These Numbers are More Accurate Than Your BMI

By
Ron K
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For those of you who don’t know, BMI is a calculation of your weight divided by your height that determines if you’re at a normal weight, underweight, overweight, or obese. One of the issues with BMI is that it’s not an accurate measure of health; it simply can tell you if your weight is off. If BMI isn’t that accurate what else can we use to determine if we’re healthy? These three numbers will help you determine if you’re reaching your weight goals.

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If getting on the scale has the potential to make or break your day, this post is for you.⁣ ⁣. Follow us!! 👉🏻 @active_weightloss for Free Daily Weight Loss Tips and much much more!! 🙏💪 . Listen, I completely understand that seeing your weight fluctuate can mess with your mind. Some days it drops, some days it doesn’t budge, and on other it shoots up a few pounds.⁣ ⁣ It can be so frustrating. Especially when you know FOR SURE that you are doing all the right things to make it decrease consistently day by day. Unfortunately, our bodies don’t work that way. We don’t live in a vacuum, therefore we can’t control what our weight does. There are so many variables that factor in to if we gain our lose. What we ate the previous day, our stress levels, hydration, sleep, hormones, digestion, etc. ALL will impact the number you see.⁣ ⁣ While the scale can be ONE way to measure progress, it’s certainly not the most reliable tool. Mostly because our weight can so easily fluctuate and often it has nothing to do with the rate at which we are losing fat.⁣ ⁣ So no need to smash it with a hammer or throw it in the trash. Instead, focus on there being a downward trend over time instead of worrying about what the numbers are doing on a day to day basis.⁣ ⁣ And along with that, use these other markers to gauge what is really going on. Are your clothes fitting better? Circumference measurements decreasing? Do you or other people notice a difference in your appearance? Do you feel more energetic? Are you gaining strength and having better workouts? And perhaps more important, is your mindset shifting? Are you more consistent and do you have an easier time getting back on track when you slip up? Are you speaking more kindly to yourself?⁣ ⁣ These are all solid indicators that you are on the right track.⁣ ⁣ The scale can be deceiving. And I have seen cases where someone loses very few pounds but ends up looking completely different when all is said and done. But by stressing out and getting discouraged, you taking away from appreciating the progress you ARE making and are more likely to give up to soon.⁣ ⁣ Keep going and don’t give up, no matter what the scale says. By @marcinevin

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Waist-To-Hip Ratio

This is a calculation similar to BMI, but instead of dividing your weight by your height, it divides your waist by your hips. Essentially, it measures your belly fat, which is a more accurate way of determining your cardiovascular health and your risk for hypertension.

Body Fat Percentage

A healthy body fat percentage for men is 14-24% and for women, it’s 21-31%. Higher body fat levels put you at risk for developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Skinny people can have issues with body fat that the scale and BMI alone won’t tell them. You can measure body fat with some home scales or you can look online for how to measure body fat with skinfold calipers.

Lean Muscle Mass Percentage

Beginning in your 30s you start losing muscle mass and function, especially if you live a sedentary lifestyle. Lower muscle masses decrease your strength and you’re more at risk for developing injuries. To measure muscle mass you can use a body fat scale.