103 replies to this topic

[VictorBjoerk]

Hello,Just wondering about the bmi of the members on this forum. This poll is aimed for everyone,the ad lib as well as calorie restricted humans.

For those on CR,What is your height and weight compared to your calorie intake? Interesting to see how it correlate between different people....

Most people here seems to be health-conscious and thin so let's see if there are any exceptions...

What is your personally ideal BMI for aesthetic reasons (not health reasons)?And what kind of BMI do you prefer in a partner if you care about such things....

[VictorBjoerk]

funny video

[Live Forever]

Here is how to calculate it, for anyone that doesn't know:
http://www.whathealt...mi/formula.html

Auto calculator:
http://www.whathealt...calculator.html

[Shannon Vyff]

Right now I'm 18.5, I was 17.3 for years though on more severe CR and when I started I went down to 16.7 (I had a friend think I had cancer at that weight) but I had problems with wound healing, and after half a year went up to 17.3, I'm doing moderate CR now... (my regular days-I fast 17-20 hours, then eat a large healthy meal)

I like this calculator too, it takes into account one's sex and gives you your percentile per the population: http://www.halls.md/...s-index/bmi.htm

[VictorBjoerk]

Right now I'm 18.5, I was 17.3 for years though on more severe CR and when I started I went down to 16.7 (I had a friend think I had cancer at that weight) but I had problems with wound healing, and after half a year went up to 17.3, I'm doing moderate CR now... (my regular days-I fast 17-20 hours, then eat a large healthy meal)

I like this calculator too, it takes into account one's sex and gives you your percentile per the population: http://www.halls.md/...s-index/bmi.htm

Shannon:How many years have you been doing CR and what was your BMI when you started? Have you seen any evidence that you could be aging more slowly?What are the most negative things about it and has it been mentally difficult to follow the regime?

[Live Forever]

Right now I'm 18.5, I was 17.3 for years though on more severe CR and when I started I went down to 16.7 (I had a friend think I had cancer at that weight) but I had problems with wound healing, and after half a year went up to 17.3, I'm doing moderate CR now... (my regular days-I fast 17-20 hours, then eat a large healthy meal)

I like this calculator too, it takes into account one's sex and gives you your percentile per the population: http://www.halls.md/...s-index/bmi.htm

It says on that page this one is a better one for males and links to it: http://www.halls.md/...ss-index/av.htm just fyi (not sure why)

Edited by Live Forever, 02 April 2008 - 07:43 AM.

[Matt]

BMI is 17.2. When I had a BMI of 16.4 I had many comments from friends and family, my grandmother at one time thought I was going to die anytime soon lol. (that was 2.5 years ago). Though I actually felt well at that weight, the social pressures are massive. You really do stand out A LOT. Girls sometimes might get away with it...

According to that calc im in the < 2nd percentile

Edited by Matt, 02 April 2008 - 08:00 AM.

[Johan]

I'm at 17.2 at the moment (5'10" and 120 lbs, or 177 cm and 54 kg). I was at 16.7 a few months ago, but I've increased my calorie intake from 1600 to 1700 kcal/day since I felt that was a bit too low. 1700 kcal/day seems to keep my weight constant at 120 lbs, and I'm happy with that.

Edited by Johan, 02 April 2008 - 12:17 PM.

[JediMasterLucia]

according this site http://www.halls.md/...s-index/bmi.htm, I have a BMI of 21.1 (154 cm and 50 kg)

[ajnast4r]

23.6

[frederickson]

at 6'3, 235 lbs my bmi is just a hair under 30 kg/m2. technically, very close to being "obese".

then again, i have 10% body fat. which is precisely why bmi is such a flawed metric.

we had an in depth debate on whether it is better to be "lean" (as defined by BMI) or "fit" (as defined by markers of strength, cardiovascular health, etc.) in a class recently. while ultimately those in the "fit" camp seemed to have the better evidence, being lean as defined by body fat percentage in small studies and hip to waist ratio in large epidemiological studies still seems to be a decent measure of health.

at the end of the day, i would say my current body composition is about my ideal for myself. perhaps lose a tad more fat and add a bit more muscle, but it is tough for me to get below 10% bf and still keep the size i like (for aesthetic/strength/athletic reasons, since you asked).

in a woman, i suppose the body composition i prefer would be more telling than the bmi. though assuming they are reasonably athletic, i guess i prefer a bmi in the low 20's.

Edited by frederickson, 02 April 2008 - 04:01 PM.

[PMA]

First post wow...have always been a lurker, but I had to comment on the MBI

I agree the BMI is seriously flawed, I am by no means a normal size person (6'7 290lbs) and I have a BMI of 32.7 Now I could stand to lose 10-15lbs, but I am not obese.

Even after a serious illness a couple of years ago I was weighing 255lbs and at 6'7 with a large frame I looked funny and everyone said I needed to gain the weight back. But at 255lbs I still had a BMI of 28.7 (overweight).

I would say 275-280lbs is a perfect weight for me and that's still a BMI of 31+

Now I am not a bodybuilder, but I do workout. (ex-football player)

[Shannon Vyff]

Hah, to answer your questions Shonghow, I was 28.7 when I started CR --but that was six months after my third pregnancy when I was age 25. Usually during the pregnancies, in later high-school, early college and before I was pregnant I was 22.2 .

I took the Kronos age test when I was 30, and came up as a 24 year old http://www.kronoshea...07/Default.aspx

On feel, though, I feel great without the weight--my eyesight became clear, chronic knee pain went away, I gained energy.

I've been doing CR 7 years, and sometimes it is hard to go 17-20 hours without food, but I like the hunger--it means I'm on track, and I enjoy my meal even more The days I don't go a longer time fasting, are days I'm doing a lot more exercise so I'll take a small healthy snack before I'm doing a heavy work out such as aerobics, sports practice (I don't do this for walking on the treadmill for instance). I love the challenge, and it makes me feel good to be fueling my body in the most healthy manner I can.

Welcome PMA, nice to have you contributing You must have the extra weight of muscles.. You also are very tall, and with having a large frame the BMI charts are probably a little skewed for you.

[edward]

I really have issues with BMI as for males especially with muscle mass BMI is really an irrelevant measure. I have been on a ketogenic/paleolithic type diet recently (not to lose weight but I did lose 2 pounds)

My BMI currently is 22 and although I haven't had my bodyfat tested in awhile, judging by the fact that all my abdominal muscles are visible and I can see muscle striations in my abdominals, in bodybuilding terms I would be called "ripped". I'm guessing based upon previous bodyfat readings that I am around 6% right now. Now, with my shirt on I don't look extremely muscular, in fact I look pretty thin as there is very little fat to give the appearance of bulk. Aesthetically I would be happy gaining at least another 10 + pounds of muscle. This would push my BMI to 23 or higher.

See next post for example of why BMI has issues

[edward]

Just an example as to why BMI is problematic.



Mike Bibby NBA basketball player

Height 6ft 1, Weight 190

BMI = 25.1

Technically Overweight!!! according to BMI

ummm I don't think so, by most standards he looks pretty skinny, think about some of the athletes in other sports where muscle mass is more important and consider their BMIs

Edited by edward, 02 April 2008 - 07:36 PM.

[sentinel]

Basically Mis-Information.

[VictorBjoerk]

http://bp1.blogger.c...0-h/1940-28.jpg

BMI is quite problematic.Robert Wadlow was "obese" by BMI standards but he clearly wasn't.But for most of us it applies well and for longevity calorie matters not weight although it tend to correlate as far as I understand.

Does anyone know anything about all well-known studies pointing that the "slightly overweight people live longest" ,how could that possible be true?
How was these studies done to get such a result? It's something that swedish media and people I know occasionally comments..

[Mind]

My BMI = 24.9, mainly due to the muscle I have built up over the last couple months. Gained a little body fat but I think I am still under 10% (before my muscle-building experiment BMI was 21.1). BMI may be flawed, but it is a good starting point for most average people to assess their health and weight.

[Matt]

BMI may still be valid for the overall population... because there are exceptions because of people who train, go to the gym etc..., doesn't mean it is of no use. The majority of americans who have a BMI of 25 or above is definitely not muscle lol.

[Shannon Vyff]

Underwater testing is supposed to work better for athletes: http://www.topendspo.../underwater.htm

[frederickson]

Underwater testing is supposed to work better for athletes: http://www.topendspo.../underwater.htm

underwater testing, or hydrostatic testing, is the most accurate assessment of bodyfat percentage and probably the best indicator of body composition.

i think more studies are going to use waist to hip ratio going forward as it is not much more difficult to assess than bmi and more telling.

[forever freedom]

My BMI is currently 22.2

[didierc]

My BMI is more or less 22,5. Two years ago, I was slightly under 30. I lost 25 kilos. My goal is among other things to live longer.

Didier C.

[Matt]

It is nice to see that most people here have BMI at 18.5-22!

[zoolander]

mine is 22.1

[VictorBjoerk]

Interesting to see the distribution curve

Statistically most people would be overweight here but it doesn't seem to be like that. I had expected that there would be more obese but also more moderately underweight people here.

[Alpha-Frequency]

Shannon, are you on the Warrior Diet approach to CR?

[forever freedom]

Interesting to see the distribution curve

Statistically most people would be overweight here but it doesn't seem to be like that. I had expected that there would be more obese but also more moderately underweight people here.

Overweight?? Why did you expect that? I wouldn't call myself a life extensionist if i were overweight, neither would i be around this forum so frequently. I would be soo hypocrite (to myself!) to stay around here while being overweight...

[FunkOdyssey]

<-- 22.0