Calculate your BMI (Body Mass Index)
Your BMI is calculated in the following way...
BMI = body weight (kg)/height (m)2
For example, a 100kg person who is 2m tall would be calculated as follows...
BMI = 100/22 = 100/4 = 25kg/m2
A BMI of <18 is classified as underweight, 18-25 as a healthy weight, 25-30 as overweight and >30 as obese. It is important to remember that BMI does not account for the level of muscularity an individual may possess.
View an Excel spreadsheet to calculate your BMI here
Calculate your WHR (Waist/Hip Ratio)
Your WHR is calculated in the following way...
WHR = waist measurement (cm)/hip measurement (cm)
For example, if you have a 90cm waist measurement, and a 100cm hip measurement...
WHR = 90/100 = 0.90
View an Excel spreadsheet to calculate your WHR here
A WHR in excess of 0.80 for females and 0.95 for males may be associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. More recently research has suggested that a waist measurement in excess of 88cm for females and 102cm for males may be a more reliable indicator of the potential risk of cardiovascular disease.
Calculate your fitness - Rockport Fitness Walking Test
This is an easy test to complete for people of almost any age and fitness level. Before embarking on any physical pursuit you should have your capabilities assessed by your Doctor or Exercise Physiologist. You should also have an assistant with you at all times for safety.
To undertake this test you will require the following equipment:
400m track
a stop watch
The Rockport Fitness Walking Test is conducted as follows:
Walk one mile (1609 metres - 4 laps of a 400m track) as quickly as possible
Record the time to complete the one mile walk
Immediately after the walk record your heart rate
You can analyse you results with the using this spreadsheet, then compare your result with normative data based on age and gender. If you use the test repeatedly to assess improvement, make sure the test is performed the same way on all occasions to improve reliability.
View an Excel spreadsheet to analyse your results
Calculate your training zone
The question of exercise intensity (how hard to exercise) is often misunderstood. Exercise intensity can be based on heart rates or using perceived effort scales, with higher intensities being more suitable for improving fitness than weight loss. Lower intensities (65% - 75% age predicted maximum heart rate) are more suitable for persons exercising for weight (fat) loss. This is safe, effective and improves the bodies ability to utilise fat as a fuel source during exercise. Higher levels approaching maximum efforts utilise more carbohydrate and are more for fitness, threshold or speed training.
It is important to realise that medications such as those for blood pressure may alter your heart rate response to exercise. You should see you Doctor or Exercise Physiologist for more information as alternative methods of monitoring exercise intensity may be more appropriate. For example, the Borg Scale, or the Talk Test may be more suitable. For weight loss, a Borg Scale level of 11-13 is most appropriate; for fitness, 13-15 is usually suitable. Using the Talk Test, if you can carry on a conversation, but are not be able to sing, this equates to a weight loss intensity. If you can maintain breathing but are unable to talk, you will be in the fitness zone. If you are struggling to breathe as the intensity increases, you are above the anaerobic threshold and will not be able to continue for very long at this pace. For those less fit, or with chronic or complex health conditions, this may not be safe.
View an Excel spreadsheet to determine your heart rate training zones here
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