The Fat Free Mass Index (FFMI) is basically a measure of muscularity adjusted for height. The bigger the number, the more muscular you are.
| Interpreting FFMI (Fat Free Mass Index) | |
| Under 17 | low muscle mass (skinny) |
| 19-20 | average muscle mass for an American or European college student |
| 22-23 | noticably muscular |
| 25.7 | Steve Reeves |
| over 26 | Steroid user |
The reason I bring the FFMI up is because many people have a warped idea of what they look like to others – in other words, they have low self esteem. The worst example is the label “skinny”!, My guess is that many of the people who claim to be “skinny” actually are quite normal. I would also guess there are many people in the “noticeably muscular” category who think they are just average. By the way, the research which came up with those numbers is the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine 1995:223-28, I didnt make this stuff up. I have modified my bodyfat calculator so you can calculate your FFMI (Fat Free Mass Index).
“Honestly, I didnt know my protein powder from Eastern Europe was laced with steroids!”