One of the things many individuals on weight loss programs enjoy and fear the most is when they start using weight loss calculators. This can be an enjoyable activity if you see progress as you go along the program. There’s fear and anticipation that you may not have lost any weight especially if you’ve been binging on foods during midnight or not strictly following the diet recommended for you. But definitely, weight loss calculators are must-haves for individuals who are dead serious about losing weight and staying healthy.

Body Weight and Fats

Many dieters are familiar with a calculator for body fat which uses a formula to determine the amount of fat that goes into your body weight. Measuring body fat is important when trying to lose weight as this comprises most of the extra pounds you see on the weighing scales. When calculating your weight loss percentage, you need to rely on the level of your body fat which can help determine the ideal intake of calories for your case.

You will find numerous resources over the Internet that can help you figure out what is the ideal weight you should aim for based on your physical condition, height, and gender. And you need this information so you know how high or low you should set your goals instead of setting your sights on unrealistic goals that may even prove to be harmful for you in the long run.

BMI Calculator

You may have seen somewhere a term called Body Mass Index. What this does is it helps you see the relationship between your height and weight, which happens to be the values you need in order to calculate BMI. A BMI of lower than 18.5 means you’re underweight. Values of 18.5-24.9 indicate normal weight while 25-29.9 means you’re overweight. Obese are those whose BMI values fall between the range of 30-39.9, and more than that, then you’re morbidly obese.

This calculator is considered reliable for people between ages of 19-70 with the exception of pregnant women, breastfeeding women, body builders, athletes, and chronically ill. If your weight loss program is geared towards gaining and/or losing muscles, BMI calculators may not be the right tool to use. Use calorie counters instead or fitting into your clothes might be a better indicator in this case. You will also find other indices such as glycemic index and waist to hip ratio. So, are you ready to count?