Rant about BMI/weight loss

[alarimer]

Well maybe not a rant so much. The tl;dr is this: how does a person lose enough weight to get their BMI into acceptable levels when they hate exercising and love eating stuff that's bad for you? Especially meat and wine, which, according to the health questionnaire I just filled out, should be 0-1 glasses per day. I have been trying to do better, food-wise at least. I got one of those Fitbit things that tracks your steps and I track my calories. That's kind of fun; it's sort of game. But here it is 2 pm and I've only taken 2,000 steps so far today.

But I have a real issue with BMI as an individual measure. Sure, for populations, it's probably okay. Mine, for example, is always borderline. I'd have to lose 40-50 pounds for it to be "normal". I have not weighed so little since high school. Who has? My health questionnaire indicated that my ideal weight is 101-132 pounds. I'd literally have to starve myself to get there. Even 132 is a stretch because of the rebound effect. Sure, I could get there, but I likely wouldn't stay there. Not unless I took up marathons or something, which isn't going to happen. Because I HATE working out. Exercise is sheer drudgery for me. Many days when I get home, I say "fuck it" and take a nap instead. My preferred activity is doing nothing. Literally. I'm probably the laziest human on the face of the earth.

This all came about because my health plan, in an effort to pad their own bottom line (evil health insurance company rant is for another time, but we've all heard it before), has some "wellness" requirements, which eventually are going to require BMI measures, among other things, and a "disease management program" if you are too high. If you don't participate in such things, you will be charged more. A lot more. Now, I don't know what happens if you are in one of these programs and it simply doesn't work. Anyway, it's causing me a great deal of anxiety. I hate doctors (not personally, I'm sure most are nice people) and it causes me a great deal of anxiety just to go, for a variety of reasons. But the big thing is I'm afraid I won't be able to lose enough weight to bring down my BMI.

[hlthe2b]

1. Ok, sorry, but I had to laugh:

at "how does a person lose enough weight to get their BMI into acceptable levels when they hate exercising and love eating stuff that's bad for you?"

I have a feeling you'll be offered a lot of "magic pills" if you will just send an appropriately large payment to the enclosed PO Box address.


I am just a hair now over my targeted "normal" BMI, having lost 45 pounds. But, sadly I have to tell you that it came over 8 months of walking on average 6.5 miles daily, doing some aerobic weight training, pilates, and yup, counting calories on a moderately low carb diet. A fitbit activity tracker, wahoo tickr heart rate monitor and linking all to myfitnesspal.com for dietary tracking made it "doable".


Good luck finding an "easier" way. BTW, BMI is not a "perfect" measurement by any means I'd certainly agree, but for those who are not intensely muscular from near-"professional athlete levels of aerobic and weight training activity", it is a pretty good measure.

[alarimer]

2. If there was a magic pill, I'd take it.

I sort of feel like life is just one big drudgery, then you die. I'm so tired of being told that this, that or the other things is bad for you and YOU WILL DIE. Well, no duh, as the kids say.

[hlthe2b]

11. If it is any consolation, I felt that way at first, but once the pounds started coming off,

I stopped getting winded walking fast uphill, and my chronically bad ankle stopped hurting so much (with less weight to carry), I started actually looking forward to walking and found food I liked that was healthy, satisfying, and didn't trigger my cravings.

But, yes, getting started and making it habit--is not easy. If you can imagine it, though, it does become easier.

[PassingFair]

12. Can you swim? nt

[woodsprite]

3. I have a "Fitbit" as well. The competition really does help.

I was doing so well from Halloween to Valentine's day. That was a contest based around "Walktober" a walking program that work was participating in, but it was a Step count and veggie/fruit serving count goal, no weight or medical readings (heart, bp, etc.) were recorded. I had dropped 20 lbs watching total daily calories by logging my foods, watching my carbs vs. protein intake and walking (mainly on a treadmill). I was surprised how fast the weight changed and my achy knees began to feel better and stronger (I had my steps up to an average of 8K/day). I thought "This is something I can do!" I was a bit afraid that menopause would have made weight loss too difficult and I'd fail, so I had just never started. Glad to prove that wrong.

The weight is creeping back on due to me nursing a dislocated and broken shoulder since mid March (I was walking our hulking German Shepherd when I did it). I know that shouldn't bother walking, but when I was in the shoulder immobilizer, walking at a fast clip would really hurt. I was in that thing for 40 days, and I just haven't picked back up on the walking even though I still wear the Fitbit on my shoe and log the steps daily.

I have to seriously get back into it because it was definitely working and I have another 80 lbs to lose. Those 20 lbs correlated to a 2-size drop for me. I never checked what difference it made in my BMI.

An average day for me is between 3 and 3.5K steps. I'm sitting at 2.7K today so far. It's been so long that I'm going to start back over at 6K for a goal. I like a few TV shows but rarely have a chance see them. I used the walking time to listen to watch my TV shows on my iPad/Hulu. My rule for myself was that I could only use Hulu when I was on the treadmill.

Good luck on your venture. I fully expect work to institute something similar here soon (State of DE health plan). If you're interested in being a Fitbit friend, PM me.

[alarimer]

6. I think the fitbit is a useful tool.

I don't hit the 10,000 steps on a normal day, but I often hit the "stairs" mark because I am on the second floor at work and I have a basement apartment. There are opportunities to walk at lunchtime (when I remember to bring my lunch to work) because we have a garden here with some walking paths. It's very nice. I also live in a very walkable neighborhood, unlike the last one. I'd like to get into the habit of walking after dinner, maybe on the nights I don't workout.

I use Fitness Blender, which is a website started by a couple who do workout videos. Mostly High Intensity Interval Training, with some yoga and weight training involved. They have workout plans that you can purchase, pretty cheaply. I have found these to be enjoyable for the most part and they are at a variety of levels. They have an app now apparently but they are on You Tube as well. It's one of the few truly free workout sites out there.

My problem is just overcoming the inertia of not wanting to do it. I get home from work and I'm tired and inclined not to workout. So the plan really is just to move more, whatever form that takes.

[woodsprite]

9. My hubby who works where I do, is very competitive

He was hitting 15K per day. He dropped 15 lbs and is right where he's supposed to be, but those 15K steps about did his hip in. Now that the competition is over he's backed down to between 8 and 10K per day and his hip pain went away.

I try to get my walking done in the morning before anybody else is up in the house and I can just watch the program without my son or hubby interrupting me If I don't get it done in the a.m., I like to walk while dinner cooks. If I wait until after dinner, I just don't seem to do as well (either speedwise or energywise). I started out watching Glee and would do a quick interval during their musical numbers. If I'm watching a normal show, I'll do an interval during commercial breaks. It seems to be enough variation to keep me interested. It did take me about 2 wks before I started looking forward to getting my steps in. Now that I'm out of the habit, I'm going to have to go through that initial period again.

[trueblue2007]

14. with my Accusplit, I usually walk between 7,500 and 10,000 steps a day.

[a kennedy]

4. 6000 steps? Yikes......don't even want to consider how many I do......yikes....

[alarimer]

8. It takes effort for me to reach 10,000.

A normal day (back and forth to the restroom, water fountain, up and down the stairs, walking back and forth to my car) is about 5,000. I can add a few hundred more at the grocery store or running errands. Since I got the Fitbit, I am weirdly conscious of whatever walking I do. I think it provides a little bit more incentive just to move, leave my desk for a little bit and walk around. As i I need more opportunities for procrastinating from work.

[NightWatcher]

5. They need to re-evaluate their numbers

I once was down to my 'ideal weight', unfortunately at the time I was a week into a hospital stay suffering from a muscle wasting disease. I looked like a refugee. I didn't have the strength to put on a tee shirt without help. I was able to beefen up to a chunky healthy weight, but according to the BMI, I should strive to look like a sick person.

[alarimer]

7. As a short person, it seems off to me too.

But maybe I say that because it seems impossible to reach.

A moderate weight loss would still put me in the overweight category.

[antiquie]

10. I'm short and too bony, but

NIH BMI calculator says I'm a healthy 19.3. I think it means nothing.

[Xyzse]

13. F.ck BMI... According to that, I would be obese.

I have a 32' waist size.

[Avalux]

15. You may not like this, but here goes.

The only way you'll be able to get in your normal BMI range and stay there is to make an overall lifestyle change and stick with it.

This means you'll have to become more active doing something physical....you don't need to run marathons. Take walks, walk the stairs, practice yoga (have you tried yoga?), maybe ride a bike. It doesn't have to be drudgery and it doesn't have to be the same thing to where it gets monotonous, you can mix it up. But you'll need to get moving. It helps to change the message you tell yourself about exercising too; when you have the thought "I hate exercising", stop yourself and ask why. Is there a reason that is more important than being healthier?

I don't recommend dieting, but if you're consuming too much of the foods that you know aren't good for you, don't stop altogether but cut back. Explore foods that are healthier, and gradually introduce them into your eating routine.

Stop wasting time worrying if you'll be able to bring down your BMI and start somewhere, even if it's baby steps at first. It's worth a try and a whole lot better than getting down on yourself and suffering anxiety. Give it all you've got and I know you can do it.

[alarimer]

28. Maybe everyone says this, but I don't think my diet is too bad.

I don't eat meat much at all. Almost never eat steak or hamburgers. I usually have a turkey sandwich for lunch, cereal for breakfast and then maybe fish or pasta for dinner). I typically will go to BudgetBytes.com and find a recipe (often pasta) that will make a lot and just eat that every single day until it is gone.

I don't snack much, really. But people bring stuff to work and I have a hard time resisting.

I've been cooking more lately. I like it okay, but I resent that I HAVE to do it. It's a chore. I also resent having to work out when all I want to do is sit on the couch and watch tv.

[Arugula Latte]

16. I love the wine, too.

I always seem to have that stubborn 10 lbs. that won't go away. If I didn't like wine I'd probably shed them forever (I don't like meat and do eat a lot of veggies, etc.).

Still, I'm not TOO far away from my perfect weight, for a middle aged woman at least. My advice for getting to ideal-minus-ten is to just slowly phase out stuff and phase in other stuff to replace it. For example, I eat a lot of scrambled eggs (often with veggies such as tomatoes) and I don't automatically put a piece of toast on the plate. For some crunch I'll nuke some of that fake bacon (which I like -- but then again, I don't eat the real stuff, so it might not do the trick for you). I have several go-to small meals/snacks that I try to stick to, such as hummus on healthy crackers (like Ak-Mak), Greek yogurt with fruit, salad with legumes such as garbanzo beans, many more. It just becomes second nature to eat like that after awhile (mostly lean protein plus fruit or veggie). If you can come up with "stable" of relatively low calorie snack-meals that you truly enjoy eating, it makes everything so much easier.

[alarimer]

29. My downfall is eating out.

I always seem to be caught away from home, especially on the weekends, at lunchtime and so we eat out. Most restaurants either don't share their calorie counts or it's inaccurate or I'm so hungry I go for the worst item on the menu.

And then there are the days I'm getting home very late from work, after having been on the boat all day and so hungry I could eat a horse and in no mood to cook anything.

Which of course means I make a poor decision also.

I've actually made my own hummus. It's surprisingly easy.

[Arugula Latte]

31. That is tricky. I know they say "plan ahead" but that is much easier said than done.

Good luck!

[Dont call me Shirley]

17. alarimer, You can't possibly hate doctors more than I...

Sorry to all doctors in the DU family, I've just visited way too many of you in your offices and surgery rooms

As for your BMI, you've got lots of company.

[mwooldri]

18. Don't worry about the BMI.

If you're put in a "disease management program" and it doesn't work then there's nothing that can be done. You can stick the label "pre-existing condition" and the insurance company can take an extremely long walk off of a cliff...

My recommendation is to take part in the wellness program, see the nurse, have a vampire suck out your blood, find out stuff you probably already know anyway. You can't be forced onto Weightwatchers, and no insurance company is going to send anyone around to your house to monitor your eating habits and confiscate that contraband (Krispy Kremes spring to my mind right now....). One can always say "Yes Sir, No Sir, Three Bags Full Sir" to the medical professional who is conducting the wellness program.

No you're not the laziest person on earth. There's plenty of us who are in the "do nothing" club. My excuse is being a manic-depressive.

[mwooldri]

19. and another thing... try body fat percentage.

If you have one of those fancy scales that can tell you your body fat percentage then look at that figure. You're also allowed more body fat if you're female, and if you're older to be considered "healthy".

[mackerel]

20. You don't have to starve yourself. You just need to eat certain food more than others.

You can cut back on meat a little but increase your fiber. Eat more fruits and veggies that you like. I add veggies to everything. When I make chili I put tons of veggies in it too. When I make a smoothie I put spinach in it. When I make spaghetti I put half a bag of frozen green beans in too. I just got more and more used to eating more and more veggies and less and less meat. I also juice a lot and I drink 10 - 12 glasses of water a day.

[laundry_queen]

21. The BMI

is nothing more than a glorified height v weight ratio that doesn't take into account other things like bone structure and amount of muscle and so is only accurate for your 'average' person. For instance, when I looked my best, in high school I was eating healthy, working out 2-3 hours a day, in a size 8-10 I weighed 145 which, for my height was considered overweight. I have very large bones...even as a small child I was so much 'thicker' than my cousins, even though I ate the same as them, was as active, had parents who were extremely thin, fit and active. Even as a teen at a 'normal' weight my wrists were so much thicker than my mom's I couldn't wear her bracelets. Despite being in contact sports, i have never broken a bone. I'm freakishly strong for a girl too. My dad, despite being a 'normal' weight is also quite thick. He has to starve himself to stay there (he will do anything for my mom and my mom told him he was too fat for her when I was a kid and he has starved himself ever since - for 30 years he skipped breakfast and ate an orange and a banana for lunch. And he had a physical job. He would eat a normal dinner though.

Anyhow, so it runs in the family for me. Here's a crazy demo of how genes work: my oldest daughter was born at almost 7lbs. By the time she was 6 months old she was in the 20th percentile for weight. At a year, she was in the 5th percentile for weight. She was exclusively breastfed for 6 months and then given finger foods (steamed veggies etc) until she was a year. My second daughter was born at 7lbs also. By 6 months old she was OVER the 90th percentile for weight and at a year she was off the charts. She was fed EXACTLY the same way as my oldest. I wish I had some scans of both of them at a year - just a totally different build. Both were healthy in that they have no health problems at all, no colds, allergies, diseases - nothing. Now that they are teens - my oldest is 18 and a size 2. She sits on the couch and eats junk food and drinks lattes all day. She eats constantly. She never exercises. I doubt she weighs 100 lbs. She's short too. She looks like she's in shape though, no flab/cellulite, very toned. My second daughter - is a size 12-14 at age 14 (and she's taller than all of us, lol). She's always been athletic. She's participated in many sports - swimming, baseball, basketball, track...she works out in the school weight room after school nearly every day. She walks for fun. She rides her bike or scooter...for fun. She's always on the go. She's been a picky eater so she doesn't eat much. She been really concentrating on eating super clean in the last few years to help her hair and nails grow (poor child was bald until she was 3, lol). She's pudgy in spots. She's starting to really notice...and resent...that her older sister got the skinny gene from their dad. My other 2 daughters are somewhere in the middle of their older sisters.

My kids are the reason I dislike the BMI. My older daughter is probably less healthy than my 2nd daughter, but because of their weights the doctors are already pre-judging them when they walk in the door. This sets up girls and young women to feel like they must constantly battle their bodies in order to fit on some 'chart'. I can already tell that my second daughter is feeling the pressure as she finds that some clothing manufacturers don't make anything larger than a size 12. I feel for her. I'm not sure how to help her though, since I grew up in a body-shaming household. I feel like the best thing I can do is keep my mouth shut, and just model good behavior.

Although it's hard - i've basically given up. I mean, given up trying to lose weight but not given up trying to be healthy. Let me explain - when I went through my divorce, over a 6 month period I was so goddamn stressed I could hardly eat. I calculated I was lucky to get in 350 calories a day during that period of time. I remember sharing weight watchers frozen dinners with my 2 year old because I couldn't finish them, I was so sick to my stomach from stress. Over 6 months I did manage to lose 60 lbs. There was a point in time during that 6 months where I ate nothing but lettuce because I had a gallbladder attack and was waiting for surgery and wasn't about to suffer another attack because I ate a gram of fat by mistake. However, when the stress of the divorce started to l lift and I started to eat normally - meaning I was eating what my 120 lb orthorexic mother was eating, maybe a bit less - and at the same time I started exercising more, I gained 30 lbs almost instantly. I think that's when I though, "Oh fuck it. Just fuck it." Clearly I cannot eat like a normal person.

I'm back up to my pre-divorce weight and borderline diabetic. I've been eating low carb for 6 months now, I walk several times a day (my co-workers and I go out on breaks all the time, plus I park far away) and I haven't lost a pound. I feel better, but I'm still obese. I've decided to concentrate on my health and screw the whole weight obsession. I'm built differently. Clearly.

Anyway, sorry, I kind of totally went off on a rant there. I get what you mean about insurance companies. I briefly looked into getting life insurance. LOL, I can't afford it because I'm fat. Thankfully my work carries a policy with my benefits. Insurance companies are the devil imo. I feel for you. It's so hard isn't it? I think it's discriminatory what companies are doing with their wellness programs. There should be incentives, not punishments if they want to go that route. I think they should not be able to do that at all anyway. After all, my obese, smoking grandfather lived to be 97, but my health conscious aunt died of breast cancer at 46. Guess who would've paid more for insurance at your company? It's just unfair.

If you ever need to talk/rant/whatever, don't hesitate to PM me. Good luck to you, hopefully things work out.

[Major Nikon]

22. BMI is nothing more than a height/weight ratio

However, BMI works for the vast majority of the population and it's ridiculously simple to calculate requiring only a tape measure and a simple scale. That's why just about every doctor takes your height and weight when you come in for an office visit. There are people who have enough lean muscle mass to render the normal BMI range unreliable as a measure of overall health, but they are few and far between. Virtually all of those where BMI doesn't work are involved in heavy bodybuilding and/or are using some type of growth hormones. Bones account for about 15% of your overall weight in most people and don't account for enough to skew the BMI calculation. Frame size is accounted for in the range that is given for healthy BMI.

The bottom line is BMI is a pretty good indicator for the vast majority of people. If you are outside the normal BMI, it's not a bad idea to figure out why before you discount the value of that indicator.

[laundry_queen]

23. Yeah I have heard all of that before.

Still don't agree with it. My oldest daughter? She's considered underweight. Even though she's always been like this, always been ridiculously healthy. The BMI is as bad as those baby growth charts. I used to have pediatricians and other doctors freaking out on me when my daughter started dropping on those weight charts. They all thought she had some sort of horrible illness, like CF or celiacs or something even though she had no symptoms of those, and were always trying to get me to fatten her up with whipping cream and butter. They acted like I was starving her or something. Nope, she's just built like that. Still is built like that.

I believe weight is not something that should be used to discriminate against people for insurance purposes or when you go visit your doctor. It is but one small indicator of overall health, imo. But I really like your snarky insult at the end. Bravo.

[Major Nikon]

24. BMI is not the end all indicator of overall health

It's nothing more than a piece of information which may or may not be conclusive on an individual basis, but that's not a good reason to discount it entirely. BMI is quite useful which is why virtually all doctors collect it. That doesn't mean all doctors use that information effectively. Some doctors operate like a sausage factory.

No snark or insult was intended, not sure where you got that idea.

[alarimer]

30. I've always resented being told what to do. This is what my major issue is with this.

I hate nags, which is why I avoid doctors unless I am ill. I always have the feeling I'm going to get told off for something. I need to lose weight, my cholesterol is too high (there's another measure that they keep changing the definition of), etc., etc.

So the insurance company is just another nag, in my book.

And people vary so much, I'm not sure it's really fair to use any particular measure to apply to an individual, statistically speaking.

[LostOne4Ever]

25. Have you ever considered

[font style="font-family:'Georgia','Baskerville Old Face','Helvetica',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]Trying to take the weekends off on your diet?

During the week, I try not to eat junk food and even then make sure to only eat small portions or only half of my meals taking the rest home with me.

I reward myself for doing a good job by allowing myself a small amount of junk food during the weekends. I try not to go overboard (still limiting), but maybe a few cookies or a nice big plate of pasta. Ultimately I am not denying myself anything, but I am greatly cutting back, and by rewarding myself ever weekend the diet doesn't wear my will power down.

My ultimate hope is to make this not so much a diet but a sustainable lifestyle. So far I have lost 30lbf these last couple of months and I am down 70lbf from my all time highest weight.

I still have a long way to go, but it is my hope to reach a normal BMI for the first time in my life. Well, whatever you choose to do I wish you the best of luck [/font]

[Trajan]

26. My BMI was almost 42 at one point ...

I have lost approx 94 lbs in the last 25 months ....

My BMI is now 28 ... It was all through the 5:2 Fast Diet ... I am still dropping ...

It probably helped that my employer is also being super tough with health care, but I am more focused on my own sense of health and being ... Carrying so much weight for so long, it drags you down in so many ways ....

The only way to cast off the yoke of self loathing is to finally slay that demon, and lose every damned pound you have gained since you were 'normal weight' .... That is my plan, at any rate ... I can finally take all the guilt I have felt, all the guilt that destroyed my own self image, and wrap it in a tidy bow ... then drop kick it into the ether .... Losing every pound is penance for gaining every pound ... I will be free of that demon ...

Don't do it for your boss - Do it for yourself ... The Fast Diet has been a revelation in my life ... It's the one tool I know is effective, and simple, and cheap ... I will be using partial fasts for the rest of my life ...


BMI Calculator

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm


Doctor Moseley's 'Eat, Fast and Live Longer'

vimeo.com/103656060


Doctor Moseley's website ...

http://thefastdiet.co.uk/

[mythology]

27. In all seriousness,

how can one hate all forms of exercise? I get disliking particular types of exercising, but I think there's a form of movement that will inspire somebody. I personally hate running with a passion, but I love capoeira. I have no interest in just lifting weights, but I love parkour and gymnastics. And that's even with knees bad enough to have had 3 surgeries before I ever did any of them, (along with 2 more last year).

Some people love dancing, some people love yoga, or tai chi, or cycling or rock climbing. I'm sure there is some sort of exercise you would enjoy.

The good news is that BMI is only really useful as a guide. Relying on it to the individual level isn't a great plan.

The bad news is that even if you start exercising, it's hard to out train a bad diet. If you are serious about losing weight, or even turning weight to muscle instead of fat, you are going to need to get the diet right first. That's something I struggle with, especially now while I'm on a long term recovery from surgery. I've been known to go to a restaurant and order 3 sides of potatoes (mashed, baked and french fried).

[alarimer]

32. Well, it's more that I hate "having" to exercise.

I've done different things for years. But I don't work out 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week like they say we should.

I think my diet's okay. Not great maybe and there are some issues with portion control.

Mostly it just feels like a chore to live these days. And it's hard to keep track of all the things we are supposed to do because it changes all the time.