Home
>
Weight Loss
>
High School Algebra Finally Pays Off: The Body Fat Equation

High School Algebra Finally Pays Off: The Body Fat Equation

When approaching your goals for a better you, every game plan needs to start with determining where you are, and where you want to end up. We're going to talk about some ways to assess where you are -- right now -- so that you can make sure that the goals you have set (or will set) are reasonable. And yes, this will be on the test!

Whenever going into battle, a commander will send out reconnaissance experts to collect information on the size and strength of the enemy. We will continue to use a "battle" theme in this article, because your fight to lose weight and lose fat is nothing short of that.

Just as the commander needs to have a good assessment of what he or she is facing, we need to have an accurate assessment of our current situation so that we can set proper and appropriate goals. An inappropriate goal can insure failure, or worse, cause us physical harm.

If your goal is to look like a swimsuit model in time for your Hawaiian vacation a month and a half from now, you'd better not need to lose more than a few pounds. If your goal is to lose ten pounds per week for the next six weeks, you're simply not being practical.

With that said, what is 'reasonable'? You probably know how much you weigh, but do you know what percentage of your overall weight is fat?

The best way to know is to see a doctor or go to a gym that can calculate your body fat percentage. Normal body fat levels for women are between 22 - 25% and between 15 - 18% for men. Lean people will be slightly less, and athletes even lower. In lieu of that, there is a simple calculation that serves as a good guide, but is no where near as accurate.

This method is called the BMI or Body Mass Index and was created by the National Institutes of Health in 1998. The BMI uses your height and your weight to generate a factor that suggests whether you are underweight, normal, overweight or obese.

The BMI is generalized, so it cannot take frame size into account. If you have a large frame, your BMI will seem worse than it is, if you have a small frame, your BMI will seem better than it is. Use it as a guide and then add a portion of common sense.

In order to calculate your BMI, use the following equation:

BW = Body Weight in Pounds
HI = Height in Inches

(BW / (HI * HI) ) * 703

You will need a calculator to solve this equation.

If you failed algebra, here is the equation in English:

Divide your body weight in pounds (BW) by the square* of your height in inches (HI) and multiply that result by 703.

Once you've calculated your BMI, use the following guidelines to find out how you measure up:

BMI < 18.5 You Are Underweight (you need to find a new article to read!)
BMI > 18.5 AND < 24.9 You are in the "Recommended Weight" zone!
BMI > 24.9 AND < 30 You are in the "Overweight" zone!
BMI > 30 You are in the "Obese" zone.

Again, this gives you a rough guide, but it also gives you (possibly) a more realistic view of your current situation.

This more realistic idea will help you to set more realistic and achievable goals, which lead to a greater degree of success!

( * - The "SQUARE" of a number means the number times itself. The "square" of 4 is 16.)

Michael Callen is the author of the Weekly Weightloss Tips Newsletter (ccwebgroup.com/tips) and the Chief Technology Officer for WellnessPartners.com, an online retailer of dozens of health and wellness products such as conjugated linoleic acid (cla), r+ alpha lipoic acid (R+ ALA), and conjugated linoleic acid (cla).

maide service in Park Ridge ..

In The News:

Scammers create fake Evite invitations that mimic legitimate event emails, requiring users to verify senders and use antivirus software for protection.

The new Apple Watch hypertension feature passively monitors blood pressure patterns over 30 days using sensors to detect chronic high blood pressure signs.

Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.

New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.

The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.

TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.

Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.

San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.

Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.

A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.

Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.

Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.

Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.

Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.

Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.

A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.

Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.

Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.

OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.

A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.

The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.

Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.

Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.

The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.

High School Algebra Finally Pays Off: The Body Fat Equation

Weight Loss