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Classed as Obese by BMI

LegacyUser

I'm devastated and I don't know what to do. I just weighed myself and was absolutely shocked by the figure, when I entered my height (5'4) and the weight into a BMI calculator it classed me as obese! I'm so shocked I don't know what to do.

I'm 19 and I've suffered from an eating disorder for most of my life (EDNOS which leant towards anorexia) and I can't believe how heavy I've gotten since I last weighed myself (over a year ago). To help myself recover I threw away the scales, ate healthily and exercised (not to extreme though unlike before) and I thought I was doing great! Until today I found weighing scales in my sister's room and couldn't resist. Yes I understand I would put up weight but not this amount!

To look at me, I look a healthy weight (I'm not kidding - this is partially why I'm stumped at the figure). I'm an hour glass type figure, but I'm toned. I have wide shoulders, average sized boobs, small waist (with a flat stomach) and then larger hips, thighs and butt with long slimmer legs. But I would hardly expect to be classed as obese! Also I'm quite aware muscle is taken into account too, but I don't weight train or anything like that. I walk everywhere everyday and I dance, nothing that would build huge amounts of muscle. I'm so upset right now, I can't even say here what I actually weigh.

What can I do? As I said earlier I already eat healthy foods! I rarely have junk food and I eat between 1500-1700 calories a day. When this happened before I reverted back to eating literally nothing and I just don't want to go back there. Please some help and guidance is appreciated.

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Lisha

I really think you need to have a chat with your gp as soon as possible .
If you have a flat stomach I really can't see that you could be very over weight.

Please talk to gp or anyone .

You've done such an amazing thing battling your eating disorder please don't let this be undone.

Best wishes

bmwguy

Bear in mind that practivally every professional rugby player (think Paul O Connell 17 stone plus, Tommy Bowe who looks like a male model is 16 stone) would be classed as overweight or obese by using BMI alone. Get a body fat reading instead. BMI simply divides weight by height or vice versa can't remember which, and leaves out so many factors. You don't sound uncomfortable with yourself apart from the result in some little test

LegacyUser

Hey guys, OP here again.

After reading the number on the scales I was in so much shock (plus the fact that I was balling crying and my vision was blurred) that when I put in the number into the BMI calculator I mixed the obese category up with the over-weight one. I then posted on this immediately, so I didn't have time to look at it properly until after I posted this thread. That makes it a little easier to digest but the fact is I'm still mid- way in the over-weight section upsets me.

Thanks for the replies so far, they mean a lot to me.

sunflower27: That's a relief anyway. I'm a similar size - UK size 10, probably why I was a bit shocked too. Always deemed that as a healthy size.

Lisha: I can't afford a GP visit unfortunately, 50 euro is well out of my range. But I'm going to college in September and I think it's only 10 euro for a consultation there.

bmwguy: Thanks. I do take that into account but I'm not very muscular, if I was- the BMI result wouldn't matter that much.

ceegee

bmwguy wrote: »

Bear in mind that practivally every professional rugby player (think Paul O Connell 17 stone plus, Tommy Bowe who looks like a male model is 16 stone) would be classed as overweight or obese by using BMI alone. Get a body fat reading instead. BMI simply divides weight by height or vice versa can't remember which, and leaves out so many factors. You don't sound uncomfortable with yourself apart from the result in some little test

Im not sure how relevant it is to bring up professional rugby players, for the average person bmi is a useful indicator. That said the op should try not to pay too much heed to the numbers on the scale and carry on eating healthily and exercising

bmwguy

Amelia19 wrote: »

Hey guys, OP here again.

After reading the number on the scales I was in so much shock (plus the fact that I was balling crying and my vision was blurred) that when I put in the number into the BMI calculator I mixed the obese category up with the over-weight one. I then posted on this immediately, so I didn't have time to look at it properly until after I posted this thread. That makes it a little easier to digest but the fact is I'm still mid- way in the over-weight section upsets me.

Thanks for the replies so far, they mean a lot to me.

sunflower27: That's a relief anyway. I'm a similar size - UK size 10, probably why I was a bit shocked too. Always deemed that as a healthy size.

Lisha: I can't afford a GP visit unfortunately, 50 euro is well out of my range. But I'm going to college in September and I think it's only 10 euro for a consultation there.

bmwguy: Thanks. I do take that into account but I'm not very muscular, if I was- the BMI result wouldn't matter that much.

No problem, its just your description of yourself as having wide shoulders and a flat stomach is consistent with BMI being misleading. I am of average height for a man and 100kg but dont feel I'm overweight. I am a member of a personal training gym and the guy that owns it refuses to have a scales in the place, he measures results with body fat readings and photographing our bodies (in the name of progress of course!) like before and after shots. I know he would not entertain something like BMI either.

meeeeh

Are you sure you did everything right? I'm size 12, about 5'5" and in the top of normal range.

Zen65

Amelia19 wrote: »

sunflower27: That's a relief anyway. I'm a similar size - UK size 10, probably why I was a bit shocked too. Always deemed that as a healthy size.

If you're a size 10 I can't understand how you'd be overweight! Is it possible the scales you're using is out-of-calibration, or the floor is uneven? You'd probably get a better, more reliable reading in a pharmacy (which can be free).

Of course it's possible you have a very low body-fat ratio, which is healthy, but can mean your weight is heavier than somebody with the same build having average fat ratio would have.

In any event don't panic, BMI is a guideline, it's not an absolute measure. A healthy eating routine is great to have so don't rush to make any changes.

Be at peace,

Z

surewhoknows

At 5'4'' and a size 10 you cant be near obese or even overweight. I would definitely check another scales. The flooring you have the scales on can influence its accuracy too as someone else suggested and if its a cheapish scales it doesnt take much to have them go wrong.
Also consider at what part of your menstrual cycle you are, this could be responsible for 2-4 pounds.

Felt tip

Hey O.P,

Just want reiterate what everyone else has said, sometimes people need to hear it a few times before it sinks in!!

B.M.I is very much just to be used as an indicator. You are healthy weight and size for your height and you seem to be happy and comfortable.

In college the doctor and counsellor should be free or at least very cheap but if u feel this may be a trigger (which judging by your reaction it may be) I would strongly advise u to see someone ASAP. A lot of doctors, dietitians etc have reduced rates for unemployed and students so ask around.

As you know it's a long road out if eating disorder territory so whatever you have to do to make sure you don't slip back DO IT.

All the best xxx

LegacyUser

Hey everyone, OP here.

Thank you all for the replies.

I thought it over last night and it doesn't seem much of a big deal anymore. I know I'm fit and healthy, the waist to hip ratio is perfectly fine and deems me as healthy so I'm not too bothered anymore about my BMI. I know it's not worth slipping back into the throes of an eating disorder again anyway. Even when I was at my lowest weight during that time I was in the healthy category (that was the main reason I was diagnosed with EDNOS and not anorexia because I wasn't underweight for my height) but looked very emaciated so it might be something to do with how I carry my weight or bone structure, I'm not too sure tbh. But I most definitely would never go back there.

Anyway, again thanks guys for the kind words and helpful advice. I appreciate it.

Powerhouse

I'm no expert on this stuff but would not put much heed in a BMI measure. By those standards Brian O'Driscoll (5'10' & 15st 5lbs) and Paul O'Connell (6'6" & 18st 8lbs) are obese, despite having enviable physiques. You could have two people of the exact same height and weight - one overwieght the other superfit despending on build, muscle mass etc.

Know you own ideal weight and clothes size and be guided by that.

anthony4335

As other have said BMI is only an idicator. There are other scales and measures that are better, such as an actual measure of body fat percentage. If you are happy with your shape and are fit and healthy this is more important than measuring 25 or below on a scale that only measures 2 point of reference.

Honey-ec

Felt tip wrote: »

You are healthy weight and size for your height

We don't know what weight she is. Now, I would agree that based on everything she has posted about her body shape, clothes size and hip-to-waist ratio, she is more than likely not hugely overweight, but she chose not to post her actual weight so I don't see how you could decide that she's a healthy weight for her size.

OP, I think the best thing you could do is get a body-fat measurement done. A lot of gyms will do these for free as part of an initial consultation. As others have pointed out, BMI is just a guideline, but people using professional rugby players as proof of how "wrong" it can be isn't particularly helpful for the average person, who isn't carrying wads of muscle.

reprazant

Powerhouse wrote: »

I'm no expert on this stuff but would not put much heed in a BMI measure. By those standards Brian O'Driscoll (5'10' & 15st 5lbs) and Paul O'Connell (6'6" & 18st 8lbs) are obese, despite having enviable physiques. You could have two people of the exact same height and weight - one overwieght the other superfit despending on build, muscle mass etc.

Unless you are comparing the op to a professional rugby player, this comparison as no real relevance. BMI may not be exact but it is a good indicator for most people.

fits

Are you sure you're not mixing up lbs and kgs or something like that?

If you're 5'5 and size ten you're not overweight and you shouldnt be in overweight category either.

Pang

Body fat measurements really are the recommended way to go. BMI does not take into account that muscle weighs more. I know a number of people with amazing bodies who are in the overweight category of the BMI chart.

Please do not be discouraged by your BMI score.

LegacyUser

"She is more than likely not hugely overweight"

That comment annoyed me a little tbh. I'm not overweight by any standards, honestly. That's basically why I was so shocked in the first place. When you suffer from an eating disorder, it never fully goes away but there are ways of coping with it - for me that was plenty of exercise (that I enjoyed) and eating healthy food. Counting calories is most definitely no problem for me, ask me the calorie content of anything and I'll know it straightaway from years of obsessing over food. I never ever go over my calorie count, even at Christmas. I would never let myself go. To look at me, I most definitely look like I'm in the healthy category, seriously (sorry if that comes across as arrogant in any way). I'm toned and I may have retained the muscle I built up when I was doing a lot of strenuous exercise a year or so ago.

The weighing scales that I used are very old but I'm really not bothered buying new ones or even weighing myself in the pharmacy, that'll just cause me to obsess over something that's not even worthy of my time. (I'm not even supposed to be going near weighing scales.) I know myself, that's not denial - that's the blatant truth. If I was actually overweight, I would lose the weight but I'm perfectly fine as I am.

As for the body fat measurement suggestion, there's no gym near me (well in my home town) but I possibly will get one done when I'm in college. Thanks for the suggestion.

But as I said before I'm not overweight, the BMI indicator was wrong and I'm not going to get caught up in something that shouldn't even bother me in the slightest. Having said that I'm not making any comparisons with myself and a rugby player's weight, that's ludicrous but I know myself that I am no where near overweight.

meeeeh

I think it's unfair to be annoyed at person posting that comment. You posted that you are classified as obese or overweight and from other details you posted (dress size, height) most people if not all concluded it's unlikely that you are overweight but nobody can say it for definite because we don't have enough info. I think you should still visit a GP or try to get some counseling. I hate to be blunt but from your posts it's clear you haven't dealt with your weight issues yet.

wallycharlo

OP, what BMI value did you compute at exactly?

The offical definition is that anything 25 or over is 'overweight'. That said, and in my own opinion at least, those with a BMI of 26-27 will usually not look (or most likely feel themselves) in any way 'overweight'. Most 'normal' looking people you come across in every day life will be 25 or over. That said, BMI is the universal yardstick which is used as a guage here, and if your BMI is 25 or over then you are indeed technically overweight (The Obese rating starts at 30).

It's also worth noting too that if you exercise a lot, and have a larger muscle mass than average as a result, then your BMI will be higher than expected, as muscle is denser than fat. You mention that you have being doing a lot of strenuous exercise in the past, so this could certainly apply in your case I would imagine.

By the way, just FYI, even a cheapish scales these days will give you a body fat read-out.

Emme

meeeeh wrote: »

I think it's unfair to be annoyed at person posting that comment. You posted that you are classified as obese or overweight and from other details you posted (dress size, height) most people if not all concluded it's unlikely that you are overweight but nobody can say it for definite because we don't have enough info. I think you should still visit a GP or try to get some counseling. I hate to be blunt but from your posts it's clear you haven't dealt with your weight issues yet.

I second this but the OP described her build in the first post. She sounds like a mesomorph, these people tend to carry more muscle than other categories (the rounder endomorph and the slender ectomorph). Even when endomorphs don't do a huge amount of training they carry muscle. Muscle has a higher mass than fat so this is why the OP may weigh "heavier" than she looks. Indeed, somebody of a different body type may look bigger than the OP at a slightly lighter weight.

Here's an example of different body types:

http://www.bodydietwiki.com/body-type-ectomorph-mesomorph-endomorph-pictures-examples/

My BMI is slightly "overweight" and I am 5'5" and a size 10-12.

Jane Eyre

I am about a stone overweight. I have no idea what my BMI is, but I can tell by looking in the mirror. When I was a stone lighter, I was neither slim nor fat. I know that the way to get the weight down is to do more exercise and eat less fats and carbs. And I will do it, just as soon as I finish this cake...:)

Seriously, we have to love ourselves a bit more.

Emme

wallycharlo wrote: »

OP, what BMI value did you compute at exactly?

The offical definition is that anything 25 or over is 'overweight'. That said, and in my own opinion at least, those with a BMI of 26-27 will usually not look (or most likely feel themselves) in any way 'overweight'. Most 'normal' looking people you come across in every day life will be 25 or over. That said, BMI is the universal yardstick which is used as a guage here, and if your BMI is 25 or over then you are indeed technically overweight (The Obese rating starts at 30).

It's also worth noting too that if you exercise a lot, and have a larger muscle mass than average as a result, then your BMI will be higher than expected, as muscle is denser than fat. You mention that you have being doing a lot of strenuous exercise in the past, so this could certainly apply in your case I would imagine.

By the way, just FYI, even a cheapish scales these days will give you a body fat read-out.

Sometimes electronic methods of body fat measurement can be inaccurate leading to unnecessary worry. I had two completely different readings on two consecutive days with the electronic method. I was the same weight on both days.

The best way to get a body fat reading is to go to a reputable gym and get a qualified person to physically measure it with callipers and work it out.

MeMeJK1

Use body fat calipers. Take skin-fold measurements on your abs, obliques, triceps, back, legs, and chest. If these numbers are getting smaller on a weekly basis, you know you’re losing fat. All you need is one of these cheap body fat calipers to get the job done. I would never go after a number on a scale as they can be terribly misleading.