A different way to "weigh"

Your BMI (Body Mass Index) is another indication of how fat or thin you are.  BMI isn't really a percentage of bodyfat; it's just a number from a formula that uses your height and weight to determine whether you're underweight, normal, overweight or obese.  Here's the BMI scale:

• Underweight = less than 18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
• Overweight = 25–29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

When I weighed 183.6 pounds a couple years ago, my BMI  was around 26. Today, at 143 pounds, my BMI is just over 21.  How do I know that?  My Wii Fit program calculates my body mass each morning, as it measures my weight.  I could also figure it out myself.  Here's the formula:

BMI = ( Weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches x Height in inches ) ) x 703

Try it yourself to find out where you are.  You may be pleasantly surprised (and relieved) to find you're within a normal range, or that you're not as "overweight" as you thought.  With this number in your head, you'll have yet another tool to motivate you toward an even lower BMI.  If you want to see those curvy hip bones, you're aiming for a BMI between 20 and 21.  Now grab your calculator and get started.