@Shelter My weight is a combination of genetic predisposition and how PTSD has screwed my body's chemistry. I am thankful I have a doc who explained that to me, listened to what I told her about food and physical activity, looks at my test results and tells me things are good so the big risk is for my joints, and explained to me why BMI is eugenecist crap.

@weirdfizz
BMI is absolutely eugenicist crap, and I wish people would get on board with that.
My go to on this bullshit is explaining the caliper test we went through in gym class when I was a kid.
At that point nearly 5'8" and 103! pounds.
Calipers registered the flab in my arm.
Gym teachers were baffled.
Duh, fucks.
I wasn't using my arms. I rode my bike everywhere. Check my goddamn legs.

@weirdfizz
Also!
I had two kids and developed what they call Mom Biceps from the constant lifting of the kids.
As soon as I they weren't liftable anymore my biceps turned to flab.
But value is placed on definition and not actual strength.
It's a weird goddamn planet.

@Shelter Don't you just love the blank stares on healthcare providers' faces when you tell them you haven't weighed yourself in years? Like, that should be the default unless there's a good reason to keep close tabs on it.

Then, of course, they make you get on the scale and record the usually-meaningless number. I mean, if it's likely they're going prescribe a medication dosage based on weight, I could see it. Otherwise, it's just a ridiculous ritual.

@sanau
Word.
Thankfully this urgent care doesn't weigh unless weight related medications are required.
That's incredible, isn't it?

@sanau
Also apparently the muscle relaxer dose they gave me was for the obese, and I am like really?
I weigh 172 pounds at 5'6" now.
Really?
Also they don't do shit, and I miss old school muscle relaxers that worked.
Also there's a lot to unpack about how pain relief is prescribed.
Also also- fuck this shit.

@sanau @Shelter
It's very useful to have that history if someone gets sick. Weight loss may be the only sign of a serious illness. (In kids, lack of weight GAIN may be the only sign.) If you don't have a history of what your weight has been and how much it normally varies, problems may not be taken seriously until much later.

@AlphaCentauri @sanau
No kidding.

@AlphaCentauri @sanau
You're failing take into consideration that human beings are perfectly capable of figuring out how much they eat in a day and perfectly capable of seeing if their clothes no longer fit.

@Shelter @sanau
Not as capable as you'd assume. When people lose their appetite, they often don't notice they're eating less if they were never following any measured portion system in the first place. Older people living alone sort of eat when they're hungry and don't think much of skipping a meal.