"Body Type " in our profile.

[_Joe_]

We have 3 choices

Slimmer than Average
Average
Larger than Average.

So as most folks in chat now, every single night I'm online I'm normally on my exercise bike biking away while I chat. I am about to hit a milestone and was going to change it but not sure what as I'm now questioning what is "Average"

So I decided to google up statistics

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/overwt.htm

Percent of noninstitutionalized adults age 20 years and over who are overweight or obese: 66%

Ok, so going by the majority percentage, the "average" person in the U.S. is Obese or overweight.

So I decided to find out what technically was obese, and for that it seems you need your BMI.

http://www.californiabariatrics.net/am-i-morbidly-obese.html

BMI Categories:

* Underweight = <18.5
* Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
* Overweight = 25-29.9
* Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
* Severely Obese = BMI of 35.1 or Greater
* Morbidly Obese = BMI of 40.1 or Greater

So like, I know we as ourselves like to think "Average" is "normal weight", and Larger than average is Overweight and above, and Slimmer than average is Undereweight.... but damn according to the center for disease control, the "average" American is ... obese.

So I'm just now confounded as I have recently become a workout nut (which wasn't with the goal in mind to lose weight mind you, I'm fighting my ailing daily health due to crohns disease).

So why am I going off on this? I was about to break into overweight from obese and seems I am .... well, average all along. Damn me when I calculated how much more I have to go till "Normal", and wow to at least say ONE thing is Normal about me would be so freaky I would probably have a stroke.

I know I know

I worry about the stupid little things.

And now if I can make someone else worry about it, its like a song stuck in your head, maybe I'll be cured.

me keeps humming New in Town by Little boots.

[M. Wolfe]

I'm tall, naturally muscular and solidly built (broad shoulders + barrel chest, etc.) and am not fat. I weigh about 105-110 kg giving my a very high BMI.

It doesn't take everything into account.


(which wasn't with the goal in mind to lose weight mind you, I'm fighting my ailing daily health due to crohns disease).
Goodness. One of my best friends and potential romantic interests has Crohns. It's not great.

[TaylorMade]

The BMI isn't a total bible of weight (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14483512/). . . I admit I go by two things. . .

Body Shape and endurance.

Right now, I'm 5'3" and ~170. According to the BMI, I'm "slightly overweight". But, I've been working out, adding muscle to my frame/burning fat. And as we all know, muscle weighs more than fat.

Body shape, however tells a different story. . .I'm lucky enough to have an hourglass/cokebottle frame. More importantly, I'm in proportion for my frame.

And today...I put in 40 min of cardio with some weight work.

Yeah, I think I'm meeting average quite well. :D

*Taylor*

[AdamKadmon43]

I am much more interested in people's Brain Mass Index than I am their Body Mass Index.

[_Joe_]

Ya, I know BMI isnt the final word in it. I was at a water park today and boy, I looked slimmer than tons of folks I've seen. My wife says its bs to as my upper body build is bigger than what she sees in most men.

But when you're on a bike bored for 2 hours a night, you just google all around and roll the numbers in your head and kill time.


Goodness. One of my best friends and potential romantic interests has Crohns. It's not great.

Ugh. I'm sorry. I know personally between 4 years ago and today the main change is I want a tattoo on my ass that now says "EXIT ONLY"

I actually joke that crohns is the little blessing that helps me not stray outside the marriage. Who would want a piece of my ass now ?!

[fredtyg]

I don't worry all that much about technical stuff. I just look at a guy and, if he's wearing a shirt and his belly sticks out from the front, I consider that overweight.

Girls? I'm very easy on them.

[graytwo]

...I actually joke that crohns is the little blessing that helps me not stray outside the marriage. Who would want a piece of my ass now ?!

Crohn's disease is really nasty see:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/crohns-disease/DS00104

Actually Joe, not sure what's worse. I have Crohn's like you or seeing that 'dancing guy' on all your posts.

-graytwo

[_Joe_]

oh man, don't be knocking mr happy dancing dude! he's the bees knees!

[graytwo]

oh man, don't be knocking mr happy dancing dude! he's the bees knees!

OK? Whatever you say about the bees knees and mr happy.

[M. Wolfe]

Ugh. I'm sorry. I know personally between 4 years ago and today the main change is I want a tattoo on my ass that now says "EXIT ONLY"

I actually joke that crohns is the little blessing that helps me not stray outside the marriage. Who would want a piece of my ass now ?!Yes well it made me think twice about him but then again, it's not like it isn't manageable. Just probably means that if something develops between the two of us, my ass will probably say not 'exit only' but something like "LOADING BAY"



oh man, don't be knocking mr happy dancing dude! he's the bees knees!

Lol, I adblocked that image looooong ago. It was funny the first time.

[**Peg**]

....Lol, I adblocked that image looooong ago..

oh please tell me HOW ?! (no offense Joe)

[Holmes]

The BMI wa not design to measure obesity it was a social construct to determine ones social standing in society . How it became a health indicator is beyond me. Too many things can and do throw off the measurements

[_Joe_]

:(

Ok. he's retired.

[Shhhhh 47/F/usa]

I don't care what anyone says...I for one LOVE Mr. Happy Dancing Guy and am gonna miss him terribly!

[just4mefc]

Hi all,

Well first let me say I am a Certified Health/Fitness Instructor with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and in case you don't know, this is the highest certification available in the United States. So I do have some expertise on this subject. The BMI is not a social construct. It is used to determine the health risk of body weight. The primary usage is for creating health/life insurance tables. For years and years the only question was "what do you weigh?" and we all know this was a joke. Research has shown time and again that location of body fat is a major indicator of risk. Body fat located at the waist having a much higher risk profile. I won't go into all the problems with the research data (since men have more weight at waist and more heart attacks, then of course more wt at waist will equate too more risk, ..etc...etc...) The national goal with the public use of BMI is to get people who are "obese" to lose weight, see their doctor and reduce their health risk. So in this context the BMI is a good tool for doing mass screenings of large populations. However, as a tool for individual assessment of obesity, it sucks (and not in a good way). The best bet is to have your body fat percentage measured. BF% accounts for all the non-fat mass of the body. Example: 2 women with the same body wt and ht can have identical BMI's and yet have very different amounts of body fat. Muscle mass and genetic pre disposition to location of BF can effect the BMI. Ok so sounds simple right? Just get your BF% measured. Ok but how? Well first off do NOT rely on the systems that measure your BF by holding or standing on two electronic sensors, this is a great way to measure your hydration but horrible for BF%. Under water weighing is still considered the gold standard for accuracy and if you have access to the test I suggest you go for it. The problem - it is very hard to find a facility that offers the test and it can cost over $100. The best bet for most people is to call a local gym and ask if they have any trainers who are trained and qualified to do "skinfold" testing. This is where the tester pulls out and folds over your skin at 3 different points and measures the width of the pinch with a set of calibrated calipers. Now understand this test has its down sides too, so to increase the accuracy find someone with lots of experience and always use the same person for your testing. It should not cost more then $25 (your mileage may vary) is much more accurate then BMI and is relatively easy to find.

:)

p.s. Keep up the workouts. The data shows that people who get plenty of exercise (minimum 20 minutes per day in heart rate training zone 3 times per week) have a significantly reduced risk of disease regardless of BMI.

[M. Wolfe]

oh please tell me HOW ?! (no offense Joe)

LOL. Well if you've got firefox, just go here (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865) and download the add-on. Then watch the youtube overview (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNvb2SjVjjI).

[DiamondDog]

Where's the body type option for athletic?