Cycling UK Forum

Username wrote:Simplest test to do is to look at yourself in the mirror, or a photo. Ask yourself "do you have a big belly"? If yes then you're fat.

When I was a student back in the late 70s/early 80s (studying for a biochemistry degree) I recall one lecturer giving a variation on this.

He said stand to in front of a mirror then jump up & down. If anything wobbles that shouldn't then you are overweight!

A health professional I know told me that the to get an idea of a person's health, don't measure their BMI (or string test result for that matter), just look at their post code. Its a far better predictor.

geomannie wrote:A health professional I know told me that the to get an idea of a person's health, don't measure their BMI (or string test result for that matter), just look at their post code. Its a far better predictor.

I went to an assessment yesterday that included a body composition analysis.
The results included the following
fat 28.8% (in the middle of the healthy range)
visceral fat rating 6 (low)
muscle mass very high
Base metabolic rate 1774 kcal (above average)
BMI 28.7 (overweight)
Metabolic age 36 (I'm 51!)

So, I was pleased to see both that cycling is clearly benefitting me, and that I have been right about how poor BMI is as a measure for me.

RickH wrote:

Username wrote:Simplest test to do is to look at yourself in the mirror, or a photo. Ask yourself "do you have a big belly"? If yes then you're fat.

When I was a student back in the late 70s/early 80s (studying for a biochemistry degree) I recall one lecturer giving a variation on this.

He said stand to in front of a mirror then jump up & down. If anything wobbles that shouldn't then you are overweight!

So work this one then. I don't have any really wobbly bits, at 178cm and 80kg i'm borderline overweight with a BMI of 25. I don't look fat. However sit me on a bike and take a picture and I look like Mr Blobby! So am I fat?

foxyrider wrote:

RickH wrote:

Username wrote:Simplest test to do is to look at yourself in the mirror, or a photo. Ask yourself "do you have a big belly"? If yes then you're fat.

When I was a student back in the late 70s/early 80s (studying for a biochemistry degree) I recall one lecturer giving a variation on this.

He said stand to in front of a mirror then jump up & down. If anything wobbles that shouldn't then you are overweight!

So work this one then. I don't have any really wobbly bits, at 178cm and 80kg i'm borderline overweight with a BMI of 25. I don't look fat. However sit me on a bike and take a picture and I look like Mr Blobby! So am I fat?

My virtually non cycling son was sitting with me watching a stage of the Tour de France - he remarked that one of the riders was very fat - I had to explain that professional cyclists have a very large lung capacity which expands toward the stomach cavity when they are on the "drops".
This was very noticeable with Miguel Indurain - so you are in good company.

ANTONISH wrote:

foxyrider wrote:

RickH wrote:When I was a student back in the late 70s/early 80s (studying for a biochemistry degree) I recall one lecturer giving a variation on this.

He said stand to in front of a mirror then jump up & down. If anything wobbles that shouldn't then you are overweight!

So work this one then. I don't have any really wobbly bits, at 178cm and 80kg i'm borderline overweight with a BMI of 25. I don't look fat. However sit me on a bike and take a picture and I look like Mr Blobby! So am I fat?

My virtually non cycling son was sitting with me watching a stage of the Tour de France - he remarked that one of the riders was very fat - I had to explain that professional cyclists have a very large lung capacity which expands toward the stomach cavity when they are on the "drops".
This was very noticeable with Miguel Indurain - so you are in good company.

I had come to a similar conclusion, having been riding and racing from age 12 I did develop a good lung capacity and an efficient blood pump. I don't think i've ever looked like a racing whippet even at the height of my racing career.

I dare not take the 'string' test. I am short, and even within that, have exceedingly short legs for my height. Most of these things work only for people who are average in intrinsic proportions.

I'm a bit over the 25, but have leg muscles that are substantial, a large ribcage and thick bones (on the usual bone tests I come out as well into 'large frame' for my height, and I pay a woodwind instrument, and have a pretty decent lung capacity..).

I have actually found Vorpal's posts here very illuminating. I'm very keen on proper evidence, and it's been evident to me for some time that the BMI measure is not fit for purpose. I do have, on the 'wobble test', a few little bits I could do without, and am remedying that at the moment- I'd like to be about 1/2 a stone to a stone lighter, but increase my muscles, which past experience suggests is my best and healthiest situation. My problem is not that I eat too much, or eat the wrong things, but that I work at home so I have to actively get out there to get much exercise, and other things than work are getting in the way (house move looming, relatives needing more care).

The most weight I ever lost in a short time was 3/4 of a stone in under a week. This was due to extreme stress, when in a truly awful hospital. I can easily lose a pound or two if I have a very stressful day even now, and no, it's not dehydration or starvation, I just seem to develop a (temporarily) fearsome metabolic rate. I seriously don't recommend that way of losing weight. You do not feel good for some time after, it cannot be good for a person. It makes me very concerned about drugs which try to set this sort of reaction off.