Body Mass Index Feedback

This page is feedback about the Body Mass Index or BMI, please help others by adding your feedback. What would you tell someone about BMI or these calculators?

If you drink beer for a sports drink
Date: 5/11/2014
Simply put: Traits of an “athletic build” 6 pack, beach body, flex your arm and no wobble if you shake it, butt in the mirror absolutely no cottage cheese cellulite, and socially people regard you as fit looking. The danger, and the reason there are so few “athletic build” BMI charts (ie: just give 2-3 extra bonus BMI points) is that too many people rationalize they are big boned, genetic reasons, hold weight well, few extra pounds and the like.
Some of these posters here obviously fall into the athletic build category. They work out as much as an hour a day strenuously and , eat healthy. Some of the posters are being harmed by rationalizing they fit into an athletic build. simple litmus test, if your buddies consider you exercise to an extreme level you are in. If you drink beer for a sports drink and jog 1x per week you are not in.

Me

This calculator (Lean BMI)
Date: 7/2/2014
I am not writing as a doctor and this does not constitute medical advice. I am 54, 5’3′ and weigh 120 standard and 115 if at cardio peak. I am a competitive pro -am dancer (9-12 hours/week) cyclist (40m on a trail bike a week) and enjoy aqua jogging for fitness and flexibility. I’m also a professional technical diver. My build is 34-25-34. My waist: hip ratio is .71. Yet I just make it in the “healthy” standard BMI range, and the calculated body fat is 33%. I needed minor surgery a couple years ago that involved auto-donor stem cells. My doctor had trouble finding excess fat.

This calculator (Lean BMI) is excellent for those of us who work our bodies. However, Given the average population does not exercise to any true degree as determined by athletes, the standard BMI is A fair raw measure. It is also over 100 years old, and does not take Children’s height/growth charts into consideration. However it is a small step In the current battle against obesity in the young.

Dr. Peri

AskDocWeb: Thank you, we appreciate your feedback.

Athletic BMI calculator is brilliant!
Date: 7/8/2014
Thank you SO MUCH for providing this athletic BMI calculator-it is literally THE most accurate anywhere online! It is brilliant! Saves fiddly calculations! THANK YOU!!!
Webmaster: Any chance you can tweek to allow decimal places in the weight box at-all? That’d really help-I have to do two entries and calculate between..kg and cm would also be fab and even more accurate! Here in UK we are weird and use both, but apart from USA and UK everyone else uses metric-may open up to new users?! Thanks ever so much!

Helen

AskDocWeb: Thank you Helen for the high praise. We see this as a “general” indicator of health and adding decimal places just seems to be making too much of it. As for making a metric version, we are considering it but other projects have higher priority right now.

Very muscular build
Date: 7/12/2014
I’m 6’1″, 245 lbs, and have a very muscular build with broad shoulders. My lean body mass has been roughly estimated at 180 – 190 lbs. So I am overweight and could stand to lose some pounds, but I’m not that far above where I should be. According to traditional BMI calculators, at my height I should weigh

RJ

AskDocWeb: Oops, looks like you accidently hit the send button before finishing. Try again.

Just perfect
Date: 8/5/2014
This is great! I lift weights, do yoga, race bicycles, run and consider my self fit, but I am not slim. When I use the old BMI index I’m overweight; at 20 this says I’m just perfect and I agree 🙂

Elziabeth

Ctill considered hefty
Date: 8/19/2014
Still off a bit. (a lot) hahaha I am a 5′ 7 1/2″ power lifter weighing in at 201 lbs. My body fat is 8%. Even with your adjusted scale, I am still considered hefty. For the record, I have a 31″ waist and a 19″ neck. Thank you,

Gary

AskDocWeb: Congratulations on being exceptional. That takes a lot of commitment over time to achieve.

Second degree black belt in karate
Date: 8/20/2014
I am a 54 year old woman, former bulimic. Now I am a second degree black belt in karate. For the last 9 years, I have run, worked out in the dojo, and fought in tournaments. My workouts are between 1 to 1 and a half hours and I am RIPPED. I am healthier than I have ever been. I am, however DISGUSTED that I weigh 145 and am 5ft 1 inch….until I discovered your calculator. Worries OVER. Thanks!

BTW I am the 8th ranked woman in my age group in the state of Texas in karate forms and sparring, and I am ranked second statewide in self-defense competition.

Judith

AskDocWeb: It sounds like you have come a long ways. That’s quite an accomplishment, congratulations!

Sensible BMI calculator
Date: 9/17/2014
Thanks for the sensible BMI calculator. The standard ones think I’m fat, but they don’t take into account that I ride over 5000 miles/year, and spend plenty of time at the gym (weights, stairmaster, spin class, yoga, pilates) during the winter. My body is packed with lean, rippling muscle, especially my legs and butt. I’d like to see the people who wrote the standard BMI calculator (the one that think’s I’m fat) try to keep up with me on a bike ride – I’d leave them for dead.

Bicycle Racer

AskDocWeb: And thank you for putting a smile on our face with your comments.

Spot on
Date: 10/8/2014
Thanks for this calculator for bigger muscular people. I played around with it and based on my different weights over the years and fitness level it is about spot on with what I have found of myself. No way I could be the typical suggested BMI I would look like a emaciated walking stick. People have larger builds and need a calculation that takes it into account. Otherwise we are shooting for unhealthy weights.

I am 6’4″ with a 48″+ chest and 38″ waist that no matter what at my leanest a 36″ is all my pelvis will fit. When I have gotten down to even the high end of what most BMI charts say I should my friends think I am sick and not eating. Makes me feel fat but I know I am not. Thanks

Dee

AskDocWeb: You are welcome Dee. Read more Feedback. BMI Report – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 – 11 – 12 – Page 13 – 14 – 15 – Last Page 16

Related links:

Body Mass Index for those with an athletic build. Calorie Calculator to find the number of calories you burn each day.

Calculate your Ideal Weight for Adults.