Are you even overweight?

Many times, i have heard people say "I'm not overweight, i just need to trim my tummy" or "I'm not overweight, i just have fat arms" and there are times that i have seen people who look like they have a healthy weight but are still struggling to lose weight.

I have realized that many people do not even know if they are overweight or not and what their ideal weight should be.

The first step to take when trying to lose weight is to determine if you are overweight and how much weight you need to lose. This can be done by calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI).

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement tool that compares your height with your weight to give you an indication of whether you are overweight, underweight or at a healthy weight.

How to calculate your BMI
To calculate your BMI, you'll need-:

• A bathroom scale
• A measuring tape or yardstick
• A pencil and paper
• A calculator

1. Take your weight measurement on a bathroom scale. Then convert it to pounds (if it is in kilograms).  1 pound = 0.45 Kg.
2.  Measure your height in inches using a yard stick or a measuring tape. You can stand against a wall and use a pencil to make a mark at the top of your head, then measure.
3. Use a pencil, paper and calculator to do the following calculation: 

• Take your height in inches and square the number. For instance, if you are 70 inches tall, multiply 70 by 70 (70 x 70 = 4,900).
• Divide your weight in pounds by the figure above. For instance, if you weigh 180 pounds, you would divide 180 by 4,900 (180 /4,900 = 0.036734693).
• Multiply that answer by  the conversion factor 703. The answer is your Body Mass Index (BMI) 0.036734693 X 703 = 25.82.
• Judge your personal BMI result against the following scale:
• 18 - Underweight
• 18.5- Thin for height
• 18.6 -24.9 - Healthy weigh
• 25 - 29.9 - Overweight
• 30- Obesity

A BMI of  less than 18 means you are underweight. You should consider adding more weight.
A BMI of less than 18.5 indicates you are thin for height.
A BMI of between 18.6 and 24.9 indicates you are at a healthy weight.
A BMI of between 25 and 29.9 means you are overweight for your height.
A BMI of 30 or greater indicates obesity. If you are obese, you should seriously consider losing weight.