Overweight? Seriously?

[bjarvis]

I'm 5'9", 180lbs currently. According to the Body Mass Index (BMI), I'm overweight. Indeed, I need to lose about 12lbs to fit their definition of a healthy weight.

I am working towards a better body --just as soon as I finish off these boxes of girl scout thin mint cookies-- but cutting back by 12lbs is a bit extreme.

Comments

[tdjohnsn.livejournal.com]

BMI is only a rough guide. That said, 168 sounds about right.

Tracking body fat percentage (via bio electric resistance or an inexpensive pair of calipers) is a much better guide to how you are doing than weight, since what matters health wise is your percentage of lean body mass to fat. 5' 9" 180lbs means one thing if you are 22% body fat (which is my guess at where you are), but you would be built like a porn star at 12% and be weak and doughy at 30% all while weighing the same thing.

From what I have read 18% is the top range of healthy for men, with 12 to 15 being optimal. I'm at 19 now (5' 10", 165lbs), but my goal is 15. Ron is at 20 and he wants to be at 12 like Christpher. It's really hard though. As a culture we eat way too many things that aren't lean meats and veggies and even once you get what you eat dialed in, there is temptation and old habits everywhere.

Youre looking good though. The extra muscle mass looks really good on your frame!