You may look in the mirror and think – yeah I do need to lose a few pounds. Or yo may be noticing some helath problems associated with obesity or being overweight, like fatigue or shortness of breath. Or even more serious helath concerns to being obese like diabetes or heart disease.
But just how do we tell if we are overweight or not? BMI or Body Mass Index is a way medical professionals have developed to approximate how close you are to your ideal weight.
BMI is an approximate measure of body fat based on weight and height proportion. An accurate Body fat evaluation also must take into account circumference of the waist. Keep in mind that it is for guidelines only and offers an approximation or snapshot of body fat – it can over estimate Body fat in those with a lot of lean muscle mass – but of course if yo are in that kind of shape – you probably are not here reading pages on weight loss.
However in can underestimate body fat to on people that are lighter in weight due to significant loss of muscle mass, like the elderly. To calculate BMI take your weight in pounds x 703 and divide that by your height in inches squared. Compare the resulting number to the chart below.
Table: BMI Weight Status Categories
BMI Weight Status
Below 18.5 Underweight
18.5 -24.9 Normal
25 - 29.9 Overweight
30 & Above Obese
To measure the circumference of your waistline, place measuring tape around your bare abdomen just above your hip bone and keep it parallel to the floor. Relax, exhale, and see your waist circumference. If you measure over 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women your probably are overweight and at increased risks for heart disease, diabetes and other health problems.
Medical professionals agree anyone with a BMI of 30 or above really needs to start a weight loss program. Those with a BMI in the 25-29 range that exhibit one or more of the other risk factors for obesity also need to slim down. Losing only 10% of your body fat can significantly reduce your risk for obesity related conditions, and improve you overall health, body image and self-esteem.
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