1. BMI
Body mass index uses your height to gauge if your weight is healthy, but even that’s not foolproof. Your body type, ethnic group, and muscle mass can change the meaning of the number. For example, if you start exercising regularly, you may gain weight as you build muscles. When you’re trying to lose weight to be healthier, there are other numbers you should pay attention to, too, instead of focusing only on the scale.
2. Waist Size
Breathe out, and wrap a tape measure around yourself midway between your hip bone and ribs. No matter your height or build, if your waist measures more than 40 inches (35 inches for women who aren’t pregnant), you probably have extra fat around your heart, liver, kidneys, and other organs. Besides needing a larger pants size, you’re more likely to have heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, and colorectal cancer.
