Andover Class of 88

Are You Fat?

People avoid reunions because they think they are fat. Are you obese? If you are using a 200 year old Body Mass Index (BMI) chart, then you probably are! The BMI divides your height (in meters) by your weight (in kilograms) to give you a number that tells you how fat you are. While BMI is widely used to judge us, we need to put the BMI into perspective. Don't let the BMI determine whether or not you'll attend your reunion.


If you aren't carrying any extra weight, the BMI considers you to be normal. Can you "pinch an inch"? Then the BMI probably doesn't consider you normal. Normal is if you look good in a bikini (women) or shirtless (guys) at the beach. Maybe that was you at age 17, but lets be honest: a lot of water has gone over that damn during more than two decades!

One step below normal is underweight. If we can see rib cages and arm bones then you may need to eat more pasta and get your weight back up. Rib cages and arm bones are not attractive. 25 years out of high school, I suspect few (if any) of us have this problem.


If you can pinch an inch (or more) then you are probably overweight - ie - you carry some fat. You can be classified as overweight for lots of other reasons too: perhaps you have high muscle density, large bones, or are blessed with ginormous boobs. Some extra weight is OK in time of famine or illness. There have been many cases where individuals who were underweight died while battling the flu because their body didn't have enough in reserve. In the US, I think that overweight has become the new normal.



The next level on the BMI scale is a word that has been demonized in pop culture: obese. When you hear the word obese your mind races to images of the 800 pound man who couldn't get out of bed. Not true. Obese simply means: if you are 20% over from your normal weight. For most of us that means we've enjoyed too many Christmas cookies and over the years it has added up. The concern is that most experts believe health problems can begin to occur when you carry around 20% fat all day long, so health experts will encourage you to get this weight down. I'm not a health professional so my opinion is worthless, regardless, I see many people who would be in the obese category and they look normal to me. Maybe they aren't hitting the beach in a bikini, but that's OK. If you are obese and are happy - forget the media stereotypes and be comfortable with yourself.

The next level on most BMI scales is Extremely Obese, which is a BMI above 40. I've had periods in my life where I have packed on the pounds but I dare say I have never been in this category. Frankly, I could not imagine the pain and discomfort of being extremely obese. At my heaviest I had difficulty with mobility, sleeping, and getting comfortable - I can't imagine what it must be like for these poor souls. If you have slipped into the category then I encourage you to talk with your doctor about getting a plan together. Get a person trainer - yes they are expensive, but worth it. Use a network of friends to help you stay on track. Just because you tried in the past and it didn't work? Doesn't mean you haven't found the thing that'll work for you. It isn't easy, but I would encourage you to take back your life.




At the end of the day, regardless of where you fall on the BMI? The world is made up of a variety of people. They come in all shapes and sizes. Our class is no different than the rest of the world. We have each had our own difficulties and challenges, successes and triumphs, and those must be measured by something other than our waistline.