Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple calculation used to determine if you are underweight, normal, or overweight. It takes into account your height and your weight. You can calculate your BMI at this NIH website.
Disclaimer: In this article, I discuss my own opinions and observations on health topics. I am not a doctor. The information here is only views and opinions, not medical advice. Please consult your physician before making any changes that might affect your health.
Its simplicity is its biggest limitation. It considers only height and weight. Therefore the BMI may show a false overweight result for people with abnormally low percentages of body fat. However, for the vast majority of the population, BMI provides a useful guideline to base your weight goals on.
The median BMI for the normal range is 21.7. To get a guideline for your ideal weight, just enter your height into the NIH BMI calculator, then enter different values for weight until you get a BMI of 21.7. I am 5’8″, so my ideal weight according to BMI comes out to 143. That sounds about right, as that was my exact weight when I was in the best shape of my life in college.
Now that you know your ideal weight, you can work towards that goal.
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