Body mass index

[what???]

I'd heard this was a reliable way of finding out whether you're the right weight etc for your height. I was just interested to know but I'm not entirely sure whether I'm 5 foot 6 or 7 and my weight tends to fluctuate a bit. So I put in my maximum weight, 8 stone 5 pounds and my minimum height, 5 ft 6 and it came out as underweight. II'm not muscly anywhere except my calves and I'm a medium build I think. Recently I've put on a couple of pounds so I'm actually in the process of trying to lose them again! Is this really reliable because although I think I'm pretty slim, particuarly on my top half and my legs, I certainly have a bum and quite often a little tummy, so I'm not skinny. I just don't want to damage my health. xxx

[Goodsoulette]

I dont think its that reliable... I have known a few servicemen who would be considered overweight cause there muscle mass was high making them heavier but certainly not overweight (or overbuff like the musclebeach guys). If you have a tendancy to put weight on in the tummy area thats not very healthy either.

Im not gonna advise on diet or anything though!!

[WoWo]

It is actually been shown to be a bit hit and miss, I think for example most professional rugby players are overweight/obese if measured against BMI but are some of the fittest people around.

Use it as a guide but don't treat it as gospel.

It also seems as if you are using figures which make you come out underweight, what about if you put in other figures i.e. a different hight (seeing as you are not sure), if you are literally just in the under weight category I really wouldn't worry.