These guys are obese.
That’s what the chart says.
That’s what the doctor told them.
That’s the label they walked out with.
And it’s wrong.
These two have both been classified as “obese” based on their BMI. One of them has a body fat percentage that would make most people stop mid-sentence and over 100# muscle mass. The other carries a ton of muscle, trains consistently, and takes his health seriously.
Neither one fits the picture that word paints.
But BMI doesn’t care about that.
What BMI Actually Is (and Why It’s Outdated)
BMI — Body Mass Index — was created in the 1800s. Not by a physician. Not to diagnose individuals. It was developed as a population-level math equation to observe trends, not determine personal health.
It uses only two data points:
- Height
- Weight
That’s it.
It does not account for:
- Muscle mass
- Body fat percentage
- Bone density
- Training history
- Age
- Sex
- Metabolic health
- Blood work
- Lifestyle
So when someone with significant muscle steps on a scale, BMI sees weight, not composition.
Muscle weighs more than fat. Always has. Always will.
And BMI labels it the same.
The Problem Isn’t Just the Label, It’s the Advice That Follows
Here’s where this becomes a real issue.
When someone is told they’re “obese,” the advice that follows is usually:
- “You need to exercise more.”
- “You need to eat better.”
- “You need to lose weight.”
But what if they already:
- Train consistently
- Eat intentionally
- Have strong metabolic markers
- Carry high levels of lean muscle
That advice isn’t just unhelpful, it’s dismissive.
Worse, some people are prescribed medications, treated as high-risk, or spoken to through a lens that doesn’t match their reality based on BMI alone.
That’s not personalized healthcare. That’s lazy math.
Health Is More Than a Single Number
If we actually care about health, we need to look deeper.
Real markers matter:
- Body composition (muscle vs fat)
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol & triglycerides
- Blood glucose & A1C
- Resting heart rate
- Strength
- Mobility
- Energy levels
- Lifestyle habits
Someone can weigh “too much” and be metabolically healthy.
Someone else can fall into a “normal BMI” and be under-muscled, sedentary, and unhealthy.
BMI doesn’t tell that story.
What We Wish More People Knew
If your doctor is only talking about BMI, it’s okay to ask for more.
Ask about:
- Body composition testing
- Strength and muscle mass
- Blood work trends over time
- Lifestyle habits instead of blanket advice
You deserve care that looks at you, not just a chart.
At CrossFit Reincarnation, this is why we care so much about education, individualized coaching, and measuring what actually matters. We don’t chase a number on a scale. We build strong, capable humans and track health in ways that make sense.
Because health is complex.
And you’re more than a formula from the 1800s.
Let’s talk more about it! BOOK HERE
