The Ideal Weight Calculation Formula:5 BMI Categories.

BMI

If you want to know your ideal weight, you can calculate your BMI and find it out.

In BMI or body mass index, we measure the body fat of adult men and women based on their height and weight. Therefore it is a number that help in determining that weight of person is healthy.

So you can calculate the BMI by using a person’s height and weight.

 BMI Categories and Ideal weight 

With BMI we can estimate our risk for diseases that may be caused by excess body fat. So the higher you’re BMI, the higher you will be at risk for certain diseases such as:

• Diabetes.  
• High blood pressure.
• Gall stones.
• Breathing problems. ( Read study)

 A low BMI can also cause some health problems, just like high BMI. Lack of enough fat in body may lead to some problems like:

• Decreased immune function.
• Iron deficiency anemia.
• Risk of malnutrition.
• Osteoporosis. (Read Study)

Limitations of BMI in calculating Ideal weight.

 1. It can over-estimate the body fat in all those athletes and bodybuilders who have   excess weight due to their body muscles.

2. It may underestimate the body fat in all those older persons and others who have lost muscle. So an older person has a higher fat content in comparison to a younger person with an equal BMI.

Other measures to stay in tune with your ideal weight.

Waist circumference measurement :

One of the most common and effective alternatives to BMI is to measure the circumference of your waist .The circumference of your waist will help you in determining the risk of getting heart disease.

Generally, women whose waist circumference is greater than 35 inches are at greater risk of getting heart disease and other medical conditions. The same applies to men whose waist circumference is greater than 40 inches.

Waist to hip ratio :

The waist-to-hip ratio is also an excellent way to calculate the excess weight. So You can use this ratio to indicate your vulnerability to many health issues including diabetes, blood pressure, and heart disease.

The world health organisation (WHO) defines the abdominal obesity for waist-hip ratio above 0.9 in case of men and 0.85 for women.

Body Fat Measuring :

Probably the simplest way to calculate your body fat is by using a special set of calipers.

The Bottom line

Despite its wide use BMI is definitely not a perfect measure of health. But it is a useful starting point for all critical situations that are more likely to occur when a person is overweight or obese.

Although it is very important to know your BMI. But it is also necessary to recognize its limitations.

Also read : 1. How to make a mindset for weight loss.

                      2.  How to measure your daily calorie requirement.