re: What do you consider fat?

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My BMI says I'm obese, but I'm not. I'm 6'2 225 pounds. I work out 4-5 times a week. According to the BMI chart I'm 40 pounds overweight

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What do you consider fat?

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MYTH 2: Cholesterol and saturated fat are dietary demons.
We've been force-fed this message for so long that it now seems like just common sense. However, recent science has shown us that cholesterol and saturated fat in the diet are not to be feared.

- Cholesterol is a vital substance to the body and brain. It's important as a building block for hormones (such as testosterone, cortisol and estrogen), crucial for proper function of the brain and a powerful antioxidant that protects your cells from damage.

- Cholesterol itself is neither "good" nor "bad," and how much of it you eat has very little impact on total body cholesterol.

- Saturated fat is not a single artery-clogging substance. There are many types of saturated fat, each with an essential function in the body.?

- Recent scientific studies have shown that saturated fat is not associated with heart disease.

- In its report, the Dietary Guidelines for America 2015 committee states that "cholesterol is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption."

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MYTH 3: The best way to track my progress is by using a scale.

Most of us associate weight loss as measured on the scale as the best marker of progress with diets and exercise programs. Unfortunately, this practice can lead us astray. Many extreme calorie-restricted diets result in a significant amount of muscle loss with overall weight loss, which is definitely not a good thing.
- Loss of muscle mass with radical weight-loss diets results in someone who is "skinny fat" (called "normal-weight obese" in medical terms). They still have high amounts of fat compared to their muscle mass, which is very unhealthy.
- We should be concerned about fat loss while maintaining muscle mass, not overall weight loss (muscle contributes to overall body weight significantly).
- Use a tape measure instead of the scale to measure progress. Measure your waist at the level of your belly button.
- Calculate your waist/height ratio by dividing your waist measurement by your height in inches (or centimeters if you prefer).
- A healthy waist-to-height ratio is 0.5 or below. This measurement is more in line with your health and how you fit into your clothes.
- Throw away your scale and get a tape measure. New goal: Keep your waist less than half your height.

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Obesity is now recognized as a major, independent risk factor for heart disease. If you're overweight or obese, you can reduce your risk for heart disease by successfully losing weight and keeping it off.

Waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) are indirect ways to assess your body composition. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is another index of body fat distribution.

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Some well-trained people with dense muscle mass may have a high BMI score but very little body fat. For them, the waist circumference, the skinfold thickness or more direct methods of measuring body fat may be more useful measures.

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Skinny fats are far more unhealthy than obese fats

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Skinny fats take on all of the health risks of obese people.

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