Hi guys

I started my diet today and went on one of those BMI Machines (scarey results) does anyone know how they work, ie I know they do a calculation of your height and weight but how does holding the handle bars give you your BMI and body fat?  Does it take your pulse or something? can anyone explain.  We used to have these little hand held machines at work and you used to just hold them and it told you your BMI?

ive just been on a site where you enter your height and weight and it tells you your BMI, so in fact i'm no help to your question as i don't understand haw these machines work either :-D sorry, unless it is more acurate as like you said it take your pulse.

I have no idea!! Does the bar actually take a reading or is it to hold onto to encourage you to stand up straight?  I know BMI works by taking a reading of your height and then your weight to calculate your BMI.
Sorry, not much help either.
I think the websites are just as good if you know your own weight and height) and just as accurate. Theres also a site (tesco i think) that asks you to put in your waist and hip measurements and tells you what shape you are i.e apple, pear etc and then informs you of the problems that come with carrying your weight in certain areas.

BMI is height and weight, holding onto the bars may have been taking your blood pressure or something.

I have one of those and it is supposed to take your BMI and tells you the % of body fat you have. Mine is pretty accurate.
Mary

You don't need the machine to do your BMI you need to look up a BMI chart get your weight and height this will then tell you your BMI.

Either it will then tell you your underweight, over weight, or ok hopefully the last one.

The BMI charts you can find on the internet.

This is how agencies may find out if some has a eating disorder or may be obese based on there weight

Your BMI is calculated using your height and weight. There is no need for a machine to measure your BMI.

I suspect the machine was calculating your body fat ratio. The machine sends a pulse through your body and measures how long it takes to return.

I went on one last night that gave my body fat as 31%, which is ok for my age LOL. I think the holding the handles os the body fat measurer Not the BMI.
As for BMI, I am about 1/2 stone to a stone heavier than I want to be, but my doctor says I am a fine weight.
Now my BMI is meant to be 23. Which means loosing 3 stone :o :o :o :o
If I lost 3 stone I would be anorexic!!!!
1 1/2 stone maybe, but 3 stone nope!!!
It only takes into account 'normal' people, not me that has a very physical heavy job and run 20-30 miles a week!!!!!

According to Tescos I am over my BMI index bordering on unsafe.
But I could run 13 miles tomorrow, and run it at 10 minute mileing, and yet I am nearly an unsafe weight!!!!
LMAO
Lea :)

Well I went for my weekly weigh in today baring in mind I was 17 stone 2 (Im a big built man) and have now got to 16 stone 2.  My BMI was something like 28 and has now gone over thirty and my body fat was 29 and has shot to 34.  Not sure how through when I have lost weight, on a helathly eating diet and doing loads more excercise than I was

Yep you do need the electronic ones as they give a more accurate reading than the old chart methods. With the chart method no allowance is made for the type of build the person is only the height, so you would end up with a well muscled rugby player for example with a high BMI and being classed as morbidly obese and of course that would just not be the case. I am by know means sure of this but i suspect the new machines could possibly work by sending out a small current and works out the BMI by the fact that the density of muscle and fat are different? As i say this is only my guess, but i am sure there will be someone alot more knowledgeable than me along in a min to fill us all in with the correct answer.:)

Thompson1,
I would ignore the BMI and look at yourself!!!
My best weight was well over my BMI, but I could feel my bones in my shoulder blades, and I had a very toned torso. If I had lost any more weight I would have been anorexic.
So BMI is not a great indicator, unless you fit into the 'ideal' body!!!
Lea :)

Dont worry Lea, i dont believe BMI tha much either. I know guys at the gym who look absolutely fantastic and have amazing bodies who we are all envious of...guess what - they are morbidly obese!!! Its the old chesnut that muscle ways more than fat. Better than any scales/diet/wanfangled idea, judge your weight by your clothes. If they feel tight cut back on the treats!!!Simple but effective :-)  We all know if we are carrying a few extra pounds or not, buying some machine to tell us what we already know is a waste of time (in my opinion)

Agree whole heartedly Freds mum. Muyscle weighs alot heavier than fat!!!
And as I can lift more weight than most blokes I think I am ok being 1/2 strone lighter!!!
I am overweight for my height by every hieght to weight ratio things.
LOL
Lea :)