Calculate Your Body Fat Percentage: A Comprehensive Guide

Body mass index, or BMI, uses your height and weight to estimate your percentage of body fat. Body fat percentages are divided into four categories: underweight, normal, overweight and obese. It is important to aim for a body fat percentage that is normal in order to avoid health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. BMI is a useful tool when it comes to determining your body fat percentage. However, it may overestimate body fat in a muscular person, and underestimate body fat in those who have lost muscle.

Things You'll Need

• Scale
• Measuring tape
• Note pad

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Instructions

Calculating Manually

• 1

  Use the scale to measure your weight. Write your weight on the note pad rounding to the nearest whole number if necessary.

• 2

  Use the measuring tape to measure your height. Write your height on the note pad.

• 3

  Access the BMI Tables. Locate your height in inches in the first column of the table. Mark the location with one finger.

• 4

  Scroll your finger to the right until you locate the number nearest to your weight in pounds. Hold your finger over this spot.

• 5

  Move your finger vertically up the column where your weight is located. Continue scrolling until you reach a number in the second row at the top of the page labeled "BMI." This number represents your body fat percentage.

Using BMI Calculator

• 6

  Use the scale to measure your weight in pounds or kilograms. Write your weight on the note pad rounding to the nearest whole number if necessary.

• 7

  Use the measuring tape to measure your height in feet and inches or centimeters. Write your height on the note pad rounding to the nearest whole number if necessary.

• 8

  Access the BMI Calculator. (see Resource 1) Choose between the standard and metric tables on the calculator.

• 9

  Enter your height and weight in the corresponding fields. Select "compute BMI."

• 10

  Look at the box labeled "your BMI." The number inside represents your body fat percentage. Locate the BMI Category you fall into to determine whether you are in a healthy weight range.