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).

best cleaning company Lincolnshire ..

In The News:

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.

Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.

Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.

Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

High School Algebra Finally Pays Off: The Body Fat Equation

Weight Loss