Body mass index calculator

Statistics suggest that people who stay within a healthy weight range become ill less often, have more energy and tend to live longer. There are various scientific ways to determine your weight and body mass index. BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women.

To calculate your body mass index, enter the appropriate data below.

Results:
Under 19	underweight
19 to 25	healthy weight
26 to 30	overweight
31 to 39	very overweight
40 and above	extremely overweight

Your body mass index is not an absolute indication of the physical shape you’re in. It measures the ratio of height to weight, but does not distinguish between fat and muscle. A person with a large amount of muscle (for example, a bodybuilder) may have a high BMI without being overweight.

To evaluate your physical fitness and lifestyle health, consider your BMI in combination with other factors: how regularly you exercise, if you smoke, your waist size, your sleep patterns and eating habits.

Determining a Healthy Weight Range

The following chart will give you a general guideline for calculating your own healthy weight range:

Are you at your ideal weight?

To find out whether your weight is healthy, you can calculate your body mass index or BMI. This is a more accurate indicator than the number of pounds shown on your scale, because it takes your height into account. Here is how to calculate your BMI:

1) Multiply your weight (in lbs) by 703

2) Multiply your height in inches by itself

3) Divide the first number by the second

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(weight X 703) ÷ (height in inches) X (height in inches) = body mass index (BMI)

Results:

· Under 19--underweight

·19 to 25 -- healthy weight

· 26 to 30 -- overweight

· 31 to 39 -- very overweight

· 40 and above -- extremely overweight

Counting Calories

A calorie is not a nutrient, but a measure of the energy found in food. Calorie content comes from protein, carbohydrates and fats. The foods with the highest calorie count offer more energy, but require more energy to burn.

For example:

· 1 g of protein contains 4 calories

· 1 g of carbohydrate contains 4 calories

· 1 g of fat contains 9 calories

· 1 g of alcohol contains 7 calories

By reducing the amount of food a person consumes, the body is forced to burn stored fats for energy, resulting in weight loss. For successful and permanent weight loss, dieters can reduce their daily caloric intake by about 10 to 20% -- any more than that and the body feels that it's starving, which will trigger fat storage rather than loss.

Optimal weight loss is between 1 and 1.5 pounds per week. As one pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories, to lose:

· 1 pound per week = reduce your daily calorie intake by 500 calories.

· 1.5 pounds per week = cut your daily intake by 750 calories.