Re: Question about Fit and Fat

On 9 Jan 2005 02:43:52 -0000, [email hidden] (Nicholas Snyder)

Quoted message said:

On Sat, 08 Jan 2005, Gandalf Parker <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

However most of the overweight people I know who are doing ok with it
tend to be walkers, or weight lifters, or swimmers.

How many obese people have won Olympic medals in walking and swimming?

I suspect that most olympic gold weightlifters, shot putters and
discus throwers are clinically obese.

Dave Fawthrop said:

| >>However most of the overweight people I know who are doing ok with it
| >>tend to be walkers, or weight lifters, or swimmers.
| >
| >How many obese people have won Olympic medals in walking and swimming?
|
| I suspect that most olympic gold weightlifters, shot putters and
| discus throwers are clinically obese.

That is only because of the absolutely stupid way they measure obesity, the
BMI Body mass index. It only takes into account height and weight. It
does not take into acount the fact that muscle is heavier than fat. so if
your weight is in muscle it measures the wrong thing.

I won't disagree with you.

Two years ago I had a full medical examination. BMI put me at the top
end of the overweight category. An electrical body fat measurement
put me at the top end of the normal range. So while my height
indicates a 'normal' weight of 12.5 stone, my body fat indicates a
'normal' weight of 14.5 stone.

C L Imber said:

Dave Fawthrop said:

| >>However most of the overweight people I know who are doing ok with it
| >>tend to be walkers, or weight lifters, or swimmers.
| >
| >How many obese people have won Olympic medals in walking and swimming?
|
| I suspect that most olympic gold weightlifters, shot putters and
| discus throwers are clinically obese.

That is only because of the absolutely stupid way they measure obesity, the
BMI Body mass index. It only takes into account height and weight. It
does not take into acount the fact that muscle is heavier than fat. so if
your weight is in muscle it measures the wrong thing.

I won't disagree with you.

Two years ago I had a full medical examination. BMI put me at the top
end of the overweight category. An electrical body fat measurement
put me at the top end of the normal range. So while my height
indicates a 'normal' weight of 12.5 stone, my body fat indicates a
'normal' weight of 14.5 stone.

Indeed. The best instrument to determine obesity is a mirror.

--

R
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y

Quoted message said:

Indeed. The best instrument to determine obesity is a mirror.

--

R
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y

Are you sure? Anorexic people see themselves as obese in a mirror when
to everyone else they appear emaciated.

Norman

(Norman) said:

Are you sure? Anorexic people see themselves as obese in a mirror when
to everyone else they appear emaciated.

Norman

No - they see themselves as obese *in their mind*.
For normals, a mirror will give you as much info as you need, and is
far more use than the BMI.

--

R
o
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n
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y

(Norman) said:

Quoted message said:

Indeed. The best instrument to determine obesity is a mirror.

--

Quoted message said:

Are you sure? Anorexic people see themselves as obese in a mirror when
to everyone else they appear emaciated.

I was thinking the same thing. I have a friend who is at least an
inch taller than me but weighs more than two stone less. (I have a
BMI that puts me at the top end of "normal"😉.

She constantly sees herself as fat and overweight. We all see her as
skinny. Nothing we say can change her mind, but she probably thinks
that we're all just nagging at her and don't see the "truth".

Self-image seems to be a very complicated subject. (I just got fed-up
of my clothes shrinking, so I started only having three meals a day!)

Judith

Rooney said:

Indeed. The best instrument to determine obesity is a mirror.

Don't tell that to my GF.

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

On Sun, 09 Jan 2005 09:41:55 +0000, C L Imber
<[email hidden]> wrote:

| On 9 Jan 2005 02:43:52 -0000, [email hidden] (Nicholas Snyder)
| wrote:
|
| >On Sat, 08 Jan 2005, Gandalf Parker <[email hidden]>
| >wrote:
| >>
| >>However most of the overweight people I know who are doing ok with it
| >>tend to be walkers, or weight lifters, or swimmers.
| >
| >How many obese people have won Olympic medals in walking and swimming?
|
| I suspect that most olympic gold weightlifters, shot putters and
| discus throwers are clinically obese.

That is only because of the absolutely stupid way they measure obesity, the
BMI Body mass index. It only takes into account height and weight. It
does not take into acount the fact that muscle is heavier than fat. so if
your weight is in muscle it measures the wrong thing.

Damn right. And it doesn't half cost on life insurance. Mine's heavily
weighted due to the BMI calc. And even if I lost the 'unwanted mass',
it would still place me with a BMI in the obese category. Just proves
that the 'average' human being is just an average and representative of
very few.

--
Darren
mail to darren not ng

Quoted message said:

Damn right. And it doesn't half cost on life insurance. Mine's

heavily

Quoted message said:

weighted due to the BMI calc. And even if I lost the 'unwanted mass',
it would still place me with a BMI in the obese category. Just proves
that the 'average' human being is just an average and representative of
very few.

Yes, the key measurement is Body Fat Percentage. Reasonably accurately
measured and calculated with a caliper device, although more accurate
methods are available.

I've never taken any notice of BMI - professional rugby players train at
my club, and when assessed, they are all classified as 'obese' with
respect to BMI. Their body fat percentages are around 10% or less!

Target ranges for bf % are much more useful than BMI. But BMI is a quick
and easy calc, so tends to get bandied about a lot. It's a very rough
indicator, but that's all, as this thread proves.

For example, here's a table that's a good guide for bf % ranges :

http://www.healthchecksystems.com/bodyfat.htm

Cheers,

Steve

Quoted message said:

Damn right. And it doesn't half cost on life insurance. Mine's

heavily

Quoted message said:

weighted due to the BMI calc. And even if I lost the 'unwanted mass',
it would still place me with a BMI in the obese category. Just proves
that the 'average' human being is just an average and representative of
very few.

Yes, the key measurement is Body Fat Percentage. Reasonably accurately
measured and calculated with a caliper device, although more accurate
methods are available.

I've never taken any notice of BMI - professional rugby players train at
my club, and when assessed, they are all classified as 'obese' with
respect to BMI. Their body fat percentages are around 10% or less!

Target ranges for bf % are much more useful than BMI. But BMI is a quick
and easy calc, so tends to get bandied about a lot. It's a very rough
indicator, but that's all, as this thread proves.

For example, here's a table that's a good guide for bf % ranges :

http://www.healthchecksystems.com/bodyfat.htm

Cheers,

Steve

On Sun, 09 Jan 2005 09:41:55 +0000, C L Imber
<[email hidden]> wrote:

| On 9 Jan 2005 02:43:52 -0000, [email hidden] (Nicholas Snyder)
| wrote:
|
| >On Sat, 08 Jan 2005, Gandalf Parker <[email hidden]>
| >wrote:
| >>
| >>However most of the overweight people I know who are doing ok with it
| >>tend to be walkers, or weight lifters, or swimmers.
| >
| >How many obese people have won Olympic medals in walking and swimming?
|
| I suspect that most olympic gold weightlifters, shot putters and
| discus throwers are clinically obese.

That is only because of the absolutely stupid way they measure obesity, the
BMI Body mass index. It only takes into account height and weight. It
does not take into acount the fact that muscle is heavier than fat. so if
your weight is in muscle it measures the wrong thing.

--
Dave F