As a girl there is a constant worry of what number will pop into a scale. I recall teachers telling me that the form of guidance is in the BMI measurements. Yet, I have found that the BMI is not that all knowing or all wise.
Yes, girl, they lied to us. They lied to us all…
First you should know that when the BMI was created, it was never with the purpose of a true representation of one’s body fatness. It was created in the 19th century from a Belgian of the name Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetlet. Lambert Adolphe Jaques Quetlet was a mathematician, not a physician. I repeat he was a mathematician, not a physician!
I feel like this would be such an imprtant fact to know right? They guy who created this was not a mathematician but again the education system has not revealed certain things.
Another point , is that the BMI scale operates under knowing the weight and height of an individual, and from there calculating if one is underweight, right in weight, or overweight. I have learned through the years that muscle is heavy and should be something that is taken into account when one thinks of weight. Yet, the BMI scale does not acknowledge the pivotal importance of the weight of muscle.
I am not stating that people should not worry about their weight or intend to have a healthy weight. However, I want do want to state that the BMI measurements is in no way an accurate representation of ourselves or our bodies.
You are not your BMI measurements!
Ps: Men in this world I know that not only women stare at a weight scale in fear. This is also for you, the BMI measurements do not define you.