Normal (Insert Air Quotes Here)

When I get my measurements done at Curves every month, after the good old-fashioned tape measuring, my (now) good friend Peggy whips out a little gizmo that measures BMI & body fat percentage.  I squeeze the handles & hold it out in front of me & I assume it uses some sort of electric or magnetic pulse to work its figures.  I've read that such devices are only marginally accurate & BMI in particular is quite a controversial gauge of an individual's progress, but for right this very second, I'm going to suspend such nay-saying because...the gizmo says I'm "Normal."

Talk about validation.  It's sad, but true.  That little plastic thing-a-majig made my day.  Inaccurate or not, as a reference point against itself, it's progress.  When I started at Curves I was 43% body fat (keep in mind that is AFTER I had already lost 40 lbs) & had a BMI of 37.9 (down from my highest at 45).  Today, Senor Gizmo wasn't blinking "Very High" at me.  He wasn't flashing "High" in my direction.  He called me "Normal" at 27.2% body fat with a BMI of 24.4.

With curiosity piqued, I did a little comparing of my March 2010 measurements to my current measurements.

• Waist: down 19.25"
• Hips: down 16"
• Thighs: down 12" (total, not each)
• Arms: down 11.25" (total, not each)

I don't really believe in "Normal" as pertains to size, shape, or beauty.  There are too many variables in the human body to try to pigeon-hole anyone to a small set of numbers or standards.  I believe in healthy & I believe in comfortable & self-possessed, both of which can look all sorts of different ways.  However, I also believe in measuring my personal progress in a multitude of ways, both traditional & non-traditional (yes, my markedly decreased desire to stick-up a Krispy Kreme delivery truck is a measure of progress).  Today, a very traditional (albeit flawed) measure called me "Normal" & I'll take it at face value & appreciate it as just one sign that I'm moving in the right direction.  Maybe I'm not actually normal...but a little closer to fine.