In Search Of: BMI Alternatives

The more I learn about the BMI, the less satisfied with it. It only measures thickness, not fitness, or body content. I am under no illusions about this. I know I am not hiding an Olympian's body in here. My muscle mass is not throwing off the scale so much. But I also know that the BMI was a tool never deisgned to measure individuals, rather it is supposed to be used to measure populations. And I am not satisfied that the BMI tells me as much about my health or health risks that I would want.

However, the BMI is an easy tool to use. So it is used. A lot. And everyone seems to know it is not a perfect tool. Everyone seems to have a rider, or waiver about BMI being a tool that may or may not accurately describe your fat content, but we still all use it. (I'm looking at you, Florine!)

So I am looking at alternatives to the BMI scale. And some are kicking up some unexpected results.

According to the BMI scale, I am "Obese." (Still have to shift 17 lbs to become "overweight.")

According to the Body Adiposity Index (BAI), I am "Overweight.) (I can either lose 2" around my hips, or wait to turn 40 to become a healthy weight.)

According to the Waist Circumfrence Measurement (WCM), I am "at risk." (Me and Ashley Graham, apparently.)

According to the Waist to Hip Ratio, I am "Normal Weight." (Thanks, bum!)

According to the Waist to Height Ratio, I am "Overweight." (To become a normal weight, I can either lose 3" around my waist, or get 7" taller...hmmm...)

According to Julie, a case aid in my office, I am "a skinny bitch." (She has always been my favourite.)

I also periodically get my fat content measured, and that I have found very eye opening. I had always imagined by body was mostly fat. I certainly feel like I am mostly fat. But in reality, I am made of a lot of stuff that isn't fat. Yes, I do have extra fat, that I am working to shift. But not nearly as much as I had once thought. But that is not something I can easily calculate myself. So a scale I can plug some measurements into on line, would help keep me on track between visits with the clinician who runs a bit of electricity through me (clinician...not electirican).

Certainly there are some new tools for me to consider. I am reading a lot of good things about the BAI. Maybe that is what I should hitch my horse to for now.

Anyone please with what they are using to measure their progress, set their goals, or determine their value as a human being?

Dana

04/21/2016 5:56AM

Hey Beauty! The two main measuring tools I am using are, simply, measurements (bicep, waist, chest etc) and the fat lb/% on my "fancy" Walmart scale. I think the greatest tool I have is my self image. I have chosen to not listen to the "scientific community" and just listen to how my body feels (sometimes a little too jiggly for my liking) ;) But that's when I step up my game and put in an extra couple of workouts and eat an extra salad. How you feel is 100X's more important than how someone says you should feel:)

Mindy-loo likes this comment.

Mindy-loo

You are so fancy.I totally get what you are saying about how I feel being most important. But these changes have been happening so fast that I like to get a few different sources of where I should be at. Because I don't want to just default to "I must be skinnier." Which has been my whole life, because I have never not needed to lose weight. So how do I know when to stop?

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