Find Your Healthy Weight Range With Our Nifty BMI Index Calculator

Use our BMI index calculator to determine if you are within a normal range of body mass for your height and weight. Body Mass Index doesn't measure fat but provides you with a number that that indicates whether you are too thin or bordering on dangerous obesity.

BMI results can surprise you. If you have a roll around the mid-section of your body you may believe you are overweight. Entering your height and weight on our BMI index calculator may reveal your weight to be within the normal range. If this is the case, the best fitness program for you may be one that includes toning and strengthening exercises.

Download Your BMI Chart

Weight Groups

Each of the weight groups on the chart has variations. A very slender person might show as underweight or as normal weight based on a 1-2 inch difference in height. If your numerical BMI result is very near one of the lines that define weight categories it doesn't indicate a problem but may be food for thought.

If you are a runner or a model your may find the BMI calculator index gives you a number in the underweight weight group. Because you have an activity or a profession that provides a good reason for this, it's not a problem you need to solve.

One of the most useful highlights of the BMI calculator is in helping you face reality if you are overweight. Often weight gain is gradual and you might not recognize you have crossed from normal size to being seen as overweight. It's also common for people to think of themselves as somewhat overweight when in fact they are in the obese category.

Why You Should Use This Calculator?

The term "body mass index" refers to the ratio of height to weight and dates back to a 1972 medical journal article. The interest in body fat ratios was growing due to increasing obesity in Western societies.

BMI was designed to provide a standard of measurement in population studies rather than for personal use. It is not accurate to use BMI as a medical diagnosis yet it is sometimes used in that way today.

The simplicity of using body mass index is the reason for the popularity of a BMI index calculator. Optimal weight is considered to be a BMI number of 18.5 to 24.9. Lower than 18.5 indicates someone who is underweight while a number exceeding 30 indicates obesity which is a known health risk.

What Does a BMI Result Tell You About Your Body?

The Body Mass Index Calculator basically reveals how thick you are and relates thickness to a weight average. Clearly, if you weigh 200 pounds your height will be a huge factor in weight management. A 6'2" man is normal at 200 pounds while a man would be morbidly obese at the same weight if he was 5'5" tall.

BMI was not intended to be used for diagnosis but only as a measurement of averages. If you are embarking on a new diet or fitness program, our calculator will help you understand where you are starting from. If you feel overweight and flabby but the BMI number is in the normal range, perhaps you need to focus on exercise first and diet second.

If you are struggling to fit into your old clothes and explaining it away as having gained a few pounds, the BMI number may give you a wake up call. A number that places you in the left half of the overweight category means you need to combine exercise and diet to bring your weight into the normal range.

If what you find is a number that places you near or in the obese category, it's time to stop making excuses and embark on a serious diet and fitness program to protect your health.

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