Most of us are familiar with the BMI, or body mass index, which compares your weight and height and suggests where you sit between underweight and obese.
As a guide, it has some use. It might confirm what you already know.
However, the scale was designed for sedentary people and – in my opinion – has become overused as a primary method of diagnosing overweight or underweight with no regard for whether the weight is from fat or muscle.
When you’re going about fat loss in a healthy way, gaining muscle promotes a faster metabolism and reduced body fat. It’s quite possible to weigh the same on the scale yet have less fat and more muscle – this would suggest an improvement, but would not be reflected on the BMI scale. Comparing weight to height isn’t always a reliable measure across the board.
So, use the BMI as a rough guide if you like to. But, also let yourself look at the wider details of your weight.
How’s your energy? How’s your sleep quality? Are you getting stronger in your workouts? Are you in a consistent exercise routine? What’s your diet like?
And, perhaps most importantly – are you happy with your body, and the way you’re living your life?