# Calculating weight loss.



## StephenM (Nov 12, 2010)

I think posting the total weight loss in lbs is a totally incorrect way of doing things. A better way would be BMI units. For instance a stone of my 6' 4" frame means far less than someone of 5' 3" losing the same amount. I did think of % of weight but that becomes to complex as should the starting point be your original weight or your target weight (say a BMI of 25)?


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## Steff (Nov 12, 2010)

It worked fine so far


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## novorapidboi26 (Nov 12, 2010)

StephenM said:


> I think posting the total weight loss in lbs is a totally incorrect way of doing things. A better way would be BMI units. For instance a stone of my 6' 4" frame means far less than someone of 5' 3" losing the same amount. I did think of % of weight but that becomes to complex as should the starting point be your original weight or your target weight (say a BMI of 25)?



I think your logic is sound stephen, but bmi would confuse ppl when really its just a thread to motivate and offer encouragement..........or that the impression I got anyway...........


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## Andy HB (Nov 12, 2010)

StephenM said:


> I think posting the total weight loss in lbs is a totally incorrect way of doing things. A better way would be BMI units. For instance a stone of my 6' 4" frame means far less than someone of 5' 3" losing the same amount. I did think of % of weight but that becomes to complex as should the starting point be your original weight or your target weight (say a BMI of 25)?



I think that the current method works just fine. There is absolutely no need to overcomplicate things.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

Andy


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## lucy123 (Nov 12, 2010)

Stephen, thanks for your alternative view, but I do think practically 8 stone lost since 17th September says it all really. We are all members of the group to support each other and so far I think we have all done a blooming good job of doing this! 

I therefore can't see how it can possibly be described as a 'totally incorrect way of doing things". It certainly is correct for a lot of us as the proof is surely in the weight loss so far. I agree yours is an alternative way of recording loss, but this doesn't make our way totally incorrect.

Feel free to join us if you would like to lose a little for christmas too!


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## Annimay (Nov 12, 2010)

I wouldn't want to post my BMI (or my weight for that matter) at this stage - I'm quite embarrassed by how big it is.  I'm happy to post my weight loss, losing even a pound is an acheivement no matter what BMI you are.

I may disclose later how big I was when I started, but not just yet.

So I prefer the current system.


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## MargB (Dec 9, 2010)

You could always start a separate thread for BMI measurements - I know my weight loss has seen my BMI reduce and I was very happy when I was no longer obese!

But pounds drop off and keep me motivated whereas the BMI measurement changes slowly.

As others have said, most of the threads on here are encouraging.


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## StephenM (Dec 9, 2010)

It is tempting to start a new thread that is BMI based but as I am not trying to lose weight (my height balances my weight) I am not really the person to start the thread.


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## Steff (Dec 9, 2010)

StephenM said:


> It is tempting to start a new thread that is BMI based but as I am not trying to lose weight (my height balances my weight) I am not really the person to start the thread.



Seems pointless that you came in the weight LOSS part of the forum in the first place then.


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## Andy HB (Dec 10, 2010)

StephenM said:


> It is tempting to start a new thread that is BMI based but as I am not trying to lose weight (my height balances my weight) I am not really the person to start the thread.



I am not sure what your motive was in posting this, Stephen, but it seems designed to cause ill-feeling to me. I hope that was not the case.

It would be good if your posts contained a little more constructive comment or more generally contributed to the forum in some way. In fact I have absolutely no problem with you posting something informative about BMI and its use in the weight loss process. We could then have something more interesting to discuss.

By the way, I found your Q10 thread quite interesting and it would be nice to see some more posts in a similar vein.

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=12570


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## lucy123 (Dec 10, 2010)

Stephen - if we were to just post when our BMI changes, we wouldn't post as often and the point of the forum is to give regular support. I appreciate that when we change from morbidly obese to just obese and then to just overweight and then to normal, we will feel pleased but these posts would be too far apart.

 Also for many people who are overweight (which is what the WLG is for) they may not wish to disclose their weight and by disclosing bmi this similarly gives an idea of how much overweight a person is. This is quite sensitive information to a lot of members of the group. It doesn;t matter whether a person has 1 stone to lose or 10 stone, a weight loss of 2lbs is to be applauded. Over a month we have had members losing a good 0.5 to 1 stone initially and it is this that benefits our health. If we looked at reduction in BMI, I don;t think it would be as motivatiing. Also just for thought, my PT is a lean machine who is so fit and has absolutely no fat on her at all, yet the GP tells her she needs to lose weight based solely on her bmi - however her muscle is heavy so her bmi is affected. So in my opinion the BMI isn't always helpful. 

We also post our nsv's too which is where we can post other things we notice due to weight loss but not directly related to the scales. I have posted my measurement loss, which I find truly satisfying,

Is there a reason you visited the WLG as I note you are of perfect build? I wonder if you have any additional information on BMI which you may have found was useful? Or was you just wandering the forums?


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## StephenM (Dec 10, 2010)

Sorry, there are far too many comments to quote individually. In no way was I trying to stir things up or cause confusion. Although not overweight now I was told to lose about two stone to get my BMI down to around 25 a few years ago. My GP tends to use BMI as he says it is a more accurate measure of health benefits. A two stone drop changes my BMI by around 2 and that of a 5' 3" person by 5! I was proposing quoting change in BMI not actual BMI.


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## lucy123 (Dec 10, 2010)

I understand what you are trying to say -I think.
But I would say its much more motivational to post 28lbs lost over a period of time than a drop of 2 in the same time - do you see what I am getting at?
I suppose if there are members that are purely interested in BMI as opposed to weight loss then no problem with a thread for this - but not sure it is the right measurement to base the wlg on. I think the conversations started over the suggestion that posting our loss in lbs was incorrect - I hope you see now that this works for our group and maybe your suggestion may work for others. So as an alternative may have been a better starting point. 

I think we have all talked this one over fully now.


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## Steff (Dec 10, 2010)

I agree Lucy I think we are all typed out over this one now.


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## Andy HB (Dec 10, 2010)

Yes, me too!


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## tracey w (Dec 10, 2010)

I was just going to say  oh never mind


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## lucy123 (Dec 10, 2010)

tracey w said:


> I was just going to say  oh never mind




Cheeky madam!!


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## tracey w (Dec 10, 2010)

lucy123 said:


> Cheeky madam!!



heheheheheheh


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## MargB (Dec 11, 2010)

You know, BMI is important.  I do some weighing in of members at Slimming World and for new members I always make sure I take their height and let the system work at their BMI and then point it out to them.  I felt brilliant when mine went below 30 but very few members understood what I was so thrilled about.

I just don't think we should only record changes in our BMI.


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## lucy123 (Dec 13, 2010)

I agree - which is why we are saying it is an alternative - or could be in addition. I think members seem to post when they go into a lower section anyway - just not using it as the only measure or suggesting it is an incorrect measure is what I don't personally agree with.


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