BMI is bullsh*t & why you should care

BMI is bullsh*t & why you should care

From Dear Runner Bod, by Serena Marie RD

June 1, 2026 · 31 min · Episode 170

About this episode

This episode discusses the shortcomings of BMI as a health metric, particularly for runners and athletes.

BMI has been treated like a health report card… but it was never designed for that job. In this episode, we unpack where Body Mass Index (BMI) actually came from, why it was created, and how it’s being misapplied…especially in athletic populations like runners. If you’ve ever been told you’re “overweight” based on BMI despite training hard, fueling well, and feeling strong… this one’s for you. We’ll talk about: The history of BMI and why it was never meant to assess individual health Why BMI fails to account for muscle mass, performance, and physiology How endurance athletes often fall into “higher” BMI categories despite being metabolically healthy The harm of equating thinness with health especially in running culture What actually does matter when assessing health and performance as a runner This episode is your reminder: you are not a ratio. And your healthiest running body might not fit neatly into a chart. This episode originally aired May 8, 2023. Click here to try Legion Protein Powder for yourself use my code RUNNERGIRL for buy one get one 50% off and free shipping on your first order! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram @runnergirldietitian

People in this episode

Host: Serena Marie RD

Topics covered

  • Body Mass Index
  • health assessment
  • athletic populations
  • endurance athletes
  • running culture
  • muscle mass
  • performance

Keywords

  • BMI
  • health
  • runners
  • athletes
  • muscle mass
  • performance
  • endurance
  • running culture

Sponsors

Legion Protein Powder

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Legion Protein Powder

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