Body Type

I was doing a little web surfing last night when I came across a few interesting websites. Growing up, I was always told that BMI is what is important. I have never had a low BMI. At my healtiest, I was "overweight" and now I am considered "Obsese". I admit that I am overweight and unhealthy, but I would not classify myself as obsese. Especially morbidly obese, but I digress.

I found this website that talks about 3 different body types: Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph. I do remember learning a little about this in middle school health, by trying to wrap your hand around your wrist. According to superskinnyme.com 

Small frame: (often ectomorph body type) fingers overlap when you place your thumb and middle finger around your wrist.
Medium frame: (often mesomorph body type) fingers touch when you place your thumb and middle finger around your wrist.
Large frame: (often endomorph body type) fingers do not touch when you place your thumb and middle finger around your wrist.

Guess which one I am! I have never (even in middle school) been able to touch my fingers around my wrist. In fact, this argument alone is how I justified my unhealthy eating habits and body size by calling myself "Big Boned." 12 year old me aside, there is science behind the idea that these three types of bodies lose and gain weight differently. At the link above, you can input your frame size and height and it will tell you a healthy weight. For me at 5'2" with a large frame, a healthy weight is between 128-143. According to a BMI calculator, a healthy weight for someone 5'2", regardless of fat wrists, is 104-131. Not a huge change, but the low end at 104 is a little low for me. I don't want to look sickly, but healthy.

Next I decided to check out a body fat calculator, which told me I am 28.28% fat, which is within the "acceptable" level of 25%- 31%. It also indicates that a "fitness" level of body fat is 21%-24% so I should be shooting to lose 4%-7% of my fat, or 3-5 lbs so I am confused. (I asked the Math Major hubs for help and he got the same numbers I did...) So I am voting don't trust that website.....

Anyhoo, it is interesting to see a different way of looking at body mass and percentage of fat. Did you check out the websites? What did it tell you? Did I do that math wrong? Am I crazy?