Healthy BMI but really unhealthy

My BMI is in the (very high) normal range, but when I took my measurements I was really suprised when I did a hip-waist ratio calculator that said I was severly obese and at a very high risk for all kinds of icky things!!  My waist is 34 inches and my hips are 37 so there is not much difference.  Anyone else apple shaped like me?  How much weight do you think I will have to lose to get to a healthy range (30 inches)? 

I am 5'5 and 142 lbs (30/f)

Edited to change title

whats your frame?

small, medium, or large?

I'm apple shaped! The only way i have ever been able to make my waist smaller was by eating very little fat, lots of fruits and veggies, and very little carbs... now if you want an exercise that will help you then run your butt off! Apple shaped women hold the fat in the tummy (especially upper part of it like I do) and the only way to get rid of it is to run your booty off and/or with the diet i said above.  By lots of fruits and vegetables... I mean MAINLY fruits and vegetables.

I'm pear shaped (37.5 in hips and 28.5 in waist) and I hate it. I wish I could get my legs skinnier. I did a calculator thing like you did and it said my body shape puts me at risk of coronary heart disease.

peacelovehominy-- I am a medium frame and even when I was a kid (read:  skinny) had a waist that wasn't much smaller than my hips.

umm well i dont know much about the waist measurements & all but youy asked what your goal weight should be and ideally if you are medium framed at 5'5'' it should be 125-130

I'm apple shaped. I am also prediabetic, which apple shapes are at a higher risk for. I don't know how old you are, but I'm in my 40s and the only thing keeping me off medication for diabetes is the fact I've kept my weight under control since I was first dx'ed as prediabetic in my 20s.

Last year I gained 20 lbs - reason still unknown - but that 20 lbs put me into the overweight category. My blood sugar went crazy. I just can't let my weight go over that line. Even high normal isn't good for me.

The good news is, since losing this weight, yes, my waist did shrink. I'm still at a 0.8 ratio and probably always will be - it's  just the way I'm built. But a 25-26 inch waist with 33 inch hips isn't too bad!

Just know this: if you lose weight, you'll likely lose it in your hips first. It can be frustrating.

As for diet, I disagree that low-fat is the way to go! Get a copy of Dr Oz's book, You on a Diet, and you'll see why. The latest and greatest research is that those of us with apple shapes need to keep carbs under control while eating a diet high in healthy omega-3 fats such as nuts, seeds, fatty fishes, avocado, olive oil. Dr Oz even recommends a "prescription" of a handful of walnuts each day! The omega 3's counteract the inflammation processes in the body - and somehow help tackle the waist fat.

As for the carbs, I'm short and don't need to many calories, so this is not necessarily what you should do, but I keep my carbs to 1-2 servings only. I may add a third serving if I've exercised. Carbs come in around 50%, because veggies and fruit count as carbs too. I eat a ton of those, but it's the starchy carbs like bread, rice, pasta that I curb. So my ultimate percentages work out to around 30% fat (mostly omega 3's - probably 80-90%), 20% protein, and 50% carbs.

Exercise is also critical! Incorporate hills into your exercise plan (walking or running - doesn't matter which). Research shows that walking downhill helps with insulin regulation.

And exercise controls cortisol levels in the body - cortisol (the stress hormone) is another culprit in waist-fat. (With pears, chocolate goes right to their hips... with apples, stress goes right to our waists! LOL).

bmi isnt accurate especially for athletes ,u have to work with measurements.

I am a pearapple which is my made up term to mean I have both belly and hips. I mostly carry my weight on my tum though. 

Before I lost weight I was at an increased risk of coronary artery disease based on my waist to hip measurements though I too was within the "healthy" BMI range (I assure you though I was actually very overweight as I am very small boned).  This wasn't a good place for me to be either as my father has had numerous heart attacks, angioplasty and a quad bipass and both my grandfathers died of heart attacks.

After losing weight (now at a still healthy but much lower BMI) and increasing my abdominal and aerobic exercise I reduced my waist measurement by 5 inches and my hips by 4 inches. I am now at a REDUCED risk for heart disease based on hip to waist measurements alone.

Based purely on my personal experiences, I recommend that you do one or both of two things depending on what your personal goals are:

1. Tone up, trim down the midsection with cardio and some abdominals work (you would be surprised at how a little exercise can give you curves!);
2. Lose a little weight to get to a lower BMI (if you carry your weight predominantly on your belly it will likely be lost from there - at least that was my experience).

Yeah it's completely unaccurate for those with muscle mass. My ex was 6'4 and 250 but he was a football player and has a lot of muscle. But the BMI says he's morbidly obese, haha.

jenmcc - thanks for all that info.  i'm definitely an apple and usually have my carbs coming in at around 50%, my protein around 20% and my fat at 30%.  I was worried that i was getting too much fat or too many carbs, but i feel a little bit more reassured after reading your post.  i aim to keep my carbs under 200g a day, and it's true that many of my carbs come from fruit & veggies.

Original Post by auralay:

I'm pear shaped (37.5 in hips and 28.5 in waist) and I hate it. I wish I could get my legs skinnier. I did a calculator thing like you did and it said my body shape puts me at risk of coronary heart disease.

The truth of it all is that body shapes are hereditary and a person can actually make them selves sick being so concerned. Just about everything leads to coronary heart disease and there are thousands of articles out there that want you to think there is no hope for all these things that could apply to you... I have learned that a well balanced excersize plan and eating right makes my body feel right.  I don't have tight abs, or a small butt, but I am slimming down and feel like a million bucks.  Be proud of your shape, be it hourglass, pear, apple or if you look like my #3 wood.  and Auralay,  your abs are just right.  They make you look feminine and beautiful.   Stay healthy!!

body shape shouldn't be all you're worried about. concentrate on being healthy.