Since BMI is a screening tool that doesn’t directly measure body fat, you can’t base your health on a simple body mass index score.
Yet, there comes the point when a given BMI is so far outside the normal BMI range for women and men excess body fat is virtually guaranteed.
A BMI of 54 is certainly at that point. As such, you can’t enjoy good health while walking around with a 54 BMI because such a body mass index greatly increases your risk of ill health.
Compare More BMIs:
What’s so bad about having a BMI of 54?
While you certainly don’t need to be slim, ripped, or really muscular to be happy with your body, a BMI of 54 is bad because it can harm the internal workings of your body.
One example of this is visceral fat.
Unlike subcutaneous fat, which is the fat that you can grab, pinch, and jiggle, visceral fat lies within your body and, worryingly, wraps around your abdominal organs (pancreas, intestines, liver) and often leads to and contributes to chronic illnesses.
Additionally, a 54 BMI is high to the point where, if you get any heavier, then movement could become a big problem. This might mean that losing weight becomes extremely difficult because your body might be unable to burn off its excess energy.
Why might someone have a 54 BMI?
Some people have genetic conditions and physical disabilities that cause their 54 BMI. Others are intimidated by the prospect of exercise and often lead a sedentary lifestyle as a result.
While understanding why you ended up with a BMI of 53 might be useful for changing your habits, it’s important to have a positive attitude and look forward to losing weight.
Even if you don’t feel like becoming a workout warrior, you can still get the weight loss ball rolling by walking on your lunch break or even doing some dumbbell or resistance band exercise while sitting down.
On the diet side of things, you’ll need to eat in a calorie deficit to lose weight, but there’s no need to think of your food in terms of pure calories.
Indeed, if you like cooking, let your weight loss plan be the catalyst for healthy experimentation in the kitchen. There are so many examples of healthy, high-protein and low-calorie meals online that we really are spoilt for choice.
What does it take to reduce a BMI of 54?
If someone has struggled with their weight and has tried to lose weight in the past, then they might require professional help from a dietician or nutritionist.
Dieticians will have worked with hundreds if not thousands of people just like you, and they understand how to use food to create a healthier, slimmer body.
Consistency is important because consistent overeating is one reason why many people end up with a BMI of 53. But the good news is that consistent healthy eating and regular exercise can get you out of the obese BMI category and down to a much healthier body weight.
In other words, building new, healthy habits is extremely powerful, even if they seem forced at first.
In summary
Although a BMI 54 individual may not like the prospect of losing large amounts of weight, the truth is that changing your body doesn’t need to be an intimidating process.
Think of your journey as one BMI point at a time or one pound of weight at a time. Along the way, there will be setbacks, but with consistency and the right nutritional knowledge, your body will adapt and slim down dramatically.