Are you fat? We are all fat; that is, we all have fat. It is a necessity. I got fat, you got fat, everybody's got to have fat. . . sounds like an old song to me. It is the proportion of fat to body weight or mass that tell whether you are slim and trim, over weight, or obese. Even though obesity is a public health threat, most doctors still asses your weight by using a two hundred year old comparison called the "body mass index (BMI). I went to a site: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ and calculated my BMI. I am 5'-11" and weigh 175 pounds and according to that web page, my BMI is 24.4. The normal range is 18.5 to 24.9, which puts me at high normal. Now, that is the first time anyone has called me normal!! That may say I am normal but I feel much better and my blood pressure goes down to normal or near normal if my weight is between 155 and 160. So there must be a flaw in this simple calculation, especially for me.
Some researches did a study and found out that it was flawed. They studied 1400 people and compared their BMI to a fat percentage determined by X-ray scans. The BMI was only correct between 25 and 30 percent of the time (25 percent for men and 30 percent for women). Using the old methode, 26 percent of our population is obese but in reality 64 percent actually are obese! When I read that I said, "dang, that can't be" and then I went to Wal-Mart and started observing the people and I only saw a couple that were not over weight and one was my wife. According to my quick Wal-Mart study, 99 percent of the people are way to fat. . . OK, maybe 98 percent. Some of the people I saw were so much over weight they could count for 3 to 4 obese persons all by themselves. I knew a lot of people looked fat to me, but this puts things into perspective. Dang, I am getting hungry, so guess I better quit writing this and go get some nourishment. Now you all have a great day and I hope you can still enjoy your meals after reading this.
What really drives doctors nuts is big fat people like me with normal blood pressure and good blood chemistry numbers.
ReplyDeleteI've been slowly losing weight, but I'll be fat for a while yet. At least I'm active. That might be what keeps my numbers looking good.
I have high blood pressure and you don't. So if I were you, I wouldn't change anything. You are perfect just the way you are.
ReplyDeleteUsing the calculator you provided a link to, my BMI is 19.3. Does that make me "Low normal"? I'd feel a lot better if I could add about 10 pounds,
ReplyDelete20 years ago, my BMI was 51. Today, I have no idea what it is and I don't care. My BP was and is fine. Because everyone was so concerned with my "health, I had body altering surgery to lose weight. I lost 125 pounds. I lost my hair, my muscle mass, my stamina and my overall feeling of well being. At the lower weight, I developed diabetes and heart disease. Not because of my weight...those diseases are hereditary. They don't tell you that. The diet industry earns billions of dollars a year preying on the fears of the American people. Why isn't it examined like tobacco and pharm are? Because there is an agenda. Did you know that the BMI is used as a measure of health by the insurance companies. If you are not within their numbers, you are charged more for insurance. So would it surpriuse you that the insurance companies help establish what is a normal BMI? As with everything else, follow the money. A false "health crisis" is being created by using fear tactics. There is an enormous amount of published medical data that proves over and over again that the fear tactics around weight are overblown, and in many cases outright lies. Don't drink the Kool-Aid! Instead, drink the fruit juice, fresh milk and lots and lots of water !!!Don't fall for the manipulation.
ReplyDeleteAfter the lap band fiasco,i've said "to hell with it",, I am what i am, you get what you see, soo,,don't EVER try to change me,,,lololol
ReplyDeleteI have also noticed when I travel in other countries that we are a very fat nation in comparison.
ReplyDeleteI am not fat, I am just too short for my weight. If I gain about three feet of altitude, I will be just about right.
ReplyDeleteI were fat one time. A whopp'n 160 pounds I were. Had to get on one them diet thingys just to get in my tight fit'n Wranglers. Ain't got that problem no more, just bought me some bigger Wranglers.
ReplyDeleteDon't think I could handle be'n obese....or fat for that matter. I been called skinny all my life, but I just tell them I'm too tall for my weight.
Every day some body finds something else that is bad for us, makes us fat or skinny, and can kill ya!
ReplyDeleteI figure that listening to our own body is the best way to go!
Gypay, you in good shape, being such an active camper I am sure you burn more calories than you eat. Just don't get too skinny,
ReplyDeleteKris, everyone is different; some are better heavy and some are better lighter. It is hard to be perfect like me (grin).
Trouble, I have heard bad things about lap bands from people around here. I don't think that I would ever do that. I don't like my insides messed with.
Jill A., I have been told that before. Except for the Sumo Wrestlers (grin).
Bob, I have a friend with the same first name as yours and he is at least a foot and half taller than I am. That man looks like a bean pole. Like you said, we are just too short.
BB, The time I meet you, you sure weren't fat, for sure. You must have an over active metabolism (grin).
HJ, Do you remember way back years ago Woody Allen's movie "Sleeper" where he was frozen and brought back to life 200 years in the future? When he died he owned a health food store and when he was resuscitated, ice cream was the health food. Sounds good to me.
I think where you held your study is the key...WalMart lots and lots of cheap bad for you food. Eat food that is fresh and alive..not processed dead food. you can eat what you want..high calorie, high fat foods just make sure you eat to fill you up..not an amount to overfill you and two other. And make sure every meal isn't full of sugar and fat. I am at the upper end of my BMI but still in the good range. I don't stress over food just try to keep things even...good food/ bad foods.
ReplyDeleteI could have swored that Walmart sells the same stuff all grocery stores sell....only lower prices.
DeleteIt ain't Walmarts fault people over indulge.
Hi Jill, I am with you wholeheartedly there!! But I don't buy bad foods for myself, or feed my animals anything containing corn meal or 'by-products', those are their bad foods. So I cannot buy much food at Walmart.
DeleteHi BB, I think they do sell more processed foods than the other stores, but a lower quality, especially in their deli.
I try to stay away from Walmart, as they don't have a good selection of organic meat and veggies. Other stores have more.
Happy Trails, Penny.
When I went to the VA clinic last month they weighed me and said you weigh 185. She asked me how tall I was and I said 6'1" because I've actually been 6'1" and a half ALL of my adult life. She measured me and said 5'11" and I said WHAT? I've shrank!!! Damned Old Age!
ReplyDeleteAnyway I tried the calculator two times (once at 6'1" and 185 and once at 5'11" and 185) The 6'1" said I was in th high normal range and the 5'11" said I was fat. Funny everyone that sees me says I'm way to skinny. I sure don't plan to loose anymore weight just because of that calculator!
Besides I figure that 6'1" is still there somewhere so I'm going by that so I'm really normal. ;)
Darn if the table considers you fat...when you look skinny to me...no need for it to tell me what I am :D
DeleteI have always said I was skinny fat...jajajaja!
Jill, about the only thing you can get grown locally this time of year in Texas is okra. At least one of our meals a day is salads. We get the fresh lettice, peppers, onions, etc at Wal-Mart and take tomatoes at the flea market. We eat no red meat, no corn or corn products, mostly just eggs and vegetables.
ReplyDeleteBB, I agree.
David, I believe if you feel really good, don't change anything, but if you feel terrible and don't change then you will always have what you have always got.
I forgot to say that WA cook with either coconut oil or olive oil and the is no sugar in our house.
DeleteSame here, DD. Coconut oil is good for you, but olive oil should not be heated, so I use coconut oil for anything that has to be sauteed. I do not buy sugar or sweetened things either.
DeleteHappy Tails and Trails, Penny.