Body mass index, often referred to as just "BMI," is a fitness parameter used to determine body fatness in humans. This information can be used as a quick reference by doctors and fitness trainers to determine where your health risks lie. To calculate your BMI, you can resort to the standard system or metric system. The metric system uses kilograms, and you can use a simple equation to make this determination.
Step 1
Step on a scale first thing in the morning as soon as you get out of bed. Use the bathroom and take off your clothes to be as accurate as possible. Multiply your weight in pounds by .4536 to convert it to kilograms. Use 170 lbs. as an example: 170 x .4536 = 77 kg.
Step 2
Measure yourself and convert your height to meters squared. Take off your shoes and stand with your back to a wall. Place a small tick mark on the wall at the top of your head and measure the distance from the tick mark to the floor in inches. Use 73 inches as an example. Multiply it by .0254 to convert it to meters. This comes out to 1.85. Square this number and you get 3.44 meters.
Step 3
Input your information into the equation and determine your BMI. The metric equation is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Using the examples from steps 1 and 2, the equation would be 77/3.44 for a BMI of 22.
Step 4
Compare your BMI to a chart. Anything under 18.5 is considered underweight; 18.5 to 24.9 is in the normal range; 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and if your BMI is 30 or above, you are classified as obese. The example of 22 in Step 3 would be considered normal.
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Tape measure
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