# Calculating my BMI.  Does this make me look fat?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-my-bmi-does-this-make-me-look-fat/385825>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 28, 2006, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-my-bmi-does-this-make-me-look-fat/385825 "2006-12-28T01:42:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![billyb0b](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@billyb0b](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billyb0b)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-my-bmi-does-this-make-me-look-fat/385825/21 "2006-12-28T16:58:46Z")

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I am pretty sure that the BMI calculator you used is, like stated above, strictly for statistical purposes. Your BMI isn’t a very useful metric for health or asthetics. For health, a true body fat measurement is useful adn for asthetics, well try asking folks, “Do I look fat?” BTW, DO NOT ask your significant other, if any, this question. That would only lead a horrible answer that you would find objectionable, whatever it is.)

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**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-my-bmi-does-this-make-me-look-fat/385825/22 "2006-12-28T23:35:15Z")

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These calculators are pretty accurate for me… I am female, 5 foot 7 inches, and 135 pounds, 24-inch waist, wear a size 6 or 8 jeans. I consider myself to be normal, but not skinny.

From this site [http://www.halls.md/body-mass-index/bmi.htm](http://www.halls.md/body-mass-index/bmi.htm), for my height and weight I get this:

BMI 21.1 - In Normal Range  
Your weight is at the 21st percentile according to your age and height.  
Peoples Choice Ideal Weight: 130  
Medical Recommendation: 121-160

So I guess I could lose 5 pounds to fit the “peoples choice” and 15 pounds to stay within normal range. Although if I lost 15 pounds I think I would be almost too skinny.

(By the way, considering that 2 years ago, I was a very chunky 198 pounds, hearing that I am in normal range makes me very happy indeed!)

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**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-my-bmi-does-this-make-me-look-fat/385825/23 "2006-12-28T23:55:22Z")

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I’m 5’9" and it says at 169 pounds I’d be considered “overweight.” I was skinny as anything throughout high school at 170. While there’s no question I need to lose weight — and I’m working out toward that very goal — this isn’t a reliable index for performance.

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**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\
**Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calculating-my-bmi-does-this-make-me-look-fat/385825/24 "2006-12-29T04:02:35Z")

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I have a BMI of 26.1 (just a hair on the wrong side of “overweight”). Having once weighed 334 with a BMI of 47.9, ask me if I care if I’m “overweight” 😃

VCNJ~

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