Calculating Your BMI: The Basics
Learn how you can compute your body mass index to help you come up with the formula for a better, healthier you.
What is the basis of being fat? Is it merely your weight, your waistline or the fact that you are having a harder time looking for clothes that fit you? All these may be true to some extent, but if you really want to know whether it’s time for you to start losing weight or not, the best way to find out is by calculating your BMI.
Before you start calculating your BMI, though, let’s take a look at what BMI means. BMI stands for Body Mass Index and has been used as a fitness basis since the 1980s. What BMI really means, though, is the proportion of your weight to your height. After all, you can’t say you’re overweight simply by knowing you weigh 150 pounds, especially if you’re almost six feet tall. You have to take both your height and weight into consideration. In this way, you’ll have a better idea of where you stand in terms of your physical fitness, and you’ll be able to set more realistic goals.
The first step in calculating your BMI is to step on a scale and measure your weight. Afterwards, go ahead and measure your height or better yet, let someone do it for you. Once you have these two measurements, you can now proceed in calculating your BMI. All you have to do is divide your weight by the square of your height using a calculator or a pen and paper. Of course, you can take advantage of specialized BMI calculators, too, so you won’t have to do the math.
If your BMI is 18.4 or lower, it means you’re underweight and need to eat more. On the other hand, if your BMI is higher than 25, it means you’re overweight. If it’s even higher than 30, it means you’re obese and therefore, need to take measures to be fit again. Anything in between 18.5 to 24.9 is normal.
Indeed, calculating your BMI can help you gauge how fit you are. Keep in mind, though, that calculating your BMI is only a guide. Although many doctors give it a lot of consideration, it is not the ultimate basis for physical fitness. There are still other gauges, like your body fat percentage or your waist-hip ratio. All these need to be considered to determine your fitness level. Then again, no matter how many times or how many things you calculate, what matters most is how you deal with the results and if you strive to be physically fit at all times, you never really need to worry about them.