out-of-shape divers doing things like diving the doria

[mbram]

Seems like a little pot calling the kettle black..... according to your BMI calculation, you're still overweight. You can run the numbers yourself at Calculate Your BMI - Standard BMI Calculator. So as far as I can see you need to go on a stricter diet.

I don't know if you're talking to me or idocsteve, but I said myself I was fat when I ran the half marathon. That was in 2006 when I began taking an interest in fitness. I'm happy to say that my current BMI hovers between 23 and 24.

 

[GrandpaScuba]

Fat and stocky are entirely different. While a fat person may be able to handle some exercise (I trained for and ran a half marathon with a BMI of 29.4), it doesn't change the fact that each pound of excess fat you pack on increases your risk for heart problems and makes your cardiovascular system work harder. This isn't anecdotal observation on my part, there are any number of scientific studies that prove this out.

My point was... I was going back to the original post. I was trying to figure out how this guy is looking at photos of guys decked out in heavy drysuits and side mount tanks, and he can just tell from the photo that they are out of shape?

 

[GrandpaScuba]

Fat and stocky are entirely different.

Using current methods of measuring, they are not. You talk about BMI. The "stocky" person is going to have too high of a BMI, too.

 

[mbram]

Using current methods of measuring, they are not. You talk about BMI. The "stocky" person is going to have too high of a BMI, too.

Yes Grandpa, they are going to have a high BMI. BMI is not perfect. However, it is pretty good. We can point out exceptions all day long, the fact is if you take everybody in the world with an unhealthy BMI, the overwhelming majority are going to be fat as opposed to stocky. Bodyfat may be a better metric, I don't know. Stocky people have a healthy bodyfat %, but a high BMI. For every stocky person I'm guessing there are 50 or more fat people.

Trust me, when somebody takes their shirt of to change into their wetsuit on the boat everybody can see pretty easily whether they're stocky or fat. Stocky doesn't droop over the belt or create rolls when they're standing straight up.

I spent a lot of years telling myself I was in good enough shape. I spent almost 11 years in the Air Force barely passing the PT test. It took a trip to Afghanistan and a true feces in the air-mover situation wake-up call to realize that just because I wasn't as fat as some people I knew didn't mean I wasn't fat. Looking back I was rationalizing and lying to myself. Only person it ended up hurting was me, but I was putting my teammates at increased risk if something would have happened to me that required them to drag or carry me in a hurry.

 

[adurso]

shucks everyone beat me to the BMI

 

[mbram]

My point was... I was going back to the original post. I was trying to figure out how this guy is looking at photos of guys decked out in heavy drysuits and side mount tanks, and he can just tell from the photo that they are out of shape?

This I can't answer, I can only guess that the people he saw were large enough that it was obvious even with all the gear on. Everybody has seen people like this.

Are you going to be able to tell the difference between somebody with a BMI of 24 and somebody with a BMI of 26 in all the gear? No. Are you going to be able to tell the difference between somebody with a BMI of 24 and somebody with a BMI north of 30? I don't think any studies have been done but I'd be willing to bet it wouldn't be too hard.

 

[idocsteve]

I lost .2 lbs since I last posted on this thread so all you naysayers just zip it right up.

 

[Tanked]

I lost .2 lbs since I last posted on this thread so all you naysayers just zip it right up.

I hope you remembered to flush.

 

[Amphiprion]

I know fat divers that can keep a steel 120 going longer than an in shape diver can keep doubles going. I think knowledge is more important than body fat percentage. Being in shape certainly helps.

I do find the OP comments interesting however, because I had a dive a former dive buddy did the Doria. He was overweight and died during the attempt. On the other hand, I think his problem had more to do with his lack of experience in drysuits than being overweight. Come to think of it, he had a lack of experience in any type of thermal protection whatsoever. A rebreather and swim trunks. Pretty funny (not the death part).

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Ah... Another fat hater comes out of the closet.

Aw ... doc's never been in the closet ... he's afraid of the dark.

These conversations amuse me. I'm 5'9", 240 lbs. And while y'all were in here bickering about fat folks, I was out on a nice dive to 160 fsw today.

Guess who had more fun ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)