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BMI vs. Body fat %????

TeresaMalia Posts: 24 Joined: 2002/12/30	2002/12/31, 06:04 PM I'm getting in shape for the new year and I was wondering what's the difference between your BMI and body fat%? which one is better to go by when trying to lose weight and get into shape?
Sempai Posts: 447 Joined: 2002/06/06	2002/12/31, 06:12 PM Welcome to Ft you will have no trouble getting in shape here with the ft programs. As far as your question I personnaly go by the body fat%. The BMI can be misleading when you are strenght training as it only takes total body weight/height into acount, not the amount of muscle perportional to your body weight. muscle weighs more than fat. You can have a high body weight but with low body fat. -------------- Never be afraid to try something new. Remember the ark was built by amateurs, The Titanic was built by professionals.
mandre Posts: 212 Joined: 2002/04/23	2002/12/31, 11:49 PM I second the BF%. The problem with BMI is that if you are lifting weights and are muscular you are going to weigh mrre. There is a disclaimer at the bottom. Take two women both are 5'4 both weigh 120. BMI is the same. 1 has 18& bf the other has 25% bf Who is healthier? :) Melissa -------------- Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but rather we have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. - -- Aristotle
Firehawk734 Posts: 295 Joined: 2002/07/31	2003/01/01, 05:19 AM Yes, the Body fat Percentage is the way to go and heres the simplest reason... Look at WWF Wrestlers. Now the ones that are really cut, like the Rock, weigh like 285 lbs. IF you look on a BMI scale, they are at serious risk for heart disease lol. The BMI scale is only for the average person, not for weight trainers and athletes.
Singlespeeder Posts: 2 Joined: 2002/10/22	2003/01/02, 01:31 PM Well there you go, BF% over BMI. Now just you have to figure out which method you want to use to get your BF%measurements; calipers, bio-impedence, water submersion...? :)
TeresaMalia Posts: 24 Joined: 2002/12/30	2003/01/02, 01:49 PM Oh man...I was just using the one on here. How accurate is that?
mandre Posts: 212 Joined: 2002/04/23	2003/01/02, 03:42 PM For tape measurements try this http://www.biofitness.com/bodyfat.html for the caliper 7 point is more accurate http://weightrainer.virtualave.net/bodycalc.html :) Melissa -------------- Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but rather we have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. - -- Aristotle