Once you start on your health and fitness journey, you will be inundated with info and talk of where your numbers should be … and it can be a little overwhelming. So what does it all mean? Where do you start?
Here is a quick overview of the four numbers you need to know and understand to get started right.
• BMI
• BMR
• Body Fat Percentage
• Caloric Intake
Over the next four weeks we will cover each type, today we will cover BMI
BMI stands for Body Mass Index
Your BMI is used to determine what your ideal weight is. It is a measure of body fat based on your height and weight that applies to adult men and women is calculated by your weight and height (gender and age only come into play with children).
The formula to calculate your BMI is ( Weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches x Height in inches ) ) x 703
OR
you can just plug your info into this handy BMI calculator http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bmi-calculator/NU00597.
Once you figure out your BMI – check what category you fall into. BMI’s are classified as follows:
• 18.5 or less Underweight
• 18.5 to 24.99 Normal Weight
• 25 to 29.99 Overweight
• 30 to 34.99 Obesity (Class 1)
• 35 to 39.99 Obesity (Class 2)
• 40 or greater Morbid Obesity
Now that you know what a BMI is used for and how to calculate it, where do you fall on the chart?
Next Week: BMI vs BMR – knowing the difference.
