How does your body mass measure up?

Research has made it very clear that being overweight equals increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses. One of the easiest ways to measure if you're at risk is to calculate your body mass index (BMI).

BMI is a number calculated from a person's weight and height. I want you to take a moment and calculate your BMI right now, because knowing your BMI provides a good sense if you're at a healthy weight.

BMI = weight (lbs.) divided by height (in.) divided by height (in.) x 703

For example, if you weight is 185 pounds and you are 5'7" (67 in.), your BMI equals 29.

185 divided by 67 divided by 67 x 703 = 29

BMI Categories:

Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5 - 24.9
Overweight = 25 - 29.9
Obese = >30

For our example, the individual that weighs 185 pounds at 5'7" is considered overweight.

Now, don't get hung up on the categories and whether or not you're considered overweight or obese. The purpose of knowing your BMI right now is to learn what changes you need to make to be heart healthy and part of that is looking at reality (even if it's not pretty!) and taking a positive step forward to get where you want to be.

So, compare your BM, with what's considered normal and healthy.

The most recent BMI study completed on more than 1 million Americans in 1999 revealed the healthiest BMI's for men to be between 23.5 to 25.0 and for women between 22.0 to 23.5.

If you have a BMI greater than 25, you can lose weight and lower your BMI through healthy food choices and physical activity to reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases.

Be sure to sign up for the free e-course series Top 5 Key Strategies to Lose Weight Permanently.