Weight Management Home: Basics

What is "Ideal Weight"?

Evaluating your ideal weight

Body Mass Index Body Mass Index (BMI) is an important tool to evaluate your weight. To measure your BMI, weigh yourself and measure your height. Then, find out your BMI using lifeclinic.com Body Mass Index Calculator. Remember, the higher your BMI, the greater your risk for health problems. Use these numbers as a guide when you evaluate your weight:

Basics Introduction Ideal Weight Weight Loss Benefits Psychological Aspects

Healthy weight: BMI from 18.5 kg/m2 to 25 kg/m2 Overweight: BMI from 25 kg/m2 up to 30kg/m2 Obese: BMI 30 kg/m2 or higher Extreme obesity: > 40 kg/m2

Try lifeclinic.com's Body Mass Index Calculator!

Waist circumference
Another tool used to evaluate weight is your waist circumference. This is an especially helpful tool for people who are classified as overweight based on their BMI. Those “love handles”-- as some people humorously call the bit of extra fat around the waist—are predictors of health problems. Having the information about waist circumference coupled with BMI gives extra insight into how serious a health problem overweight really poses. It’s better to be pear shaped rather than to have an apple-shaped silhouette. This is true even if your BMI shows you at a healthy weight.

To obtain a proper measurement, stand up and measure around your waist, just above your hipbones. The more your waist measurement increases, the greater your health risks. If you are a woman whose waist measures more than 35 inches or a man whose waist measures more than 40 inches, you may be at greater risk for health problems including diabetes, high blood fats, high blood pressure and heart disease. This is true even if your BMI shows you at a healthy weight.