Body Mass Index Explained: How to Calculate BMI

Body mass index (BMI) is a value that estimates body fat based on a person's weight and height. A high BMI can indicate that a person has high body fat, while a low BMI can indicate that a person has low body fat. Since BMI does not take into account a variety of external factors for overall health, including muscle mass, gender, age, or family history, BMI cannot determine how healthy a person is. To calculate your BMI manually, there are two formulas you can use: one for English system measurements (pounds/inches) and one for metric system measurements (kilograms/meters). Where: - BMI = Body Mass Index - W = Weight (in pounds) - H = Height (in inches) Where: - BMI = Body Mass Index - W = Weight (in kilograms) - H = Height (in meters) Throw on some athleisure, fire up a [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com), and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and *GQ* fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time. Body mass index is a method for determining a person’s amount of body fat.