Body Mass Index (BMI) a good way for individuals to assess their overall body picture, as it provides a reasonably sound measure of a healthy weight range. Body Mass Index (BMI) is the ratio of body weight (in kilograms) to height (in meters) squared (i.e. BMI = wt [kg] ÷ ht [m)2.

Don't worry about calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI) using the formula above, instead, go to http://http://www.alfitness.com.au where you will see a link to have it done automatically, with healthy weight ranges shown.

The current Body Mass Index standards that have been adopted worldwide include:

Underweight <18.5

Normal, health 18.5-24.9

Overweight 25.0-29.9

Obese >30.0 (with different classes above 30.0)

This Body Mass Index can give you a quick snapshot of your body's condition. If you are carrying a lot of fat, your BMI will be in the overweight or obese range. Being in this range will increase the likelihood of becoming ill with things like heart disease or diabetes. Several studies have shown that people who live the longest have a BMI of 22.5 to 23.5, although obviously other factors such as smoking and other lifestyle factors affect this.

Some allowances to BMI might be made for age (higher values) in special cases, but the above values are suitable for the vast majority of adults. The difficulty with assessing BMI as an indicator of body fat is that heavily muscled people (such as body builders) might have an artificially high BMI. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile keeping your Body Mass Index in the healthy weight range.

Body composition can be best assessed by what you know about yourself- i.e. what you see in the mirror and then finding out your Body Mass Index. If you think you might be overweight, try the diets and fitness plans with Australian Lifestyle and Fitness (http://http://www.alfitness.com.au) to get back in shape and look your best.