I remember an old saying – ‘you cannot manage what you don’t monitor’. I always took this to mean that you can only make informed decisions when you have the right information at hand (and you keep it up to date).
Three of the tried and tested metrics that health professionals and physical trainers use when assessing clients are the Body Mass Index, Basal Metabolic Rate, and the Waist to Hip Ratio.
What is the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
The basal metabolic rate, at its core, is the number of calories required to keep your body alive and functioning during the day, while at rest. These are the calories burned in order to sustain basic bodily functions such as breathing, temperature regulation, and pumping blood around the body.
Working out a persons BMR incorporates age, height, weight and gender. Given the different muscle mass and composition between the sexes, males will have a different BMR to females.
Once you know your BMR, you can determine how many calories you need to eat to gain muscle, lose fat, or maintain your weight.
How does knowing my BMR help?
Armed with your BMR, you can work with a dietician to develop a nutritional plan that meets your goals. Ensuring your daily calorie intake takes into consideration your BMR and daily expended energy output will let you stay on track knowing when your contributing to either weight loss, or muscle mass.
Calculate your BMR
What is the Body Mass Index (BMI)
The body mass index (BMI) is a measurable ratio that uses a persons height and weight to work out whether their weight is within a healthy range.
It divides an adult’s weight in kilograms by their height in metres squared. For example, A BMI of 27 means 27kg/m2.
BMI Ranges
As per the Australian Government Healthy Weight Initiative, the table below represents the different BMI measurements:
| BMI | Classification |
|---|---|
| <18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5 - 24.9 | Healthy |
| 25.0 - 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30.0 + | Obese |
Accuracy of the BMI
The BMI calculation can be a quick and useful guide when it comes to assessing a healthy weight, as it accounts for many of the natural variations in our body shapes.
GP’s, personal trainers and healthcare professionals will, most likely, assess any results against other considerations during their assessments, as the BMI can be influenced by different factors.
It is well known that muscle weighs more than fat, meaning a muscle dense person – say a bodybuilder or an athlete – can still be considered within a healthy weight range even though their BMI lists them in the overweight or obese category.
Ethnicity also plays a part. People from different parts of the world may have increased risk of certain health conditions within certain ranges. For instance, the healthy BMI range tends to be lower for people of Asian heritage and higher for Polynesians.
Calculate your BMI
What is the Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR)
The waist to hip ratio (WHR) represents the amount of weight being carried around the waist as opposed to the hips. The WHR is commonly used as a measure of health, and as an indicator as to the potential risk of developing serious health conditions.
The ratio is worked out by taking a measurement around the waist (circumference) and dividing it by the same measurement around the hips. This measurement is can be taken in either centimetres or inches.
Mathematically this is represented by:
- Waist measurement (W) divided by hip measurement (H)
WHR Ranges
According to World Health Organisation a derived value of greater than 0.85 for females and 0.90 for males indicates obesity and may be a leading contributor to other, more serious health conditions.
Calculate your WHR
Conclusion
The above calculators provide an opportunity for you to monitor your own progress, keeping you focused and on target.
We have plans to add more fitness and health based calculators in the future so be sure to keep an eye on this page.
