What constitutes as obese?

[cheesesteak]

I wasn't sure where this fit so if a mod/admin wants to move it to the appropriate place that's cool.

So what consitutes being obese? I've joined many a forum to be told I'm obese. I guess if enough people say it then it must be true. I don't come from an athletic background. My entire family is crappy genetics. Lots of fat people or extremely skinny people.

I'm 5'11, 216lbs. I would guess at about 30% bodyfat. I could post up a picture but I don't wanna get flamed.

Is that obese?

[Dragoon]

I wouldn't say your obese, but it sounds like you could stand to lose a few pounds.

[GYMBRAT]

your on hear so you must be wanting to head in the right direction bro and thats all that matters!! props to ya!
...and I cant foresee any flaming as there are a lot of great and caring ppl here at CBB :)

[cheesesteak]

I obviously need to lose. I'll just post up my pictures but if I get flamed I'm leaving.

wife beater @ 225lbs

[tiramisu]

BMI Classification
< 18.5 underweight
18.5–24.9 normal weight
25.0–29.9 overweight
30.0–34.9 class I obesity
35.0–39.9 class II obesity
> 40.0 class III obesity

Some modifications to the WHO definitions have been made by particular bodies. The surgical literature breaks down "class III" obesity into further categories.[17]

Any BMI > 40 is severe obesity
A BMI of 40.0–49.9 is morbid obesity
A BMI of >50 is super obese


This is a little broken for body builders so you can reverse engineer a more "representative bmi" from this equation:

Bodyfat% = (1.2 * BMI) + (0.23 * age) − 5.4 − (10.8 * gender)
where gender is 0 if female and 1 if male

[GYMBRAT]

you don't look obese to me by any means from your pics....just keep killing it in the gym bro, eating healthy and destroying the cardio and you'll be on your way, you'll see!!

[cheesesteak]

I got a diet going now but I don't know if it's the best. I probably should have posted this in the pic section. shit.


Here's roughly my diet:

Meal #1 - 2 whole omega 3 eggs, 1 cup egg whites, 1 banana

Meal #2 - 6oz chicken breast, 1 cup rice

Meal #3 - same as 2

Meal #4 - 8oz steak, 1 cup of broccoli

Meal #5 - protein shake


I also have a shake PWO. That's the diet I put together myself.

For cardio I do 1 hour bike every morning on empty stomach. Also do 30 minutes treadmill after weights on training days.

[smukker]

Not even clost to obese, i would consider an obese male as someone who cant see his little buddy anymore lol but seriously you got a good base, if you could tone up and turn what you got into solid lean mass i think you could be pretty big.

[bigtavi8]

**** man your not obese. Who cares 2 shits about BMI. Your part of the CBB family now so we gotta treat you like one. When i started lifting i would consider myself more obese than that. And in a matter of a few hard years i was in the single digits bf on stage. Your under construction just like all of us.

[Talo]

You've got a good base , bro. Stick with the gym and that diet that you listed out and you'll be good to go !

[4031]

you dont look obese to me

[Dragoon]

with the diet cardio and weights you'll be melting the fat off, just like me, keep at it man.:hu

[faller]

I agree with everyone here, you're not obese Bro. Like bigtavi8 said, "Your under construction just like all of us".

[L3]

naw bro not obese... you just happen to store bodyfat in "unfavorable" places in your body, just like me... its genetics... no matter what BF% i am i always have big cheeks

keep lifting, consitencty is the key!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[Winnipeg Muscle]

There is no black and white way to indicate obesity, BMI is used often but has its flaws, in the hospital anyone over 350lbs is considered bariatric. This would mean that if there were mobility issues staff would be required to follow special procures to help move them.

[O-Train]

Definitely not obese. BMI is only useful for sedentary people. I'm about the same height and weight so on a chart you, me and someone who had never lifted (same height/weight) all have the same BMI. According to the chart all 3 would be "obese" but only the sedentary person with minimal muscle would actually be obese.

My wife bought a Wii Fit and it pisses me off every time I get on the scale and that annoying little voice says "That's obese." The little character they portray me as is about as fat as he is tall...

[Felinecougar]

I found this for you..You don't look obese to me either.

By Dr Neli Stoyanova

Waistline measurement? Why bother?

Because it can save your life.

Currently the connection between abdominal (omentum) fat and health is well established.

The bigger the "belly" the bigger the risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome. People usually associate heart disease with overall obesity, but little is known by the general public about the direct link between big waistline and heart.

It is a common misunderstanding that lean people with a cute "little tummy" are not at risk for a high blood pressure because they are not obese. This is wrong, because their waistline measurement would still be outside the normal range.

I would like for you to be able to assess your own health risk at home. Here are the basics one should know:

1. The words big waistline, central obesity, abdominal obesity, and midsection obesity mean the same thing. It means that there is fat around the waist that should not be there. It means BIG BELLY.

2. The most simple (and reliable) way to assess abdominal obesity at home is by waistline measurement.

Below are the healthy normal waistline numbers by gender.

1. According to AHA-NHLBI (American Heart Association) guidelines:

Female:

Normal: Less than 35 inches (88 cm)

Increased: At or above 35 inches (88 cm)

Male:

Normal: Less than 40 inches (102 cm)

Increased: At or above 40 inches (102 cm)

2. According to IDF (International Diabetes Federation) guidelines:

Female:

Normal: Less than 32 inches (80 cm)

Male:

Normal: Less than 38 inches (94cm)

Central or abdominal obesity:

Female: At or above 32 inches (80 cm)

Male: At or above 38 inches (94cm)

If you don't have a tape measure you can divide your height in inches by two. Your waistline needs to be that number or smaller in inches.

3. You can use the BMI (body mass index) to assess your overall obesity. The BMI (body mass index) is your weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height, in meters. You can calculate your BMI by:

a) Multiply your weight in pounds by 703

b) Multiply your height in inches by itself

c) Divide the first number by the second

d) Round to the nearest whole number: that's your BMI

Normal: 18.5-24.9

Overweight: 25-29.9

Obese: at or above 30

Keep in mind that for some people, particularly athletes who exercise a great deal, the BMI index could show them as being obese when in fact they are in excellent physical condition.

While both waistline measurement and BMI assess your overall obesity, ONLY the waistline measurement can assess the fat around your abdominal organs which is stress related. This is the reason why waist circumference is measured while assessing the stress related fat accumulation.

For starters- all you need is a tape measure. Position it around your waist at the level of you navel. You can also use the hip bone as a guide-the tape should go above the hip bone, and you are on your way to learn a lot about yourself and your health.

Believe me. I see it on a daily basis. People are amazed that they still have abdominal obesity even though they are not obese overall.

It comes as a surprise to them but remember that the stress hormone cortisol comes into play here. Chronic stress leads to fat deposition in the abdominal area which results in a big waistline. It makes you realize how vulnerable the human body is to the effects of stress.

Researchers now know that if most of your fat is in the belly area, your heart risk is greater than if the fat resides in the hips, thighs or rear (sometimes referred to as the apple versus pear shape body type).

[cheesesteak]

That's interesting about the waistline. I have a a big one. Around 40". That's where I always store my fat. I saw on a bodybuilding documentary where a bodybuilder was saying that usually the first place you store fat is the last place it will leave from.

[Felinecougar]

That's interesting about the waistline. I have a a big one. Around 40". That's where I always store my fat. I saw on a bodybuilding documentary where a bodybuilder was saying that usually the first place you store fat is the last place it will leave from.

I think age and sex might play a part in that too. I have stored most of my fat off season now in my hips, men store it in their stomachs.

Think of the women you know who are 50 ish..large waist lines and no asses. They could be obese based on their waistlines but not their BMIs.

[cheesesteak]

Makes sense. Thanks everyone. I don't feel like I'm obese anymore. My goal is to get down to 200lbs, then 10 more each goal until I'm satisfied with what I look like. Nice to hear that I have a base to work with. I could show pictures of me in January when I was really fat but then you'd puke.

[alexander]

Its all about bodyfat.

Get measure by Some qualified trainer with 9 Point Caliper.

Aim to be between 8% to 10%.

[smukker]

I personally dont believe its all about bf % I believe its feeling good when you look in the mirror and see you are making progress as you put in time and get more dedicated almost obsessive is when you start to worry about bf %. Just put in the time and dedication and almost anything is possible.

[steve_d]

yes, you are obese, you're BMI is 30.19. You just made the cutoff. Does it mean anything? Probably not. You are by definition obese from the charts - but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. The misconception is that obese is confused with people who are actually morbidly obese, when 1/3 of the population are in fact obese.

You guys also have to keep in mind that not only can the BMI chart be wrong for bodybuilders or people who carry a lot of muscle, but even the regular joe at a BMI of 32 is not necessarily "more unhealthy" then another regular joe at a BMI of 28. It's simply a tool that was invented that takes a ratio of weight to height. Its a very general formula to give and indication of if you are carrying too much bodyfat for your height. that's all.

To be honest though, you've only recently started working out, and it takes years to build significant muscle mass. You can always improve your health, and you are definitely a step in the right direction. I do think that at 260 pounds you were really pushing the envelope...at 215 or so you are becoming healthier but I still think to be in optimal health you would need to lose a little more bodyfat. good job on the progress!!

[Dryvrgrl]

I like that BF% formula T posted!! it gives me the best reading yet!! lol 16.2!! whoot whoot! (another one online gave me 18.4 and the calipers squeezed me ar 19.8)... a little wiggle room in the BF calculators! lol

I don't think you're obese! But we all can use a bit of Tweaking!! right?... keep at er... watch what you eat, get your excercise... it's all good!

[steve_d]

you should be asking "am I fat". the answer to that is no...you're not fat.

The answer though to the original question like I said before is that you are obese. Those are two entirely different questions though, and obesity is simply a mathematical formula.

Many competitive bodybuilders even at the amateur level are obese by definition on stage at 4% bodyfat, AND dehydrated. Anyway, I am probably not saying anything people on here don't already know...