How To Tell If You Are Overweight

how to tell if you are overweight

Using a BMI calculator should be your first step in how to tell if you are overweight.

The quickest way to tell if you might be overweight is to calculate your BMI using a BMI calculator. BMI stands for body mass index, which takes into account your height and your weight to give you a score. That score says whether or not you are in a healthy weight range for your height. This varies slightly from calculator to calculator, so you should also consult your doctor before determining whether or not you are actually considered overweight.

Remember, not all weight is bad. A person with muscle may seem heavy, but still be in a good weight range. A person with most of the body mass being fat, however, in a heavier weight, may be considered overweight or obese. There are various techniques for checking this, including BMI, a waist circumference measure, several scientific equipment tests, and various other odds and ends. To start off determining if you may be overweight, research one or two of these methods and check your results to the standard. If your results are iffy, or come out as overweight, you should talk to your doctor to determine for certain whether or not this is the case.

Going from there, if you are overweight, you may want to consider various diet programs, depending on the amount of weight you have to lose and the type of lifestyle you lead. Diet programs that incorporate both a healthy diet and exercise regimen are the surest ways to safely and efficiently lose weight according to many recent studies. These types of diets also encourage you to make healthy lifestyle changes that can keep yourself slim and trim for years to come.

However, diet and exercise do not always work alone no matter how hard you try, and you may decide that another step is needed. If you are struggling with losing weight, are faced with a lot of weight to lose and have health conditions that may be related to being overweight, then your doctor should be your go-to person to determine your next step. Depending on your lifestyle and your weight loss goals, different diet programs and prescription diet pills may be suggested.

On the other hand, a person who has only a little weight to lose will not need the drastic measures of someone who is clinically obese with other resulting health problems. However, you may still be interested in using diet pills or weight loss supplements, so do some research on the various types before talking to your doctor. This way you have some background knowledge to refer to, and are able to ask important questions regarding your medical history, the expected results of the weight loss drugs, and what sort of side effects could come up. Knowing something about this in advance helps you make a more informed decision.

Once a plan is put into place, stick to it, pay attention to your doctor’s instructions, and take it step by step, and you should be on your way to a healthier, fitter you.

Other Related Posts and Articles you May Find Interesting: “The Dreaded Body Fat Calculator”, “Measuring Weight Loss with Waist-to-Hip Ratio”, “Helpful Weight Loss Calculators” and “Best Online Diet Trackers”.

3 comments to How To Tell If You Are Overweight

  • Sf_ZZ

    It takes a calorie defacit of 3500 calories per week to lose one pound per week. If you can create this defacit you will lose weight. It really can be done on one’s own by making sure your body burns more then it consumes, but I suppose by taking diet pills you are giving youself the extra edge. According to the BMI I am not obese but I am a a little overweight so I need to drop about 20lbs. I plan to get 30 minutes of exersise 4x per week and eat a lot of salads/veggies.

  • zarina

    Ok my BMI is 25- I am still considered to be in a normal weight range but it said I could benefit from losing some extra pounds. I would like to lean down a little but I have no idea where to begin. i.e. how much bread is allowed in a day? Meat? Is there a certain about of vegetables you need to eat? I know vegetables are supposed to be healthy, what about the frozen ones? Are they ok too or do they have to be fresh? Are there any fast food places that are considered healthy? Or can you eat a hamburger and still lose the weight? Sorry for so many questions I am new to this as I am used to just eating whatever.

  • Jordana

    The BMI is a mathematical formula that is based on height and weight and it is used to measure fatness. Other factors I believe that should be considered in this formula are sex as well as age. Obviously it is going to make a difference if you are a man or a woman or a child/teen or an adult. Altho there might be a separate BMI calculator for teens and children. We do need to be aware of our BMI’s (albeit most of us have never heard of such a thing) because we need to be aware of the risks of being overweight and obese. In addition to being to heavy, there are also serious health risks to being too skinny and having a BMI that is too low. I do think the BMI calculator is a useful gage to measure weight and health risks but some people say it is not very accurate. Some believe that the best way to tell if you are fat is to get out the tapemeasure and check your waistline circumference.

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