1. How do I know if I'm overweight and really need to lose weight?
People used to believe there was an "ideal" weight for every height. If you were 5'4", you were supposed to weigh X. If you were 5'0", you were supposed to weigh Y. Now we know better.The numbers on the bathroom scale don't tell you whether you are overweight. And there is no set number that says you are too thin, too heavy, or just right. Scales may be handy, but a better way to tell if your weight is healthy is to measure the proportion of fat in your body to lean body mass. Health professionals look at your body composition-including your muscles, bone, and body fat-for someone your age, sex, and height. Some people use a tool called the body mass index, or BMI, to help decide whether they are overweight. For example, if you are a woman and your BMI is 27 to 28 or higher, you are considered overweight.
Body mass index is a key index for relating a person's body weight to their height. The body mass index is a person's weight in kilograms (kg) divided by their height in meters (m) squared.
Overweight is defined as a BMI of 27.3 % or more for women and 27.8 % or more for men. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 and above. (A BMI of 30 is about 30 pounds overweight.) Note, however, that some very muscular people may have a high BMI without undue health risks.
Another way to determine your fat-to-lean muscle mass ratio is through the use of a caliper. A caliper is an instrument consisting essentially of two curved hinged legs, used to measure thickness and distances. It is used to pinch a part of your arm to see how much fat and lean muscle you have.
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