BMI: A measure of success on your weight loss journey

Part 1 of a deep dive into BMI, what it means for you, and how to use it on your weight loss journey

What do you use to measure success on your weight loss journey? Are you aiming for a number — a target weight, kilograms lost, or jeans size? Or are you aiming for something non-quantifiable such as keeping up with your kids, feeling confident in your body, or reducing your risk of heart disease?

BMI is another measurement you can use to measure your success. It allows you to combine your health goals with a target number — for example, to reduce your risk of heart disease, aim to reduce your BMI to a certain level. BMI calculators produce a range of BMI categories from underweight to obese that can serve as guidelines for your goals, and may be a more meaningful aim than what size jeans you wear.

Having a tangible, measurable goal gives you something real to strive toward on your healthy weight loss journey, and makes you more likely to find success.

So what is BMI, how does a BMI calculator work, and how can you use this measurement for yourself?

The measure of success: Body Mass Index

BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a standard of measurement used by health professionals to determine healthy weight ranges for your height. It is a measure of a person’s weight in relation to their height. Rather than looking at numbers on a scale or jeans size, it works on a standardised measure set by the World Health Organisation to lay out guidelines for each range.

With that in mind, it’s worth remembering that your health is made up of a number of different factors, and although working out your BMI using BMI calculators takes into account your height and weight, there are a multitude of other contributors that will affect your unique
healthy weight ranges.

This is where Jenny Craig can help. Our consultants are experienced in understanding your
BMI calculation, and helping you to set realistic goals with a step by step plan to take you there.

Call our team today to set up your first appointment.

You don’t have to wait for your appointment though — get started now with our BMI calculator tool, to find your starting point and kick off your goal setting today.

BMI as a measure of health

You can work out your own BMI on a scrap of paper, or use our handy BMI calculator.

The BMI formula is simple: divide your weight, in kilograms, by your height, in metres, squared. For example, if you’re 1.7m tall and weigh 70kg, your BMI would be 24.2.

70kg ÷ (1.7 x 1.7) = 24.2

Once you’ve got this number, it’s important to understand the context around it. There are four ranges your BMI could fall under: underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obese. These BMI ranges are standard for everyone.

• Underweight: Generally a BMI of 18.4 or less is considered underweight.
• Healthy weight: A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. With a BMI within this range, you’re at a lower risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
• Overweight: A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, but it’s not forever. You can lower your BMI with exercise, diet, and support from Jenny Craig, to reach your health goals.
• Obese: A BMI of 30+ is considered obese, and at a higher risk of health issues. If you’re in this BMI range Jenny Craig can help you to lose weight gradually and bring down your BMI to healthy levels safely.

Next month we’ll look more closely at what can affect your BMI, how can you change it, and how Jenny Craig can take you there.

Use our BMI calculator now

Take action! Jenny Craig can help assess your BMI and set healthy weight loss goals.

Run your numbers through our BMI calculator now, and call us to get started.

We’ll work with you to create actionable steps toward your unique weight loss and BMI goals.