BMI Calculator and the Weight You Should Lose Today

Submitted by Rolf - Tue, 8 Mar 2011

So I could lose a few pounds, like unfortunately half of the civilized world. Just a few stylish pounds though, I am not what is considered obese. I have done some research to see what I can realistically expect or aim for.

Often BMI (body mass index), or Quetelet index, is used to measure whether you are under- or overweight. It is important to realize that this may only be used as a guideline and not to determine exactly how much you should weigh. BMI is only based on length other than weight and does not keep into consideration a person's build.

Since muscle tissue is heavier than body fat, a bodybuilder will have a higher BMI than a skinny guy. This does not mean Mr. Muscles is overweight. Also things like ethnicity play a part. It is however a good enough guideline for a quick check. So keep this in mind when calculating your BMI.

^{1) BMI is calculated with centimeters and kilograms. Click here for a converter until I have adjusted the script to support other units as well}

Category	BMI
Severely underweight	less than 16
Underweight	16 - 18.5
Normal	18.5 - 25
Overweight	25 - 30
Obese Class	more than 30

Now, if you've decided you could lose a few pounds and are not in the danger zone of obesity, try to be realistic. Diets are great for the short term, but there is a risk you will regain the lost pounds. As you may expect, the best way to lose weight is a slight but permanent change in lifestyle. Go for a regular walk and stop snacking.

The normal daily intake and output of calories is 2000 kcal for women and 2500 for men. Like everything, this is average of course. If you're a professional athlete or do heavy lifting, these numbers will be higher. Experts recommend to not lose much more than 500 calories per day. Any gap between the intake and output of over 1000 kcal is considered unhealthy and an unnecessary strain on your body.

1 Kilogram of body fat equals 9000 calories (kcal) so this means that losing 1 kilogram per week is unhealthy! Losing the recommended 500 calories a day means a weight loss of 1 kilogram per 18 days is healthy. 500 Calories is a brisk walk of one and a half hour, or an hour jogging. Sounds slow, doesn't it? Losing weight is a long-term investment.