don't appear to be overweight? :confused:

I look for personality, looks do not mean anything to me for the most part, as I've had boyfriends from all across the board, from morbidly obese to ungodly skinny.

5'3" 100, yeah im not that skinny, youre 2 in taller and 55lbs heavier, heres a pic of me(running)(i ran 18:27 yayayya PR): (attatched)

My BMI is 17.3 (probably misleading because I'm only 16), my height is 5'6", and my weight is 107 lbs.

well mine says I'm normal though I always thought I was a tad skinny

good news for me I can now afford to not eat that last donut :)

though of course I'm 16 so I could be wrong

edit: my stuff: BMI 22.8 height 185cm weight 78 KG

Hmm, 24 or so. Just under overweight, at 5'10 and 160.

I can go down to 130 and not be underweight... I have a new goal, haha

17.5 Not surprised.

1.5 over the overweight mark, but then I already knew I was out of shape. I really need to figure out an exercise program or activity that I can get into enough that I would actually enjoy working out.

I'm sexy. :cool:

I am 177 lbs, 5 feet 11.5 inches tall, and the BMI calculator doesn't allow halves of inches. So depending on which way I do it, I'm either about 24 or 25, just the skinny side of overweight.

I'm one of the healthier people I know, thanks largely to a psychotic metabolism (my diet is about 3000-3500 calories, and that's when I'm inactive) and probably just a good immune system and all. I have a lot of muscle mass, though admittedly a little more belly than might be ideal. Ideal for me would probably be about 170 lbs.

In other people, I generally prefer normal weight, but not too skinny. Overweight is alright on some girls (it varies from person to person), but I am definitely not attracted to obesity.

Hah, you all think you've got it bad. According to BMI I am a walking timebomb.

5'9" and 275 lbs.

I do carry a fairly minor beer gut, but even at the prime peak of my physical conditioning I still weighed in at 230 lbs. Since then I have in fact built more muscle mass, but the kind of job I worked had me on the road for weeks at a time and a 14 hr work day. Not much time for good food as a rule.

Anyways, it is pretty obvious BMI is a very useless method of determining health, or even a general indicator of health.

If I weighed where I should for being 5'9" I would be in a casket. 'Nuff said.

I am 177 lbs, 5 feet 11.5 inches tall, and the BMI calculator doesn't allow halves of inches. So depending on which way I do it, I'm either about 24 or 25, just the skinny side of overweight.

I'm one of the healthier people I know, thanks largely to a psychotic metabolism (my diet is about 3000-3500 calories, and that's when I'm inactive) and probably just a good immune system and all. I have a lot of muscle mass, though admittedly a little more belly than might be ideal. Ideal for me would probably be about 170 lbs.

In other people, I generally prefer normal weight, but not too skinny. Overweight is alright on some girls (it varies from person to person), but I am definitely not attracted to obesity.

You think your metabolism is psychotic? I can't gain more than ten pounds in a given week, and that's if I totally stuff myself. And that's when I'm inactive. I'll be staying around 140 pounds for a long time to come...

...And that's where the fun begins. Tonight, I'll be finishing off a whole Cadbury Dairy Milk bar. I'll most likely lose weight in doing so. :p

My BMI is 20.8. However, I'm sure this is misleading, because I get very little exercise, so it's not much muscle. BUT a lot of it is in my boobs. BUT I do have cellulite. BUT I look good anyway, unless you think cellulite is the most disgusting thing in the world.

Anyway, who cares.

!!!

holy shit, why?
I was just really thin as a child, and at 21 I had only just begun to fill out (when I reached full height at 19 I weighed only 118).

Doctors had me on a 6000 calorie/day diet and everything. I just burned calories too fast. Way too fast.