HN Explorer

30 comments

[ 3.4 ms ] story [ 68.3 ms ] thread
Amorymeltzer
Is this just Karma whoring?
halotrope
No. I wanted to make a poll but I don't have enough karma :)
ionised
A bit. Let myself slip recently with the lack of lifting and the boozing.
kisamoto
No, normal weight, healthy and exercise often.
fixxer
I'm the right size for a boy my age.
hellofunk
Well that certainly depends on your particular interpretation of the widely overloaded term "overweight." No one has ever suggested that I'm overweight, usually saying I'm thin. But when you look at official BMI recommendations, I am actually on the borderline of being overweight, at the very top of the "normal" range. If everyone was judged against these guidelines, it would probably increase significantly the number of people who are considered overweight.
ionised
> Well that certainly depends on your particular interpretation of the widely overloaded term "overweight."

Yup. The problem with the BMI is it doesn't take into account the variety of lifestyles people have.

For example, a lifter is going to weigh a lot more than the average person simply by increased muscle mass and would probably be considered overweight or even obese by BMI standards.

ollysb
Yeah, BMI should be retired as a useful metric, percentage body fat is far more useful. The problem though is measuring this accurately... (the scales that include the body fat percentage give wildly different numbers depending on time of day, water consumption etc.)
narwally
It is a useful metric, but it was never intended to be used for assessing individuals. It's intended use is as a metric for populations of people. It works very well for that.
DanBC
It's pretty useful for individuals so long as you make adjustments for people who exercise every day (ie, very few people) or people over about 6'5" (again, not many people) and very obese people (where it tends to under-estimate obesity).
jgroszko
As a lifter with a BMI of 26, it's not a very useful metric. Last time I measured my BF% with calipers it was around 9%...

Edit: Okay checked my spreadsheet, I misremembered. Honestly I don't track it that closely

Tankenstein
4% body fat is fatal really fast, isn't it?
ollysb
It's taken a fair amount of work this year but my BMI is 21. I follow the starting strength program (bar bell lifts 3 times a week), 1 hour cardio 5-6 times a week and the seven minute workout[1] 6 afternoons a week.

[1] http://7-min.com/

beckler
My BMI is 29. So, unfortunately, my answer is yes.
Tankenstein
No, in actually good shape. Lift 3 times a week, have a 6-pack.
rhokstar
Nope.

But is HN itself overweight?