Do You Know Your BMI?
Do you know your BMI? What is BMI?
BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It’s simply a measurement of your body fatness based on your height and weight. The formula is:
English BMI Formula
BMI = ( Weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches ) x ( Height in inches ) ) x 703
Metric BMI Formula
BMI = (Weight in Kilograms / ( Height in Meters ) x ( Height in Meters ) )
How accurate is it? Like all other measurements used for calculating body fat, it gives you a good estimate. Dunking your self in a tank of water and doing a proper scientific body fat test is the only way of getting an accurate measurement.
Most of us have heard the argument that a rugby player would be considered obese if they were to calculate their BMI. This is true based on the fact that they have a lot of muscle mass. It’s along the same line as the argument that: you can lose inches yet not lose a pound on the scale due to putting on muscle.
Does this mean that we shouldn’t rely on the scale or BMI calculations? Definitely not, for the general public using a combination of measuring your waistline, standing on a scale and calculating your BMI will give you a good indication of your health.
Doctors still use BMI as an indicator of weight. The chart they use is:
18.5 or less – Underweight
18.5-25 – Healthy Weight
25-29.99 – Overweight
Over 30-39.99 – Obese
40 and over – Morbidly obese
See where you fit in: To calculate your BMI add your details HERE
Remember this is one form of measurement and can be used as a way of charting your progress if you are on a healthy fat loss program. As always please consult your GP before embarking on any new program.
Be Healthy!
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