It's Baaaack ... Bothersome, Biwildering BMI

I have already talked about my recent doctor's visit. One of the things my clinic has implemented in the past few years is this "summary" sheet you take home with you. It summarizes your visit ... your current meds, upcoming tests/requirements, past procedures/dates. It documents questions you've asked and conversations you've had.

It's a nice one-pager that helps me remember what happened at the appointment and when I had my last tetanus shot.

It also lists my height, weight and BMI.

My BMI, with the addition of the 15 pounds I've put on this past year, is now dead in the middle of the "Overweight" range at 27.

Wah wah wah.

At my leanest, I was at 24, which is the very high end of "Normal." Apparently, fifteen pounds, on my 5' 4-1/2" frame is a dealbreaker.

Now, I know BMI isn't the end-all-be-all marker, though it's a really good one. I also know better than to get too fixated on this one number. I'm a work in progress and it's good to know where I am so I can head in the right direction.

It also reminds me how strangely I see myself and how I cannot for the life of me accurately see my body in a "true" way. I've ranted about this before (BMI Bull****, BMI Confession and The Number), and I still struggle with trying to get my head around how size 4 pants is barely in the Normal category ... even if they are the biggest 4s in the world. What is overweight? What does it look like? What is normal? Argh!

Of course, it sort of pisses me off, too. Maybe it will be enough to make want to get it in gear and get out of the blessed Overweight range for once and for all. After all the work, all the miles, all the sweat, all the sore muscles, all the injections, all the money spent on training and classes, all the early mornings, all the growling tummies, all the raw cauliflower, all the time, all the effort ... how can I still be here?

If I'd buckled down a year ago, I would be there by now.