Body Mass Index (BMI)
Unlike the Waist to Hip Ratio, Body Mass Index takes into account your body height and weight to gauge relative fitness and health risks. To determine your BMI, you can enter the appropriate information into the provided calculator (easiest), or follow the instructions below to do so manually.
Keep in mind that BMI is merely a generic and fairly rudimentary tool to gauge actual fitness. For instance, given that muscle has greater mass than body fat, a well muscled individual would also report a high BMI value. Accordingly, one should use BMI sparingly and as a secondary indicator for your fitness and health level.
Finding Your BMI Manually:
1. Determine your body weight in kilograms. To convert from lbs to kg, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2.
2. Determine your height in meters. To convert from inches to meters, multiply inches by 0.0254. Take the square of this value.
3. Divide your calculated weight in Step 1 by the squared height in Step 2 (Weight / Height2)
4. Use the following table to determine your BMI:
| Health Risk Classification | BMI |
| High Risk / Obese | > 30 |
| Marginal | 25-30 |
| Good Fitness Zone | 17-24 |
| Low | < 17 |
Related Pages:
Body Weight Management - Learn how techniques to gain your ideal body composition using fitness and nutrition principles.
Exercise: Flexibility Training - An often forgotten, but critical component of fitness. Learn how to develop a well balanced program that incorporates flexibility training.
Nutritional Info: Water and Hydration - Understand the importance of hydration during exercise.
