BMI Index

First important thing you should know before embarking on a weight loss journey is about your calorie needs. These calorie needs will help you to choose your food habits. These calorie needs cannot determine the metabolic rate of an individual but it can surely outline the calorie needs of an individual.

Calorie calculators are used to estimate the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) of your body. They give amount of energy expended per day. There are three different formulas to determine the calorie needs of an individual. The formula put forward by MD Mifflin-St Jeor is found to be more precise and accurate. This formula is used by health care experts in hospitals and various nutritionists to determine the daily energy requirements of an individual.

Male: BMR = 10 × weight (in kgs) + 6.25 × height (in cms) - 5 × age (in years) + 5
Female: BMR = 10 × weight (in kgs) + 6.25 × height (in cms) - 5 × age (in years) - 161

To determine your total daily caloric needs, the BMR has to be multiplied by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:
* 1.200 = sedentary (little or no exercise)
* 1.375 = lightly active (light exercise/ sports 1-3 days/ week)
* 1.550 = moderately active (moderate exercise/ sports 3-5 days/ week)
* 1.725 = very active (hard exercise/ sports 6-7 days a week)
* 1.900 = extra active (very hard exercise/ sports and physical job)

What is BMI?
BMI or Body Mass Index is a method used to estimate the body fat. It is calculated by dividing the person’s weight to the square of his /her height. It is expressed in metric or customary units.

BMI= kg / m2

Where kg is the subject's weight in kilograms and m is the subject's height in meters.

Customary: BMI = lb * 703 / in2
Where lb is the subject's weight in pounds and in is the subject's height in inches.

BMI Weight Status
< 18.5 - Underweight
18.5–24.9 - Normal
25.0 – 29.9 - Overweight
30.0–39.9 - Obese
40.0 - Morbidly Obese