Do people go by weight or BMI?

[Anonymous]

Earlier today I went to the doctor and he told me I am overweight. I am 5'11 and 195 lb. He said my BMI is 28. He recommended for me to lose weight and said I should be around 18.5 to 24.9. if I follow what the doctor recommends do you think I'm going to look too skinny

[WindAtMyBack]

People mainly go by weight.

A doctor will go by more than that. A doctor citing BMI is probably just using it to communicate to you that you need to lose weight. It also gives you a target, even though it's not exact.

He should be able to tell just by examining you if you are over weight. It depends on your body type and muscle mass. But yea, a BMI of 25 is a good rule of thumb for a target - ideally lower.

195 is not excessively over weight. But unless you have a lot of muscle, it's more than you should weigh. It's better to lose now than wait until it's seriously affecting your health.

No, you wouldn't be skinny.

[zayndan]

Depends. BMI ranges are good, but it's not always perfect. My current BMI is 24, but I I want to increase my weight. I'm going to build more muscle, so even though I will increase my BMI, I'll still be healthy and look good. There are so many factors to include that can throw off the BMI reading. Do you have a big bust? Wide curves? Do u have a lot of muscle?

[jennifer_bloom]

I think appearance and strength matters more than weight or BMI. I’ve met 150 pound guys that look like they weigh 95 pounds cause they are all muscle. I’ve met 120 pound women who look 85 pounds cause they are all muscle and bone. I’ve met 130 pound women who look 180 pounds cause they are all fat. I’ve met 220 pound guys who look 140 cause they are all muscle.

[Iron_Man]

Weight and body fat