I Can't Handle the Truth

The truth is I'm fat. I was already in a sourpuss mood Sunday morning when I heard the news, the news that I'm a fat athlete. Jan and I were experimenting with my new skin fold calipers and kept coming up that I was around 24% fat. This didn't (still doesn't) seem possible. Usually I weigh in around 175lbs and I am 6'1". Yes, that is a solid 10+ pounds over my best running days but still I didn't consider myself fat. Men use the calipers in three spots, quads, near the chest and to the right of the belly button. The total measurement is then calculated into your BMI.

I have a daughter who is studying nutrition at UAB so I gave her my statistics for her formulas. Apparently I am 92 lbs of water (after running 8 miles I'm probably more like 86lbs of water, my shirt, shorts, socks and shoes are another 6 with my copious sweating). Andrea figured out I am about 23% fat, a little better than my caliper measurements showed. But ideally I should have a fat mass of 18% at my age and weigh 165.

According to statistics men between the ages of 41-60 average 11-22% BMI. I want to see those men. Other than the ones I run with on the canal path I think most men aren't close to those figures. I see lots of big bellies, fat butts and huge necks. I didn't recognize a lot of men (and women) at my 40th high school reunion last year because of weight, not age. I believe the ideal BMI should be in the 11-22% range, depending on musculature, but not the average.

According to the Center for Disease Control 35% of adults in the U.S. are obese. The CDC also says I am 2% being away from overweight! Yikes! But here's the thing, yes I am up to 175lbs but I'm also lifting more weights than I have in years. I can bench press more now than I have in 35 years, so am I really fat?

Maybe I am and I'm just not ready for the truth. My quads are like rocks, chest pretty solid, the bit of flab Jan grabbed around my belly, well, I guess I need some work there. Ouch, the truth can hurt!