Deciding what is a healthy weight for you is not only what you see when you step on the scale. One of the first things you should do is measure your BMI (Body Mass Index). This is a mathematical equation that estimates your body fat. Your height and weight are entered into the equation with the resulting number revealing whether you are underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese.
One drawback to measuring BMI is that it doesn’t differentiate between body fat and lean muscle mass. So if you’re an athlete or have a lot of muscle mass, your BMI may not classify you correctly. The resulting number could indicate that you’re overweight when in fact you are not. The opposite goes for those individuals, such as older people who have lost muscle mass… your BMI may indicate that you are underweight when you’re not. However, for most people, your BMI should give you a pretty accurate idea of where you stand.
To determine your BMI, there are lots of BMI calculators on the internet. However, you can determine it yourself by using the following equation:
(weight in pounds) divided by [(height in inches) x (height in inches)] x 703
Compare your resulting number to the chart below:
Below 18.5 = Underweight
18.5 - 24.9 = Normal
25 - 29.9 = Overweight
30 and above = Obese
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