Hello everyone,

Mom of 3, just had baby 3 in October. Had a great, fit pregnancy and started P90X lean after I got the green light from my midwife. So, here's my question:

I have a Tanita scale which says I'm at 25% bodyfat. I just had a baby as I said, so I have a couple pounds to lose, but I absolutely do not look overweight and I look rather slim (wearing size small dress right now). I did the height/weight BMI calculator online, which took into account ethnicity and gender, and also checked a graph at the Heart and Lungs Institute and it said I was 22% body fat. I think the 22% seems more accurate (and not just b/c I want it to be! ), but logically I would think the BMI scale would be more accurate.

Any input on this query, as well as scales and BMI calculators in general? I've noticed the scale fluctuates depending on the time of day as well. Any help would be appreciated!

First things first. Body Mass Index (BMI) and Body Fat % are too different stats. BMI is strictly a height to weight ratio that does not take anything else into consideration (lean body mass, etc.). For that reason BMI is quite a misleading number for most.

Body Fat % is just that, a measurement of the % of your weight that is fat. There are many scales that calculate this for you but most would tend to agree that they can be very inaccurate. Personally I would recommend getting a pair of fat calipers and measuring your body fat the good old fashion way. Here is the website I use to know what to measure and it calculates body fat % for me.
http://www.linear-software.com/online.html

This link may help:
http://tinyurl.com/5jsmyy
Scroll down to Body Mass Index

Right on, Whip!

If BMI is used as the sole criteria for obesity, many professional athletes are obese. Why? Because the measured indicators are height and weight. So, if you're tall, your BMI will be higher. And if you weigh more, the BMI will be higher. But there's no indication as to WHY a person weighs what they weigh. Athletes may have only a few percent body fat, but lots of muscle. And they tend to be taller than average, so the BMI is higher, thus the problem.

Body fat percentage is a great way of seeing where you're at in terms of fat.

If you're looking for a definition of obesity, many professionals are now suggesting waist circumference as a better indicator. If your waist circumference is more than 36 inches for a woman or more than 40 inches for a man, you're considered obese. I think you get a break on pregnancy, until you are 3-4 months out from delivery.

Hope this helps...

Kevin