We step on the scale, enter our height and weight into an online calculator, and get a number. But this number, the body mass index, tells only part of the story. To refine our figure without compromising our health, we need to understand what the BMI really measures, what it misses, and especially how to take concrete action in our daily lives.
Waist circumference and BMI: two measurements that tell different stories
Let’s take a common case: a person whose BMI is between 18.5 and 25 (the so-called “normal” range), but who accumulates fat in the abdominal area. On paper, everything seems fine. In practice, an excess of abdominal fat increases cardiometabolic risk, even with a BMI within the normal range.
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This is why recent medical approaches combine BMI with waist circumference and other clinical markers. BMI alone does not distinguish fat from muscle, nor its location on the body.
The calculation remains useful as a first reference: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. You can find additional details on the Hub Santé website, particularly regarding the interpretation of results based on the profile. But relying solely on this index to assess one’s body composition is reasoning with an incomplete tool.
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For someone seeking a refined figure, waist circumference provides a more practical indication than BMI. A decrease in waist circumference, even without a notable change on the scale, often signals a loss of visceral fat. This type of progress is what matters.
Muscle mass and weight loss: the trap of the scale
We often see people who lose weight quickly and end up with an “ideal” BMI, but a flabby figure, persistent fatigue, and deficiencies. The problem is: a rapid weight loss melts away muscle as much as fat.
For a truly refined figure, body composition takes precedence over raw weight. Two people of the same height and weight can have very different figures depending on their fat mass/muscle mass ratio.
Preserving lean mass during a rebalancing
When we reduce our caloric intake, the body draws from its reserves. Without sufficient muscle stimulus, it does not differentiate between fat and muscle. We lose both.
- A sufficient protein intake at each meal (meat, fish, eggs, legumes) protects muscle mass during a caloric deficit phase.
- Muscle strengthening (even moderate, two to three sessions per week) sends a signal to the body: this muscle is being used, it needs to be preserved.
- A gradual weight loss, on the order of a few hundred grams per week, promotes fat loss rather than muscle loss.
Feedback varies on this point depending on body types and age, but the principle remains the same: it’s better to lose slowly and maintain muscle mass than to aim for a rapid drop on the scale.
Normal BMI range: why aiming too low is problematic
The BMI range considered “normal” is from 18.5 to 25. It’s broad. A person who is 1.70 m tall can weigh between about 53 and 72 kg while still being within this range. Wanting to get closer to the lower end of the range for aesthetic reasons is not always a good idea.
A BMI that is too low exposes one to concrete risks: chronic fatigue, bone fragility, decreased immunity, loss of muscle mass. The health goal is not to drop as low as possible within the range, but to find the weight at which one feels functional, energetic, and stable.
The ideal weight cannot be read solely from a chart
A BMI interpretation chart provides categories (normal weight, overweight, obesity). These categories were defined by the WHO in 1997 to assess risks on a population scale. They do not take into account individual morphology, bone structure, muscle distribution, or age.
This clearly shows that reference points shift according to the profile, and that the same BMI does not mean the same thing at 30 years old as it does at 70 years old.
Nutrition and physical activity: what makes the difference over time
We often read lists of generic advice on nutrition. Let’s get concrete. What distinguishes people who reach and maintain their ideal weight from those who go from diet to diet is consistency, not intensity.
A moderate caloric deficit combined with regular physical activity produces lasting results. Not a restrictive diet followed by a return to old habits.
Three levers that work in practice
- Structuring meals around proteins and vegetables. This increases satiety without exploding calories, and it protects muscle mass.
- Moving daily, not just during workout sessions. Walking, taking the stairs, cycling for short trips: these cumulative efforts weigh as much as two hours in the gym per week.
- Tracking changes in one’s figure (waist circumference, clothing adjustments) rather than focusing on the number on the scale. The mirror and measuring tape are often more reliable than the scale for measuring real refinement.
BMI remains a useful screening tool for identifying overweight or obesity. To refine one’s figure and preserve health, it is beneficial to complement it with waist circumference and attention to body composition. The number on the scale only makes sense when put in context with what we eat, how we move, and what the body gains in muscle rather than fat.