The Problem with BMI

The BMI formula is a simple calculation based on your height and weight. This formula has been around since the 1800's and in the last two decades has gained popularity with doctors as a way to estimate a "healthy body weight" and mortality risk.

18 or below = underweight

19-24 = normal

25-30 = overweight

31-or more falls into the obese category

However, BMI does not distinguish between FAT and MUSCLE!
BMI only gives you an indication of how heavy you are overall.
This is a very poor model for fit , active people.

An example of this would be Arnold Schwarzenegger. In his prime he had a BMI of 30.2- "obese" according to calculation! Anyone who's seen Arnold at his best knows that he was all lean muscle, not fat!

Recent research has shown that BMI can also be a false indicator of overall health in other ways. At the American  College of Cardiology's annual Scientific Session in 2008, researchers presented their findings , which showed that individuals with a normal BMI can still have a high body-fat content, increasing their risk for cardiovascular disease and other health problems.

BMI DOES NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN FAT AND MUSCLE, AND ONLY GIVES YOU AN INDICATION OF HOW HEAVY YOU ARE OVERALL.

MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT- BUT TAKES UP LESS SPACE THAN FAT DOES!
NOTICE INCHES LOST NOT JUST YOUR WEIGHT ON THE SCALE!

BELLY FAT!

Want a Flatter Belly?

Weight Training can help STOP the spread of BELLY FAT!
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition had overweight women (ages 25-44) engage in twice per week strength training sessions and a  control group was advised to do Aerobic activity. The strength training group lost more body fat in total, but they also had far less abdominal fat increases than the control group.

Since abdominal fat is one of the most dangerous kinds of fat ( linked to metabolic syndrome and heart disease), it is even more important to weight train and blast the fat away!