Intentional Weight Loss

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Determining what is desirable

Your health care provider has chart and tables that are used to determine what your target weight should be. They vary according to gender, height, age, and bone structure. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company has the most commonly used height and weight tables.

A simpler and more useful piece of information however is Body Mass Index. The BMI is calculated by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by the square of your height (in meters).

To obtain your weight in kilograms, simply multiply your weight in lbs by 0.45. To obtain your height in meters, first multiply your height in inches by 2.5, then divide that number by 100. Don't forget to square that result when you use it in the equation.

To fall within the "healthy range" on the BMI, your result should be within 20 and 25. Results both smaller and greater than these values are associated with significant health risks.

Another important piece of information is your percentage of body fat. This can be determined by a registered dietitian or an exercise physiologist. Using an instrument called a caliper, the thickness of a fold of skin is measured (for example, on the back of the arm) to estimate your total body fat. The average adult woman of normal weight in the United States may have 20-30% body fat. Adult men in the United States average 10-20% body fat. Athletes usually have less, pregnant women usually have more.