My fitness instructor was talking about BMI during one of our workout sessions. What is it, and why should I be concerned about BMI?

Are you concerned about your weight? If so, the BMI can be a useful tool in determining your health. BMI stands for Body Mass Index. The National Institutes of Health has established a useful classification system for overweight and obesity based on Body Mass Index (B.M.I.). The formula takes into account your weight relative to your height.

• A healthy BMI ranges from 18.5 to 24.
• A BMI from 25 to 29 indicates a person is overweight.
• A BMI of 30 to 34 indicates obesity.
• A person with a BMI of 35 or higher is considered severely obese.

Here’s how to calculate your BMI. Follow these easy steps, using the example as a guideline:

Step One: Multiply your weight in pounds by 0.45. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you would multiply 140 by 0.45 to get 63.

Step Two: Multiply your height (in total inches) by 0.025. For example, if you are 5 feet 6 inches tall (66 inches), multiply 66 by 0.025 to get 1.65.

Step Three: Square the answer from step two. For example, 1.65 times 1.65 equals 2.72.

Step Four: Divide the answer from step one by the answer from step three. This number is your BMI. For example, 63 divided by 2.72 equals 23.16 which is a healthy level.

Hope this information has helped you in some way!