If you are looking for an easy calculation to see whether your weight falls in the healthy or unhealthy range, the BMI, or body mass index is a simple tool to use. Although there are some variables which make a difference, such as sex, age and body type, it is a good estimator of healthy weight. The body mass index uses height and weight to determine where you fall on the scale, ranging from underweight to obese.
Step 1
Weigh yourself with an accurate scale.
Step 2
Measure your height and convert to inches.
Step 3
Set up formula as (weight in pounds) divided by (height in inches) squared (mulitplied by) 703. For example a 6 foot male weighing 230 lbs., the formula would be: 230 / (72 x 72) x 703 = 31.19. The BMI is 31.
Step 4
Interpret your BMI results. A BMI below 18.5 is underweight; 18.5 to 24.9 is considered a healthy weight; 25 to 29.9 is overweight; and a BMI above 30 is considered obese.
Tips and Warnings
- Take into consideration that this is a general assessment, based on height and weight. It does not take other factors into consideration. Use BMI as a guideline only.
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Tape measure
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