Here’s how you can use your body mass index (BMI) to workout if you’re overweight (and why I want to weigh 14 stones by the end of 2012).

My healthy weight range is 10st 9lb – 14st 4lb, which covers the BMI of 18.5 – 24.9. This range is what is medically referred to as ‘normal’ weight and means that you are not at risk of weight related diseases.

HOWEVER I currently weigh over 16 stones (after padding out over Christmas) which makes my BMI the top end of 27 – meaning that (medically speaking) I am overweight and at risk of weight related diseases. Dangnabbit.

The reduction of man.

So if I can get down to 14 stones then I’ll always have a buffer zone allowing me to put on up to 4lbs whilst remaining in my healthy weight range.

Stoned.

Losing 2 stones is easier said than done, so I’m breaking this down in to smaller chunks. My first goal is to get down to 15 stones by the end of February, using Weight Watchers. I kicked off on 1st January (I’m a sucka for a cliché) and had my first ‘weigh-in’ this morning. If you’re interested in how I did you can see my journey here.

If you want to work out your own BMI rating you can do so on the NHS website’s BMI calculator: http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx

Here’s to 2012: year of the Olympics . . . but more importantly, year of health (and hopefully many more to come).