By: Matt Stone
I was just reflecting once again on how silly the BMI, or Body Mass Index concept is. It's is an absolute abomination that there is not a separate chart for men and women. For example, my girlfriend and I have similar body compositions - not excessively lean and not excessively fat. Our waist measurements are both about 8 inches below the official "danger zone" for men and women respectively. Yet, her BMI is 21 - on the low side of normal, and mine is just under 27 - right in the middle of what is considered the overweight range.
It's ridiculous. My weight is heavy for my appearance and body fat content precisely because of the health enhancements I've had over the years. I have very dense bones, well-nourished and vibrant organs, dense muscles, and my cells are very well-hydrated - all signs of someone with a flourishing metabolism. Yet, the BMI says I'm overweight, and that at 128 pounds I am in the "normal range." This is nuts. I have less than 5% body fat at 160-165, and 128 is supposed to be normal? You've gotta be kidding me.
Ignore the BMI. Do as Bruce suggests:
EAT FREELY OF HIGH-QUALITY FOODS!
With persistence, metabolic healing is destined to take place - the end result is a well-nourished and smoothly-functioning version of YOU.
The OTHER U.S. “Blue Zone”
4 years ago
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5 comments:
BMI is unreliable, esp when they use the same ideal range for men and women. It's better to go by waist size, or waist/hip ratio. How tall are you, Matt?
I've noticed that I am smaller than guys the same height and weight. Like you, it is probably because I'm better hydrated, have stronger bones, etc. People who eat lots of sugar and junk vegetable oils do not have a good body composition because their body is made out of junk.
I'm 5'9" and typically about 175 pounds, give or take 3-5 pounds. I have been as high as 182 and lean though, which puts me right at a BMI of 27
Aajonus is shorter than you (around 5'8") and claims to weigh like 180. Raw dairy or full-fat milk probably makes the body more dense. How true that you should "eat freely of high quality foods" (real food). Let the chips fall where they may.
What sets you and I apart from the diet gurus is that we see the vast complexity of diet and health. You acknowledge that there are lots of variables and potential strategies that can give benefits. As you are finding with your FUDA experiment, a diet high in unrefined carbs and low in fat can lower blood sugar & insulin levels, contrary to Taubes and others dogma that blames carbs for all modern diseases. The main benefits come from avoiding sugar, bleached enriched flour, and PUFA vegetable oils. Beyond that, there is a lot of room for debate.
Oh how exciting, My two nutrition friends in the same place.
Love to see you posting over here Matt and welcome back Bruce.
Hope you'll both be interested in guesting on new blog at www.adventuresinrecovery.wordpress.com
I'll gonna be talking up a storm about all kinds of addictions and looking at it from many different angles. Including how I healed my eating disorder by eating freely of nutritional foods other than junk, sugar and veggies oils.
Anyway it won't be too scientific cos I'd like it to be useful for beginners to help educate them.
Ok great to see everyone here
pipxx
I realize this is an older post. Anyhow, I agree with this discussion on BMI. I have lost noticeable body fat over the past year, but my weight has not changed more than 5 lbs. I do not own a scale, but I was weighed at the doctor's office. I was shocked b/c I was certain I would weight at least 15 lbs less than my last visit. I am much healthier now, and I am hoping my bones are getting dense. BMI, like a lot of our health system's measurements is bogus. You can't quantify health by weight. It is severely short-sighted.
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