Healthy Habits Folks

chewyspaghetti

I just wanted to share these two calculators that I found online:
Waist to Hip ratio calculator:
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/.....alculator/
This is supposed to be a better idea of the weight associated health risks than your BMI
Body Fat Calculator
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/
This is one that I hadn't seen before- based on a formula developed by the navy.
My numbers have been driving me crazy lately (BMI and weight), but according to both of these I am in a healthy range- and that makes me very happy.

14 years ago

General

12 replies

Latest reply was from cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

yay for being happy!!! I was just talking on a board for other Fitbit owners (my fancy pedometer) about those few extra pounds. Basically, when I was most fit right before my first triathlon 3 years back, I weighed more than when I got sidelined by my ankle sprain and couln't walk. So - 123 lbs but able to do a triathlon, or 117 lbs but not even walking for exercise. I'd say numbers are only part of the story!!

14 years ago

Anonymous

The numbers can make anyone crazy! There are so many factors to consider. Osteoporosis runs in my family, and it's recommended to have a BMI of at least 20 to help prevent it. Being below 127 pounds is a risk factor. (Not one that applies to me right now, ha!)

14 years ago

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Very interesting links - thanks, Khris! I am definitely going to use them to determine how much weight I should loose.:-)

14 years ago

Mellllls

Veteran

definitely interesting. i'll have to take my measurements and see how i measure up.

14 years ago

Kate

Veteran

Hmm, I don't like these any better for me. I'm 5'3" and 110 lbs, so my BMI is 19.5 (on the lower side of normal weight). But the waist to hip calculator (28" and 34", so 82%) puts me at moderate risk and the body fat calculator puts me at 25.38%, which is acceptable. I don't think I could attain a smaller waistline and still be healthy (that measurement is mostly my ribcage) and I was certainly less healthy when my hips were a couple inches bigger, (which would push me into low risk on the waist to hip calculator, but make me a bit less acceptable according to the body fat calculator).

My verdict is that you can't win at the numbers game. At the end of the day, I think you're healthy if you feel good and can achieve what you want to achieve, regardless of what the scale or any kind of calculation tells you. I've been so much happier with my body since I stopped thinking about how much I weigh and what my measurements are, and started focusing on how many crunches and push ups I can do, how far I can walk, and how healthy I feel.

14 years ago

Mellllls

Veteran

Kate, are you pear-shaped? If so, you are naturally going to have a more "at risk" waist to hip ratio than other shaped persons even with height and weight.

14 years ago

Kate

Veteran

Mels, I'm hourglass with IT tendencies (my hips are 34", my shoulders are 37"). I wear size 0 or 2 on bottom, but frequently wear a S on top because of my shoulders/bust. I'm also short waisted, so my skinniest point on my waist is around my rib cage (and thus can't get much smaller).

What I was trying to say is that my hip/waist ratio would actually be "better" if my waist stayed the same and my hips got bigger, but that wouldn't mean that I was really healthier.

Based on Angie's definition of body types (http://youlookfab.com/2006/04/.....%E2%80%9D/) (see photo below), pears will actually be the least at risk with the hip to waist ratio because they have the largest difference between their hip size and waist size. It's the rectangle and inverted triangle body types that will seem most at risk with this calculation because they have the smallest difference between their waist and hip measurements.

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14 years ago

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Of course none of the calculators is going to be perfect. I was just happy to find some sort of calculation that shows I am in a healthy range, since I am *way* outside of that in both BMI and height/weight (but I struggle just to maintain my current weight). Because of my chronic health problems I can't do much exercise, and I don't 'feel healthy' in general. I was just looking for some sort of validation for myself, and wanted to share this since it was helpful to me.

14 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

Interesting links, thanks! I often find the online calculators put me in the "you need to exercise more" range. So frustrating!

14 years ago

Anonymous

A little off-topic, but a great free resource for low-impact exercise is the show "Classical Stretch" on PBS. I DVR it and try to add it to my day when I can. It's a barefoot mix of Tai Chi, stretching, PIlates, and other stuff--very flowy and different from anything else I've ever done. The instructor is a bit quirky and I find her endearing. I am naturally about as malleable as a two-by-four, but this show has done wonders for my flexibility and my posture.

Khris, sorry to hijack your thread!

14 years ago

Katja

(website)

Active Member

Glad to hear you've found Happy Numbers.

14 years ago

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I have very small wrists and ankles in comparison to my shoulders and hips so I suspect I would get a falsely high reading on the fat percentage. My doctor suggested that I keep my BMI in the middle range or 22-23. She said this is better for women approaching 50 to reduce osteo risks.

I prefer to be closer to 20 but since my body refuses to allow me to get there, I will pretend I am following doctor's orders.

14 years ago

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