People come in many sizes and shapes, all of which can be healthy. There is no one ideal weight that people of the same height should be at. When assessing your body weight use the Body Mass Index (BMI). The range compares height in metres with weight in kilograms. Unlike previous standards, the BMI considers a wider range of acceptable shapes and sizes to be healthy. The range is the same for men and women.

The WHR is a way of measuring body fat. It provides an objective measurement of the distribution of body fat in regard to health issues. Research has shown excessive abdominal fat (pot-bellied) to be a health hazard. Weight problems in other parts of the body seem to be less of a health risk. A WHR of over 0.9 for men and 0.8 for women indicates an increased risk of disease.

You can simply and effectively determine how many calories you will burn based on your weight and the particular type of exercise you do.