BMI

Have you calculated your BMI recently?

During my first few months post op I spent all my time concentrating on my weight loss numbers and completely forgot about my BMI that had been so important in determining my eligibility for wls.

How exciting to see that I had gone from morbidly obese to obese and then to overweight.  Now, I'm working toward healthy weight and am doing very well towards that goal.

Of course, we all know that BMI is a result of many variables, just as pounds lost on a short person may show more than on a taller person, but, damn!, it sure does make me feel good seeing myself getting closer to normal just seven months out from being morbidly obese.

Check yours and you may have one more way to celebrate your success!

marty

Yes, you can watch the BMI go down just as you can watch the scale go down, but for many people the BMI (which is nothing more than a simple height-weight ratio developed a couple of centuries ago) isn't a very good indicator of a healthy weight.  

For anyone who is more muscular than "average", or has bones that are more dense than "average" (which happens to many people who were VERY overweight for many years, especially the keg bones that have to support all that weight), or has a large amount of excess skin, or who naturally has very large breasts (actual breast tissue, not fat) or a very large butt, etc. the BMI will be significantly higher.  Similarly, for women who are very petite (gymnast-sized), even if they are overweight, their tiny frame will cause their BMI to be normal.

Body fat percentage is actually the best indicator of a truly healthy weight since it takes bone and muscle mass into account.

Lora

Thanks for responding to my post.

You are correct ****rogirl PhD, in pointing out the broad variables, but BMI is something that we all depended on before surgery and anyone with a scale and a pencil can calculate.

I edited my original post to address the variables but my lowering BMI brings me joy and I'm going to hold on to that feeling!

Congratulations on your efforts, basilmk!  I am scheduled for surgery on September 10, and you are an inspiration to me and likely to others as well! I look forward to counting down the pounds and my BMI towards a healthy me. I look forward to being able to get off the sofa without great effort, and to walk outdoors through the neighborhood without it being such a struggle? Gosh, I can't wait! I look forward to soaking in a regular sized bathtub without feeling stuck in it, lol. Most of all I look forward to being healthy! If I follow my plan, as it seems you are doing, I can do this!

Congratulations! I'm so close to moving over to the overweight & I will be so excited when that day arrives!