Why BMI is not relevant and This is. -

Why BMI is not relevant and This is. Why BMI/ Scales cannot tell you if you are ‘healthy’. What even is BMI? Why do we do it?

In todays post, we will explain to you how the method BMI works, why it has been used and how it was invented. The advantages and the disadvantages. And why our favorite method for losing weight, and feeling your best will work better, than any other. So let’s get started.

Talk about BMI

BMI, or Body Mass Index, was founded by a Mathematical, not a doctor nor dietitian. Which is already weird in of it self. But to prove the method useful, Mr Quetelet used white western European man to test. When we use BMI to ‘calculate’ is somebody is healthy, we divide the weight ( in kg ) with the height ( in m ). Which shows us the third problem, for it does not distinct a person with a lot of muscle weight, from a person with a lot of fat. Nor does it look at different body compositions in different parts of the world. And let’s not even talk about gender difference. It is a well known fact, that women tend to have wider hips, and thus more weight, without even having to be ‘fat’.

Fat or muscle

I’ve skipped over a little already, but BMI calculations do not divide bodies who have a lot of muscle, from bodies who have a lot of fat. Which is why most people, show to be overweight. Merely because of their muscle weight. Now I will be the last person to deny that most of society carries a lot more fat than needed. But the range of being overweight and carrying a little too much fat, is in my opinion not the same. Which is why, both for people who workout or naturally carry more muscle nor for people who are a little, overweight or even obese, BMI is not the right way to calculate. It is simply a misused, and easy way to place people in categories that are way too small. Not everyone that is carrying more fat, is obese. And not everyone who works out a lot, is obese. Yet as often as I decided to experiment with BMI, most people turn out to be heavily overweight, while they are not.

Yes scales too

Now when we think about losing weight, weighing scales are like a symbol coming up. But why? Because just as I explained with BMI, when we stand on a scale, we see a number of our muscle mass, bone mass, water weight and fat combined with organs hair etc. How has that become a correct way to see if we are overweight, or not? Comparing your current weight, to that of your teenage self is not a healthy way. And every body is different. Some naturally carry more fat, some have a denser bone structure and yes, muscle mass is different for everyone too. So who can tell you what the ‘right’ weight is for you? What weight is healthy? There is no one weight that fits all, and standing on the scale everyday can become an addiction too, or can result into an eating disorder.

Eating disorders

A mental disorder that is way too common for my liking. In today’s society, everyone knows at least one person who has a past with an eating disorder. Whether that was anorexia, boulimia or a somewhat lesser form. Stressing over what you can eat, or thinking about ways to lose more weight faster, is not helping anyone. But this has become way to common, because we have been using methods to determine if we are healthy or not, in ways that are not even specific enough. Nor made to use as a method, for all people.

And a big disclaimer, your weight cannot tell you if you are healthy or worthy.

So, how can we see if we are healthy? How can we determine, in a healthy way, if we are overweight or not?

The true way to know if you are healthy

This method, will likely change your life. Because the true way, to know if your healthy, is by feeling how you feel. How do you feel when you wake up, how do you feel when you see yourself in the mirror, how do you feel when you sit down at night. How are you feeling as you go through your day? Are you feeling energized, and happy. Or do you feel sad, and frustrated when you look into the mirror? Your body will let you feel what it wants. And so if you are exhausted after waking up, you can likely work better on your health.

Feeling into your body, can tell you exactly what you need to know. And no worries, if you’ve never done so. Everybody can do it. Just look at the way you feel, after you eat certain meals, or after you’ve done a workout.

Summary

This way, you can find out what Your body likes. What foods are best for Your body, and what kind of movement is right for you. Not everybody is meant to be a size Small, or go for a 40 minute run. Nothing is wrong, nor right.

And yes, you can lose weight if you listen to your body. Because while someone loves hiit workouts, and loses their access weight with it. Your body may like a yoga class better, and because it can finally relax, you will lose the weight too. Your body works best, at a certain weight. So when we stop fighting calories, workouts and everything in between. You can find out what works best for you, and come into the best shape of your life, in fun and suiting way.

If you want to learn more on how to become healthier without restrictions: