Trudging Toward Better Health

As of today I have lost 31.5 lbs.  When I look at it that way I think “Awesome!”  Then I make the mistake of looking ahead to how far I have yet to go.  Less than some, farther than most.  The long view does get daunting.  As things go now it will take me a year to lose the weight I need to.  I’m not complaining, the weight is coming off.  Not everyone is able to do it through diet and exercise so I know I’m lucky.  And weight lost slowly is generally weight that stays off.  All things I remind myself of daily.

The daunting part is when I look at the “health indicators”, things like BMI.  A healthy BMI is between 18.5–24.9.  I am very, very far away from that.  But here is the current scale:

• Underweight = less than 18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
• Overweight = 25–29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

The latest statistic shows that over 30% of the US population is obese.  I have a ways to go before the description of my BMI changes and I want to feel like I’m gaining some traction.  The old BMI chart had more levels:

Adults	Women	Men
anorexia	Less than 17.5
underweight	17.5-19.1	17.5-20.7
in normal range	19.1-25.8	20.7-26.4
marginally overweight	25.8-27.3	26.4-27.8
overweight	27.3-32.3	27.8-31.1
very overweight or obese	32.3-35	31.1-35
severely obese	35 - 40
morbidly obese	40 - 50
super obese	50 - 60

I like having more levels, but I can’t say I like the names they’ve chosen (super obese makes me think of a huge man in spandex.  No one wants that).  But do you see the other problem with the old chart?  The BMI numbers overlap.  I propose the following:

 

Adults	Women
Anorexia*	less than 17.5
Boney	17.6-18.5
Healthy	18.6–24.9
Extra Huggable	25-27.9
Squishy	28-29.9
Fluffy	30-34.9
Seriously Fluffy	35 – 39.9
OMG Fluffy	40 – 49.9
Jumbo Marshmallow**	50 - 60

*Leaving the name the same because it is a serious thing, not that the others aren’t but at least it has a decent name.

* *At this point you are probably diabetic anyhow, might as well be fluffy and completely made of sugar.

While I know I should be shooting for Healthy I will be happy with Extra Huggable.   

Oddly, I feel better now.  Fluffy, but better.