Only my head is fat.
I was reading a post in my reader -
How I Eat - by well-known food author and personality David Lebovitz, and saw a link to the CDC
BMI Calculator (BMI - Body Mass Index)
I've figured my BMI before, but it's been a while. I remember doing it about 10 years ago on my mom's computer and getting the results that I was "morbidly obese". Yikes. I was concerned, but my mom reassured me (which mothers do so well) that I wasn't all that fat and that she was sure there were other variables to take into consideration, such as body frame, muscularity, etc.
Still, when I have seen BMI calculators since that time, I avoided them. I didn't need the reminder that I was fat - the little tag on my pants told me I was every time I put them on.
I went ahead and plugged in my height - 5'11" - and weight - 185lbs - and it told me this:
Your BMI is 25.8, indicating your weight is in the Overweight category for adults of your height.
For your height, a normal weight range would be from 133 to 179 pounds.
Overweight? Six lousy pounds and that makes me fat? Good grief, if I was 133 lbs. I'd have to move somewhere there was no wind, far away from the Texas Panhandle. Remembering what my momma had told me, and hoping for different/better results, I found another
BMI Calculator. It gave me the same number but also added this:
People falling in this BMI range are considered overweight and would benefit from finding healthy ways to lower their weight, such as diet and exercise. Individuals who fall in this range are at increased risk for a variety of illnesses. If your BMI is 27-29.99 your risk of health problems becomes higher. In a recent study an increased rate of blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease was recorded at 27.3 for women and 27.8 for men. It may be a good idea to check your Waist Circumference and compare it with the recommended limits.
So, that's what I did, going to the
Body Fat Calculator.
As a male, all I had to supply was my waist measurement. Women have to input their wrist, hips and forearm measurements. I'm not sure why that it's so simple for men. I found it odd that women have to input so much more to quantify their body fat, but I went on. I don't think I have any sort of tape other than a retractable one, but I did know my pants size - 32 - so I used that. After hitting the Calculate Body Fat button, I got this:
You have a Body Fat Percentage of 12.55%.
Hmmm...that didn't sound so bad. Maybe not good, but not bad. I remember the chart from using the calculator at mom's that I was something like 30% fat back then. My pants size back then was larger too, probably a 40. I clicked on the
Body Fat Chart and found this:
Body Fat Percentage Categories
Classification Women (% fat) Men (% fat)
Essential Fat 10-12% 2-4%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Acceptable 25-31% 18-25%
Obese 32%+ 25%+
Wow. I fall within the "Athlete" category, never mind that I'm far from being one these days. I understood the results, though and was pleased that while I'm technically overweight, I'm by no means FAT.
Of course, there's also the need to factor in that there are days I'm a few pounds more than I was today and that on other days I'm a few pounds less. Water weighs 8.3 lbs/gallon and my weight can go up when I'm fully hydrated, down when I need to drink. I drink a lot of water because I know that doing so helps me control my weight and blood sugar.
Yep, water weighs a lot and that's why I shake the heads of broccoli at the grocery store before putting them in the sack. I don't want to pay $1.99/lb. for excess water.
If I was broccoli, I'd cost $368.15. Any bidders? You gotta take the 23 lbs. of fat with me, though.
Edit to add: I bought some broccoli at the store earlier; it was .99 cents/lb. on sale. I'd be willing to cut MY price by half, too.
