How to Calculate Your Ideal Weight Using the BMI Calculator

The BMI calculator is a practical tool for calculating your ideal weight. BMI stands for "Body Mass Index" and represents the ratio between height and weight. In this article, you will learn how it helps you determine your ideal weight and what the BMI is.

This is what BMI is all about

The BMI value is strongly represented in the media these days, and you have certainly heard of it. But what exactly is BMI?

The Body Mass Index , or BMI for short, dates back to the 19th century . Originally developed by a social statistician in 1832, the Austrian Ignaz Kaup devoted himself to the basic construct after the First World War and developed it further according to his ideas.

While the original invention of the BMI value served statistics, BMI has evolved in recent decades into a tool for individual use. Specifically, it examines the relationship between height and weight and divides the result into a specific area.

Depending on where your BMI value is, you can now see whether you are in the ideal range, have too high a body weight, or too low a body weight. However, BMI is not a panacea, so BMI is often criticized.

What to keep in mind when interpreting your value

Since the BMI calculator only calculates the ratio of body weight to height, the following problem arises. For example, if you enjoy strength training , it is likely that you weigh a little more due to your increased muscle mass . This results in an increased BMI value for you, even though you are not actually overweight in that sense. Because muscles weigh more than fat, your BMI value is thus "distorted".

The second problem also has to do with the formula for calculation. Because if only your weight and height are taken into account, there will be no division into body types , for example. However, this can be important, as fat distribution can be crucial for your health.

Fat on the abdomen , for example, lies between the organs and is metabolically active – as a result, hormones are produced, which in turn can have a negative effect on fat and sugar metabolism.

However, if the fat deposits are more in the area of the thighs or hip , this is comparatively less problematic .

How to calculate your BMI

Calculate BMI formula – In order to be able to calculate your individual ideal range , however, you need some data about your body. First of all, you need your current age – this is important because different reference and ideal values apply to different age groups.

Then you need your height in centimetres . The value does not have to be compulsively accurate to the millimeter. However, it does not hurt if you actually measure your size in order to get the most accurate evaluation possible.

The third and last important factor is now your body weight. It is best to stand on your scale in the morning in a sober state and as lightly dressed as possible and record your weight in kilograms .

Now you can enter your values, including your gender, into the BMI calculator and have your personal BMI value determined.

This is what your BMI value says

Reference ranges are important for interpreting your value . These range from "underweight" to "severe obesity". The specific, gender-dependent areas can be found in the following table .

However, the optimal range for your BMI value depends not only on gender ( BMI women and BMI men ), but also on age . Accordingly, it makes sense to compare and classify your value in this respect as well. The table below shows you the ideal ranges for each age group .

If your personal value is within the normal or ideal range, you can confidently continue your current lifestyle. However, if your value spikes downwards or upwards, you should take a closer look at it and take action if necessary.

How can I change my BMI?

You have had your BMI calculated and the result is clear. If you're just a little outside the ideal range, it's not too big a deal. But if your value is greatly increased or well below the normal range, you should have alarm bells ringing.

Scenario 1: Your BMI is too low

If the BMI is too low, it is called underweight . Although often only the negative effects of being overweight are reported, you should not underestimate the risks of being underweight. Just as with obesity, the risk of heart disease and stroke is increased in the underweight – although not to the same extent, even a 20 percent increased risk of a heart attack is not necessarily desirable.

Depending on how much your value deviates from the normal range, you can now take action on your own or visit an expert. If you are severely underweight , you should seek support from your GP or dietitian.

However, if your BMI only deviates slightly from the ideal range and you want to correct your value independently, you should consider changing one or the other area of life. In particular, diet and physical activity are decisive factors for your BMI value.

Therefore, it does not hurt in this case if you eat a little more than before, for example. It is best to increase your calorie intake with the healthiest possible calorie bombs such as oatmeal , nuts, or seeds. For example, if you eat porridge in the morning, you can easily increase the amount of oatmeal and top your meal with high-energy nuts and seeds.

Scenario 2: Your BMI is too high

With an increased BMI value , one speaks of overweight , in more serious cases also of obesity. It is now generally known that being overweight increases the risk of coronary heart disease, strokes, heart attacks, and diabetes. Nevertheless, the number of overweight people is steadily increasing.

We will now explain in more detail how you can counteract an excessively high BMI value. The same applies as with a BMI that is too low. If the value is only slightly above the normal range, you can of course take measures independently.

However, if your value is significantly increased and you are already in the area marked as obesity, it does not hurt to consult an expert. This can be your personal family doctor, your nutritionist, or even a sports doctor.

In general, only a sustainable change in lifestyle will bring sustainable results . So you should not throw everything overboard overnight, but rather try to gradually adapt your lifestyle.

Targeted calorie reduction can be extremely useful, best complemented by sufficient exercise. You can find out which sport is best suited for this and what role sport plays in losing weight here.

When it comes to nutrition, the following applies to you from now on – less is more. Because controlled and targeted calorie reduction , i.e., neither too little nor too much, can help you reach your ideal weight.

The best way to start is with breakfast. We want to recommend porridge in particular, as it not only stimulates your digestion through the fiber, but also satiates you for a long time and prevents cravings.

Do you know your daily calorie requirement? Use Verival's free calorie calculator .

We hope that with this post we were able to give you a little insight into the world of BMI. If you'd like to learn more, feel free to check out our blog, which explores this and many more topics. Have fun browsing 😉

You can quickly and easily calculate your BMI.