Are You Really Overweight?

In today’s world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

If you really want to know how much overweight you are, check out this BMI formula. If you want to lose weight, it will calculate how much weight you need to lose.

If you are overweight, you know it by how you feel, how your clothes fit or how you look. But, by how much are you really overweight? And how much weight do you need to lose? One measure of how much you should weigh is by determining your Body Mass Index, BMI. This index gives you the relationship of your weight to your height. Here is the formula:

Your BMI = [(yourWeight)/(your Height x your Height)] x 705

If you weigh 143 lbs and are 64 in tall, then

your BMI = [(143) / (64 x 64)] x 705 = 26.2. Based on the chart below a BMI of 26.2 is overweight.

· underweight, BMI = 18.5
· normal weight BMI = 18.5 - 24.9
· overweight BMI = 25 - 29.9
· slight obesity BMI = 30 - 34.9
· obese BMI = 35 - 39.9
· excess obese = BMI = greater than 40

If we consider the normal BMI number to be 21.5 then you can compute approximately how much weight you should lose using the same BMI formula but by changing things around in the formula,
(your ideal Weight) = [(normal BMI / 705) x (your Height x your Height)]

If you don’t have accurate details regarding body mass, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don’t let that happen: keep reading.

For the example above if you have a BMI = 26.2 and the normal BMI number = 21.5, then,

(your ideal Weight) = [(21.5/705) x (64 x 64)] = 124.91

you should weight 124.91 lbs. That means you need to lose (143 -124.9) lbs = 18.1 lbs.

Try to get your BMI below 25. Under this number, you can expect to have good heath if you are eating the right kinds of food and exercising regularly. If your BMI is greater than 28, you are more likely to have cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and many other diseases related to a toxic colon.

Keep track of your waistline. Your waistline, if you are a man, should be less than 35 “. For women it should be less than 30″. As your waistline get larger you become more susceptible to diseases. Of course, waistlines are going to vary because people have different shapes. But you know if your waistline to big for your shape.

Now you should know how much weight you need to lose. Beside your waistline, you should also measure bust/chest, hips, and thighs.. This gives you an indication how your body is changing. As you lose fat you may not lose weight for a while. Your body will become toned as you exercise. The weight scale does not always tell you that your body is changing and losing weight.

There’s no doubt that the topic of body mass can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about body mass, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article.

This is article #19 of a series of 100 articles on weight loss.