How to Calculate a Healthy Weight For You?

Answer 1

There is a lot of emphasis in the medical world on getting to a healthy weight. However, there is no magic number when it comes to what weight an individual should weigh. Body mass, body fat, lean muscle, gender, height and waist circumference all play a role in determining what healthy is for each distinct person. Here are few different ways you can calculate your own healthy weight to set a weight loss goal or just to determine whether you are within the healthy limits.

Body Mass Index

This is the most commonly used healthy weight calculator. Often called BMI, the body mass index takes your height and weight to create a number between 0 and 50. This number is then classified as underweight, healthy, overweight, obese or morbidly obese. Many insurance companies and hospitals will use this as a guideline for patients. A healthy number is considered to be anywhere from 18.5 to 25, so do your best to fall within this category for the greatest health benefits. Keep in mind that body mass index is not always accurate when it comes to people who are very muscular like some athletes or weight lifters.

Body Fat Percentage

Since body mass index is not always completely accurate, body fat percentage can be a better gauge of how much fat a person is carrying around as well as how much lean muscle and tissue there is. For a young healthy female, the ideal should be somewhere under 31%, while a man of the same age should aim to be under 24%. As the body ages, you can expect a slightly higher fat percentage as muscle will naturally deteriorate over time.

Waist Circumference

Along with weight, a person's waist size is often a great indicator of health. Even in someone who is technically healthy by weight, a large waist can indicate heart problems or high cholesterol, among other dangerous conditions. Measure around the smallest section of your waist and do your best to keep the measurement below 35 inches for a woman and below 40 inches for a man.