Cutting My BMI in Half

I'm on my way to cutting my body mass index (BMI) in half. I've chosen to blog about my weight loss experience in BMI rather than pounds or kilograms to allow readers to more easily compare my weight, and subsequent weight loss, to their own. To that end, I've created a table of weights (in pounds) for BMIs from 19 to 49 matching heights from 4' 8" to 6' 9". In the following table, most people can find their height in the first column, move to the right to find the column with their weight, and then look up to the first row to find their BMI. Give it a try, if you dare.

Body Mass Index:

	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49
4' 8"	85	89	94	98	103	107	112	116	120	125	129	134	138	143	147	152	156	161	165	169	174	178	183	187	192	196	201	205	210	214	219
4' 9"	88	92	97	102	106	111	116	120	125	129	134	139	143	148	152	157	162	166	171	176	180	185	189	194	199	203	208	213	217	222	226
4' 10"	91	96	100	105	110	115	120	124	129	134	139	144	148	153	158	163	167	172	177	182	187	191	196	201	206	211	215	220	225	230	234
4' 11"	94	99	104	109	114	119	124	129	134	139	144	149	153	158	163	168	173	178	183	188	193	198	203	208	213	218	223	228	233	238	243
5' 0"	97	102	108	113	118	123	128	133	138	143	148	154	159	164	169	174	179	184	189	195	200	205	210	215	220	225	230	236	241	246	251
5' 1"	101	106	111	116	122	127	132	138	143	148	153	159	164	169	175	180	185	191	196	201	206	212	217	222	228	233	238	243	249	254	259
5' 2"	104	109	115	120	126	131	137	142	148	153	159	164	169	175	180	186	191	197	202	208	213	219	224	230	235	241	246	252	257	262	268
5' 3"	107	113	119	124	130	135	141	147	152	158	164	169	175	181	186	192	198	203	209	215	220	226	231	237	243	248	254	260	265	271	277
5' 4"	111	117	122	128	134	140	146	151	157	163	169	175	181	186	192	198	204	210	216	221	227	233	239	245	251	256	262	268	274	280	285
5' 5"	114	120	126	132	138	144	150	156	162	168	174	180	186	192	198	204	210	216	222	228	234	240	246	252	258	264	270	276	282	288	294
5' 6"	118	124	130	136	143	149	155	161	167	173	180	186	192	198	204	211	217	223	229	235	242	248	254	260	266	273	279	285	291	297	304
5' 7"	121	128	134	140	147	153	160	166	172	179	185	192	198	204	211	217	223	230	236	243	249	255	262	268	275	281	287	294	300	306	313
5' 8"	125	132	138	145	151	158	164	171	178	184	191	197	204	210	217	224	230	237	243	250	256	263	270	276	283	289	296	303	309	316	322
5' 9"	129	135	142	149	156	163	169	176	183	190	196	203	210	217	223	230	237	244	251	257	264	271	278	284	291	298	305	311	318	325	332
5' 10"	132	139	146	153	160	167	174	181	188	195	202	209	216	223	230	237	244	251	258	265	272	279	286	293	300	307	314	321	328	335	342
5' 11"	136	143	151	158	165	172	179	186	194	201	208	215	222	229	237	244	251	258	265	272	280	287	294	301	308	315	323	330	337	344	351
6' 0"	140	147	155	162	170	177	184	192	199	206	214	221	229	236	243	251	258	265	273	280	288	295	302	310	317	324	332	339	347	354	361
6' 1"	144	152	159	167	174	182	189	197	205	212	220	227	235	243	250	258	265	273	280	288	296	303	311	318	326	334	341	349	356	364	371
6' 2"	148	156	164	171	179	187	195	203	210	218	226	234	241	249	257	265	273	280	288	296	304	312	319	327	335	343	350	358	366	374	382
6' 3"	152	160	168	176	184	192	200	208	216	224	232	240	248	256	264	272	280	288	296	304	312	320	328	336	344	352	360	368	376	384	392
6' 4"	156	164	173	181	189	197	205	214	222	230	238	246	255	263	271	279	288	296	304	312	320	329	337	345	353	361	370	378	386	394	403
6' 5"	160	169	177	186	194	202	211	219	228	236	245	253	261	270	278	287	295	304	312	320	329	337	346	354	363	371	379	388	396	405	413
6' 6"	164	173	182	190	199	208	216	225	234	242	251	260	268	277	286	294	303	312	320	329	337	346	355	363	372	381	389	398	407	415	424
6' 7"	169	178	186	195	204	213	222	231	240	249	257	266	275	284	293	302	311	320	328	337	346	355	364	373	382	391	399	408	417	426	435
6' 8"	173	182	191	200	209	218	228	237	246	255	264	273	282	291	300	309	319	328	337	346	355	364	373	382	391	401	410	419	428	437	446
6' 9"	177	187	196	205	215	224	233	243	252	261	271	280	289	299	308	317	327	336	345	355	364	373	383	392	401	411	420	429	439	448	457
6' 10"	182	191	201	210	220	230	239	249	258	268	277	287	296	306	316	325	335	344	354	363	373	383	392	402	411	421	430	440	449	459	469
6' 11"	186	196	206	216	225	235	245	255	265	274	284	294	304	314	323	333	343	353	363	372	382	392	402	412	421	431	441	451	461	470	480

Now, to understand my level of obesity, find the weight (in pounds) that corresponds to your height and a BMI of 43. Yes, my BMI was, at the time of my medical crisis, almost 43. On December 5, 2016 I arrived in the emergency ward of my local hospital thinking my BMI was probably 36 or 37 (given what I thought I weighed). Sadly, I found out that my BMI was nearly 43. The doctor thought my BMI was 45 because the height listed on my driver's license isn't very accurate.

BMI categories:

18.5 to 25 - Normal

25 to 30 - Overweight

30 to 35 - Obese Class I

35 to 40 - Obese Class II

over 40 - Obese Class III

At the time of this writing, my BMI is under 33 - a reduction of about 10 points of BMI in 9 months. I am now in control of my eating, continuing to slowly slim down even more, and expect that within a year my BMI will be under 25. I'm not sure if I'll actually get down to 21.5 or not but I will get under 25 come hell or high water. My current goal is to be overweight by Christmas: BMI between 25 and 30. I'll be very happy to just be overweight and no longer obese.

And so I shall be blogging about my weight loss journey from BMI of almost 43 to BMI of under 25: perhaps cutting my BMI in half.

If you are in a hurry to know my diet then I'll describe it to you in this paragraph. I don't eat anything containing refined sugars, anything deep fried, any processed meats, any snack foods, or anything battered or breaded. I stick very close to the Canada Food Guide although I gravitate more towards veggies than fruits. I'm not a fundamentalist so I do sometimes break the rules but for the most part I do conform to the diet I have described.

If you want to know how I manage to stick with this diet, well then you'll just have to read through the coming posts to understand my journey.