Electronic Bmi Scales - A True Measure Of Health

Electronic Bmi Scales - A True Measure Of Health | Being aware of your present body fat percentage is important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but this is only one factor in the equation of overall health. Your doctor may have spoken to you about Body Mass Index (BMI) or you may have read about it online or in your favorite health magazine. BMI is the ratio of one's height and weight, and it is an excellent diagnostic tool many physicians use in determining whether an individual may be over or under weight. The exact calculation is current body weight divided by the square of one's present height. There are plenty of online charts available to determine BMI, but electronic BMI scales exist on the market today that allow for a much more convenient and accurate BMI measurement.

BMI provides a reliable indicator for most people of whether or not they may be carrying too much body fat as a percentage of overall weight, and BMI is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. Knowing your BMI along with your actual body fat percentage is an excellent way to determine if you should shed a few pounds or cut back on foods that may be causing an increase/decrease in your present body fat percentage. Most electronic BMI scales also have features for measuring body fat, water weight, and bone mass, so using an electronic BMI scale is the most convenient method for tracking changes in your body composition over time.

There are some added features to look for when shopping for a specific electronic BMI scale. A built-in athletic mode is great for those individuals who are generally fit or muscular and wish to avoid a reading that may be skewed because of their present body composition. Some electronic BMI scales provide caloric reference information, which is great when you're trying to find the calories you need reach your ideal weight. Some BMI scales display information on a status graph, and look for models that are equipped with rubberized platforms to avoid slippage when jumping out of the shower and onto the scale.

So what is BMI and what might it mean for you? BMI is a number that is used by most doctors, and is a good reference for understanding general body composition. Try not to think only in terms of weight, because weight includes both body fat and lean tissue in addition to bone mass and water weight. Since being "overweight" in most people's minds really means being over-fat, when you are thinking of weight loss you should really be focused more on fat loss. This is why it's important to purchase only one of the most accurate body fat scales equipped with features like BMI measurement, bone mass calculation, and water weight percentage estimation.

Here are some additional considerations when contemplating what Body Mass Index really means:

An athlete with a particularly low body fat percentage may have a BMI of 25 and be technically "overweight". Realize that this person will have none of the health problems associated with carrying excess body fat. Quite the opposite, another person may have a lower Body Mass Index but have very little muscle and lean tissue. This person may appear fit or not overweight but in reality may be carrying a great deal of body fat and associated health risks. These individuals would benefit more from an exercise regimen that encourages gaining muscle rather than cutting down on body fat.

Using BMI and tracking your progress by other means than body weight and fat percentages may prove beneficial in reaching the goals you have for your body and overall health. Take your waist size measurement around your torso at the navel. A good healthy target is to get your belly level circumference down to not more than half your height and less than 0.95 of your hip size for men and less than 0.8 for women. Abdominal fat is a strong indicator of possible heart disease or diabetes, so reducing your waist size will go a long way to ensuring long life and overall health.

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