You may have heard of Body Mass Index, or BMI. BMI is a way to take compare your weight relative to others regardless of your height. Think of it this way, would you expect a 5′ tall person to weigh more or less than a 6′ tall person? Hopefully, you said the taller person should weigh more.

So how do you measure your BMI? The BMI is a ratio of your weight-to-height. For people using the English method of measurements (pounds and inches), the BMI formula is:

(weight in pounds / (height in inches) x (height in inches)) x 703 OR (weight in pounds / (height in inches)^2) x 703

For the metric lovers of the world, the equation is a little simpler:

weight in kilograms / (height in meters) x (height is meters) OR weight in kilograms / (height in meters)^2

An example will show you how this works. I’m 5′ 10″ and today I weighed in at 172.8 lbs (new record low). Converting my height from feet/inches to strictly inches = 5 x 12 + 10 = 60 + 10 = 70 inches.

BMI = (172.8 / 70 x 70)) x 703 = (172.8 / 4900) x 703 = 24.79

You can do either the English or metric calculation by using this body mass index calculator.

So what does it mean? I’ll let the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explain the details. Suffice it to say, there are different ranges of BMI with anything less than 18.5 considered underweight, 18.5 to 24.9 considered normal (which is what category I am in for the first time in a long time), 25.0 to 29.9 overweight and 30.0 and above labeled obese.

BMI – another weigh (pun intended) to measure your overall health.

[tags]BMI, body mass index, bmi calculator[/tags]

Let’s start with who I am and how I arrived here so you can understand my motivation for this site.

First off, I was born in 1966 in the United States. That makes me a 40 year old as of the time of this writing. I have a lovely wife and two young sons. We call Boise Idaho our home.

I’m 5′10″ tall and currently weigh about 185 pounds. To be honest, my height to weight ratio might be about normal for an American male of my age. Normal is not neccessarily healthy though. It makes sense that the taller you are the heavier you are going to weigh. There is even a formula that is used to “normalize” your height / weight ratio called BMI. BMI stands for Body Mass Index and the formula is simply your weight measured in pounds divided my your height in inches squared multiplied by 703.

For the mathematically inclinded, here is the formula:

BMI = (weight / (height * height))* 703

Don’t ask where the 703 comes from, I have no idea. Regardless, the formula is useful for knowing if your height weight ratio is in the healthy range.

Also, I threw up a page that has a BMI calculator, check it out. I’ll get around to adding a metric BMI calculator.

If I go to this government site and use the BMI calculator (BMI = Body Mass Index), I get back the following information:

Height: 5 feet, 10 inches
Weight: 185 pounds

Your BMI is 26.5, indicating your weight is in the overweight category for adults of your height.
BMI Weight Status
Below 18.5 Underweight
18.5–24.9 Normal
25.0–29.9 Overweight
30.0 and Above Obese
People who are overweight or obese are at higher risk for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Anyone who is overweight should try to avoid gaining additional weight. Additionally, if you are overweight with other risk factors (such as high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high blood pressure), you should try to lose weight. Even a small weight loss (just 10% of your current weight) may help lower the risk of disease. Talk with your healthcare provider to determine appropriate ways to lose weight.

For information about the importance of a healthy diet and physical activity in reaching a healthy weight, visit Tips for Adults on Achieving a Healthy Weight.

For me to get into the Normal range, less than 25.0 BMI, I need to weigh less than 174 pounds.

All these numbers are fine and dandy. The bigger picture is that I want the rest of my life to be a healthy one – one that I can enjoy for a number of years to come.

Some more perspective. I used to be in very good shape, better than 99% of the population. In high school and college I was a long distance runner. When I graduated from high school I weighed about 135 pounds. When I graduated from college I weighed in the low 140 pound range. In my twenties, I lived a very active lifestyle and weighed no more than 155 pounds. In my thirties, my lifestyle changed. The family that my wife and I created required a higher income than what I was earning when we started having children. The result is a job that keeps me “desk jockeying” for long periods of time. I have gained over 30 pounds in the last ten years. Not a good trend going forward.

Looking into the crystal ball of the future, I have noticed that my parent’s health is declining. I can put two and two together and see what the future holds by looking at my parents. While my mom is relatively healthy with the exception of recent arthritis, my father’s overall health is declining – his weight it higher than it has ever been, his eye sight is declining. Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents, but I plan on taking a proactive role in improving my fitness now while I can.

So dear reader, this is just the start of my journey in an effort to get myself in the best shape of my life.

[tags]weight, fitness, bmi, overweight, obese[/tags]