Overweight doesn't mean you're not healthy.

[supercelt]

Back in January, I went for my annual yearly physical. My interests lie in the medical field, so personal health is a huge deal for me. So that means a physical/check-up every year since I was 16. After the usual battery of tests and examinations, my doctor came in to go over my results.

My blood pressure was good, even great. Same thing for all the usual tests (cholesterol, A1C, blood sugar, et cetera). Then came the part that put me into something beyond a blind rage: he suggested I lose some weight. He comes in, tells me I'm in near-perfect health, then tells me to drop a few pounds. I was pissed. When I asked him why he thought that, he explained to me that my BMI listed me as overweight. Which apparently means I'm at a higher risk of health issues than people who weigh less.

Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.

I'm only twenty, work out four times a week if I can, eat a relatively balanced diet, and have only one vice (nicotine, naturally). I rarely drink, and what little drugs I have tried are ancient history. That's not to say losing a little bit of weight wouldn't make me just a little more attractive. But because I'm just a few pounds shy of a societal norm, I'm "unhealthy". Funny. I knew guys (and girls) with .5% body fat in high school who were listed as overweight. If they ain't healthy, folks, who is?

What I'm getting at is that complete, overall health isn't based on how much you weigh. It's more about everything you do to and for your body. That, ladies and gentlemen, is my humble opinion. Feel free to weigh in below. :)

[luxxy (deleted)]

`I understand what you are saying, and you are so right about "the 5% body fat in high school who were listed as overweight. If they ain't healthy, folks, who is?" but here is the thing, being overweight means we are part of the risk factors for many health conditions as well predispose factors to many others, so your Doctor was just making an observation and giving you a recomendation, and truth betold I have been in your position many times, everytime I go to my check up, everything is great "except my weight" those are the words of my M.D, and I know what she is saying, know why she is saying it, but still think is a B----y comment...

[loverboywk]

`We could call this a thread necro, but it doesn't seem to have been alive in the first place...the poor thing.

Weight and health...hmm...two very finicky things when put together...weight and health...how to broaden the subject without picking a side? But there seems to be something missing? What could it be...what could it be...how about age?

Yes, the reason your doctor would be calling you unhealthy (even though you perfectly are) is that because right now your body can handle anything that is being thrown at it. You're young, strong, sexy, in fine fighting form and ready for the world...but in maybe 15 years, 20, it may even take up towards 30 years for it to start showing, but it will.

The accelerated break down of our bodies due to the stress of having too much weight attached to it will occur. Is it deadly serious and a reason to get up in arms? Not so much for now, no for now you are fine and healthy. So am I (bench press is 250lbs, stress test was in the positives, heart rate, cholesterol, blood levels all nominal and very acceptable. Except for Bp but that's got a family history behind it too.), and no doubt so are a majority of men and women who keep themselves to a balanced enough diet and working out. For some of us our bodies are simply built to be larger and hold different amounts than what' socially 'pretty'.

The unfortunate side effect to actually (possibly, very important to remember that) BEING BETTER OFF than the smaller lot of the world is that as we age it will take a harder toll on us, leading to crippling diseases 10-15 years before the itty bitty masses.

Still anyone else's call as to whether they are unhealthy because they are overweight, or because of a greedy & purely uncaring lifestyle.

[alikakadri (deleted)]

`I've known overweight people who were healthier than thinner people. I was one for most of my childhood. I could keep up and had more endurance although I couldn't run very fast. I'm still somewhat overweight now and I feel fine healthwise.

[heliosa (deleted)]

`Hey Supercelt, maybe a bit belated, but wanted to weigh in, no pun intended, on your post. Although I have tremendous respect for all health professionals, it is kind of safe to say that a lot of general physicians are not properly or thoroughly trained in nutrition and dietetics. So he/she probably told you the only thing they know, which is something they found in a chart. However, if you really examine what BMI stands for and what it means, his statement was not necessarily accurate. BMI, body mass index, is basically an equation that is calculated based on a person's HEIGHT and WEIGHT ONLY. Although it is still used by health professionals as a reference tool, its come under a lot of criticism because it does not take into account body composition, which is actually the deciding factor in someone's health outcomes. So according to BMI calculations, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who got his body as a professional bodybuilder would also be considered overweight, because the BMI equation only takes in MASS not substance and if you say you take your health seriously and work out on regular basis, it could mean that your substance/composition may be very different from say an average person of same height and weight due to higher muscle mass....

BUT if you ask me, you can totally disregard this point, i am not a doctor, BUT if you r concerned about your health, QUIT SMOKING, that's a sure killer, no matter which way you look at it,

All the best!

[ssbbwprtypoizen]

`Over weight does not mean you are unhealthy. But it puts your body through strain I mean your heart is but so big.and people be wanting woman to weigh half a damn ton.when you can't physically walk because of weight that's unhealthy. I'm sorry I support bbws and ssbbw but too much weight is unhealthy. You are at risk for so mych

[ssbbwprtypoizen]

`Over weight does not mean you are unhealthy. But it puts your body through strain I mean your heart is but so big.and people be wanting woman to weigh half a damn ton.when you can't physically walk because of weight that's unhealthy. I'm sorry I support bbws and ssbbw but too much weight is unhealthy. You are at risk for so mych

[ssbbwprtypoizen]

`Over weight does not mean you are unhealthy. But it puts your body through strain I mean your heart is but so big.and people be wanting woman to weigh half a damn ton.when you can't physically walk because of weight that's unhealthy. I'm sorry I support bbws and ssbbw but too much weight is unhealthy. You are at risk for so mych

[ssbbwprtypoizen]

`Over weight does not mean you are unhealthy. But it puts your body through strain I mean your heart is but so big.and people be wanting woman to weigh half a damn ton.when you can't physically walk because of weight that's unhealthy. I'm sorry I support bbws and ssbbw but too much weight is unhealthy. You are at risk for so mych

[hithere21 (deleted)]

`Too thin or too heavy can be unhealthy, but it also depends on the person and their make-up. Healthy happy lifestyle is what matters.