The Doctor's Office Called and Told Me I was "Borderline Obese." What the?! My Problem with BMI
I like this shot. I’m in Costa Rica, yes, crawling on the beach. It give you an idea of some of the natural movements I teach in my personal training sessions, and it gives you an idea of my body type. I’m no feather, but “borderline-obese”? Read on.
Photo credit:@byanki@cr (IG)
On Wednesday morning, I woke up a wee bit achy and sinus-y.
Sure, my allergies had been bothering me, and maybe I was sore from my Memorial Day workout, but then I thought I should take an at-home COVID test to be on the safe side.
I swabbed both nostrils, set a 15-minute timer, then hopped in the shower.
I asked my husband to check my test results in case I didn't get out of the shower in time.
The warm water on my face and the steam in my lungs felt amazing, and I certainly felt better, but no less sore or tired.
When I turned off the shower, I heard the oven timer go off.
I heard my husband walk into the kitchen and check my test, and then I heard him say, "hmmm."
If I had discovered that my test was positive, I would have screamed something like, "Holy sh*t."
He said, "hmmm."
That is my husband and me in a nutshell.
He is quiet.
I am loud.
He is calm.
I am a wee bit on the spazzy side.
He is all science.
I am a bit woo woo.
He is "hmmm."
I am, "Holy sh*t."
He came up the stairs to tell me the news.
After texting all of the people I had come into contact with over the last 48 hours, I was overcome with fatigue and slept for 3 hours.
After my 3-hour nap, my husband suggested that I contact our doctor and see if I was eligible for the antiviral.
OK, it was worth a try.
And now, my friends, I have finally come to the point.
I called my doctor's office and told them I tested positive. I asked about the antiviral. They said that they would call me back.
Ten minutes later, Nurse/Receptionist X (this ambiguous title is important) calls me back.
According to my health records, she says that I am only “borderline obese".
What the what?
I am borderline what?
She stated that according to my most recent physical, my BMI was 25.1 and that qualified me as "borderline obese."
You can imagine my shock when I heard those words.
"Nurse/Receptionist X, can you repeat that, please?" I ask.
"According to your most recent physical, you have a BMI of 25.1. That puts you at borderline obese, and since you have no other comorbidities, you are not eligible for the antiviral, sorry."
Dude, at that point, I was still stuck on the fact that she called me "borderline obese" twice, but hey, I did ask her to repeat herself.
Then, I pointed out that since I was an "athlete, a powerlifter," BMI wasn't a good way to measure body fat.
"You see," I said in my most polite voice, "I'm more muscular than most people, and BMI isn't an accurate way to measure my body fat. I know that my body fat percentage is actually 21.5%. That is healthy for a woman my age."
She then stated, "I don't' know what that means."
Oh, dear, I really hope I wasn't talking to a nurse.
Anyway, I felt no more need to educate.
"Fine. Fine. I'm only 'borderline-obese,' and I have no comorbidities that qualify for the antiviral."
She then went on to list a bunch of over-the-counter drugs I won't take in case of congestion, and that was it.
Bring on my hippie nettie pot. Damn, I love that thing.
Phone call over.
So, I was left with a few questions.
Was I really borderline obese?
The answer is no. I mean knew that, but let me explain.
A woman with a BMI 25.1 would be "borderline-overweight", not "borderline-obese".
That is kind of a big difference.
Was I borderline overweight?
According to BMI, yes.
Am I really overweight?
No. I am muscular. BMI does not distinguish between muscle or fat.
Here is a little background on BMI
According to Healthline:
"BMI" stands for "body mass index." The BMI was developed in 1832 by a Belgian mathematician named Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet (1Trusted Source).
The BMI scale is based on a mathematical formula that determines whether a person is of a "healthy" weight by dividing their weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared (1Trusted Source):
BMI = weight (kg) / height (m2) BMI is calculated, it's then compared to the BMI scale to determine whether you fall within the "normal" weight range (2Trusted Source):
· According to this calculation, a healthcare professional may suggest health and lifestyle changes if you don't fall within the "normal" weight category.
(And here is what I really love about this article)
· Though this can give the healthcare professional a snapshot of a person's health based on a person's weight, it doesn't consider other factors, such as age, sex, race, genetics, fat mass, muscle mass, and bone density.
The above factors all play roles in that magic BMI number.
BMI and Muscle
I have an issue with BMI personally because I am one muscular human.
I am a tiny, but mighty 5’ 3.5' and I weigh about 144 pounds.
My BMI is 25.1, so that puts me at 25.1 (overweight).
BMI does not take into account that I am lean. My body fat percentage is 21.5%, placing me in the lean category. I am also active. That is also another essential factor in my health.
BMI is not an accurate way to measure fat for muscular people.
All weight is not created equal.
If BMI is so antiquated, why do health professionals still use it?
It's fast and easy. All you have to do is measure someone's height and weight, and BOOM. You have their BMI. Look it up on the chart, and there you have it.
Are you healthy or not? The chart will tell us.
As you can see, it's not that simple.
BMI and the Scale
As a personal trainer, I have had my share of clients who begin my programs a bit obsessed with the scale. They want to "lose weight" and then are shocked that after six weeks of training with me, they have "only lost 3 pounds".
They are especially shocked because they feel better, stronger, and lighter, and their clothes fit better. How can that be?
I used to say, "well, muscle weighs more than fat, so you may have lost fat and gained muscle…."
Now I have a fancy-schmancy InBody Scale that measures fat and muscle. My clients can actually see how much fat they have lost and how much muscle they have gained. They also begin to pay less attention to the number on their scale and more attention to alternative ways to measure change.
What are some alternative ways to measure health and healthy change?
When seeking weight loss or the effects of healthy lifestyle changes, look for alternative ways of measurement.
Height/waist ratio-
According to the Healthy Weight Forum:
Experts are now claiming that your Waist/Height Ratio (WHtR) is a far more accurate way of measuring healthy weight than the traditional Body Mass Index (BMI). Your WHtR calculates your body fat distribution and can be a significant early indicator of risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Grab a flexible measuring tape (like the ones used for sewing) and measure your height and weight.
If your waist/height ratio is healthy, excellent. Keep on doing what you are doing.
If it isn't you, you might want to think about making some lifestyle changes.
Pictures
Pictures are another great way to capture change. I'm not going to lie, though. Taking them can be tough. Setting up the camera, choosing an outfit, and looking at those darned photos, is not my idea of a good time, BUT taking progress photos along the way is an accurate way to document non-scale change.
Clothing
Pictures don't lie, and neither do your favorite jeans.
How are your clothes fitting you lately?
Questions (my favorite method)
Weight loss can be great and all, but in reality, many of us are seeking healthier lifestyles, lifestyles that balance work and play, movement, and stillness. Lifestyles that take into account our relationships, our stress levels, our spiritual connections, and our ability to laugh and feel joy.
Want to see if these lifestyle changes are working?
Ask yourself the following questions:
How do I feel?
Do I feel stronger?
Do I have more energy?
Do I feel taller?
How has my mood been?
When we begin to focus on these lifestyle shifts, we begin to study "less for the test" (the scale), and we begin to learn (the change, to shift) for the sake of learning.
Weight loss often occurs as an effect of making these lifestyle shifts.
When it comes down to it, the scale and size jeans we wear shouldn’t dictate our own happiness. That happiness blooms from within when we are able to live the lives we want to and were meant to live.
And that's all, folks!
Now, stop reading, get outside, enjoy the sunshine, get your feet dirty, and enjoy the day.
Oh yeah, and as I write this. I’m on day 3 with COVID. It was rough the first 18 hours, and now I am completely on the mend!
Woo hoo!
Until next time, Julie
P.S. Shoot me an email if you are interested in learning more about joining my 6-Week Transformational Personal Training Program. I only have two more spots available.