NUTRITION
FOR PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE:
Why Measure?
1
The ‘Rules’ of
DIY
1
Measurement
Body Mass
Index (BMI)
2
Waist
Circumference
3
Waist-to-Hip
Ratio
3
Other
Measurements
4
to Track Your
Progress
FAST FACTS
 Muscle weighs more
than fat so body
weight alone is not an
accurate measure of
your progress while
trying to lose weight,
get fit or ‘tone up’.
 BMI is a quick and
easy way to estimate
if you are within the
healthy weight range.
 Waist Circumference
is important as it
shows how much fat
you are carrying
around your waist,
which could be a
predictor of health
problems.
 Waist-to-Hips Ratio
relates to what body
shape you have and is
also a predictor of
health risk
 Other body measurements can help you
track your progress
as you work toward
your fitness goals.
DIY Body Measurements:
Determining Your
Health Risks
Why Measure?
Jumping on the scales is the
most common way people
determine their progress
when trying to lose weight,
get fit or ‘tone up’. Sometimes people find that
despite their best efforts to
lose weight, the numbers go
up! This can seriously
decrease motivation to keep
trying!
Why does this happen?
Most people trying to lose
weight are trying to make
better food choices and
exercise more. Occasionally,
the combination of these
two strategies may actually
lead to weight gain –but this
is not ‘fat’ gain. This happens
because muscle weighs more
than fat. If you start increasing your exercise level and
decreasing the amount of
food you eat, it is possible
that you will LOSE FAT but
GAIN MUSCLE—which
shows on the scales as
WEIGHT!
Professionals in the weightloss industry use the term
‘body composition’ to
describe different amounts
of fat and muscle a person
has. There are many different ways that body composition can be measured, but
many of these methods need
specialised equipment that
are only available to health
professionals.
This fact sheet outlines the
ways that YOU can track
changes to your body at
home, or with the help of
your gym instructor or personal trainer.
Be aware that they are not
the most accurate methods
available, but if you use a
combination of them, it is
much better than relying on
your bathroom scales alone!
The ‘Rules’ of DIY Measuring
To carry out some of the
measurements discussed in
this fact sheet, you will need
a flexible measuring tape.
The following ‘rules’ are
ways to make sure your
measurements are as
accurate as possible.
1. Make sure the part to be
measured is bare or that you
are wearing tight fitting
clothing.
2. Try to keep the measuring
tape parallel with the floor
each time.
Copyright © Nutrition Australia Qld Division, August 2009. All rights reserved.
3. Don’t compress your skin
with the tape measure. Make
sure the tape measure is
firm but not tight.
4. Don’t Cheat! This means
no ‘sucking-in’ or fasting
before you take
measurements.
5. Relax your muscles before you
read the numbers.
6. Consistency is the key! If your
first measurement of an area is
taken with no clothes on, all
the rest should be too. Likewise,
if you repeat measurements to
track your progress, you should
try to take the measurements
from the same spot each time.
7. Measure at the same time of
day each time.
8. Remember: Everyone is
different! There are no ‘right’
measurements.
PAGE
2
Body Mass Index (BMI)
BMI is a quick and easy way to estimate if
you are within the healthy weight range for
your height.
To work out your BMI, you will need to do
this calculation:
Your weight [in kg] divided by your
height [in metres] squared.
 To work out your height squared:
Multiply your height [m] x your height [m]).
Calculated BMI
BMI =
Now what? We now need to compare
Janes BMI score to the table below.
We can see that Jane is in the healthy
weight range for her height.
What your BMI indicates
Less than 16.5
Severely underweight
16.5 - 18.5
Underweight
18.5 - 24.9
Healthy Weight
Range
(for 18-64 years of
age)
25 - 29.9
Overweight
30 – 34.9
Obese Class 1
35 – 39.9
Obese Class 2
Weight [kg] x Height [m]2
Aim for the healthy
weight range (between
Example Calculation:
Jane weighs 65kg and is 175cm (1.75m)
tall.
BMI = 65 [kg] ÷ 1.75 [m]2
or: 65 ÷ (1.75m x 1.75m).
Jane has a BMI of 21.2.
18.5 and 24.9)
More than 40
Obese Class 3
Factors to consider
You are likely to be malnourished and
your risk of other health problems is
increased.
You may be malnourished and your risk
of other clinical problems may be
increased.
You are a suitable weight for your
height and your risk of developing
other problems related to your
weight is average.
You may have an excess of body fat and
your risk of developing other health
problems may be increased.
You are likely to have an excess of body
fat and your risk of developing other
health problems is high.
You are very likely to have an excess of
body fat and your risk of developing other
health problems is very high.
You are extremely likely to have an excess of body fat and your risk of
developing other health problems is
extremely high.
BEWARE!
 Calculating your BMI does not measure the amount of fat
that you have. This is because your total body weight is
made up of many different parts – including muscle and
bone. So, an elite athlete with very little body fat and a lot
of muscle might be classified as overweight or even obese!
BMI should be used as a guide only!
 BMI can only be used in people who
are 18 years or older because children
grow (in height and fatness) at different
speeds.
 Some ethnic groups may have
modified BMI categories due to different
body types across cultures.
DIY
BODY
MEASUREMENTS:
Copyright © Nutrition Australia Qld Division, August 2009. All rights reserved.
DETERMINING
YOUR
HEALTH
RISKS
PAGE
Waist Circumference
Waist circumference may be a more accurate way to predict health risk than BMI.
This is because an increased waist circumference is likely to be a sign of increased
fat surrounding your abdominal organs. Increased fat around these organs increases
your risk of developing obesity-related health problems (like diabetes, high
cholesterol, high blood pressure, fatty liver and heart disease).
To measure your waist circumference, find the top of your hip bones and place a
tape measure evenly around your body at this point. Remember the rules on page
1!!! To see if your waist circumference increases your risk of disease, use the guide:
Gender
Waist Circumference
Risk of developing health problems
Female
Less than 80cm
Average
Over 80cm
Increased
Over 88cm
Substantially increased
Less than 94cm
Average
Over 94cm
Increased
Over 102cm
Substantially increased
Male
An increased waist
circumference can
mean increased risk
of obesity-related
health problems!
Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR)
WHR compares the circumference of your waist to the
circumference of your hips.
You may have heard of ‘pear’
or ‘apple’ body shapes and this
relates to WHR. People who
store more fat around their
stomach are ‘apples’ and
people who store more fat
around their hips are pears’.
First, measure around the smallest
part of your waist (usually just
above your belly button) – this
is your ‘waist’ measurement.
Then measure around the widest
part of your buttocks – this is
your ‘hips’ measurement.
To find your WHR:
Waist measurement ÷
Hip measurement
Gender
Female
Male
Example calculation:
Tom’s waist measures 92cm and
his hips measure 100cm.
Tom’s WHR is:
92 ÷ 100 = 0.92.
Calculate your WHR and compare it to the table below to
determine your health risk.
Waist to Hip
Ratio
0.80 or lower
Risk of developing
health problems
Average
0.81 to 0.85
Increased
Over 0.85
Greatly Increased
0.95 or lower
Average
0.96 to 1.0
Increased
Over 1.0
Greatly Increased
Copyright © Nutrition Australia Qld Division, August 2009. All rights reserved.
3
Other measurements to track your progress
Taking measurements from different parts of your body can help you to keep
track of your changing shape as you work towards your goals, whatever they
may be (e.g. “increase the muscles on my arms” or “decrease the size of my
thighs”). Here some different body measurements to try. Remember to follow
the rules to DIY measurements on page 1!
1. Bust (female)/Chest (male): Standing, measure all the way around your
chest and back, right at your nipple line.
2. Chest (female): Standing, measure under your breasts but as high up as
you can go.
3. Waist: Standing, measure wherever it is the smallest (if you have "no
waist" use the level of your belly button).
4. Hips: Standing, measure at the very biggest part
5. Thighs: Standing, measure wherever they are the biggest.
6. Knees: Measure just above the knee.
7. Calves: Sitting, measure the biggest part.
8. Upper arm: Arm relaxed at your side, measure wherever they are
biggest, above your elbows.
9. Forearms: Arm relaxed at your side, measure wherever they are biggest,
below your elbows.
Copyright © Nutrition Australia Qld Division, August 2009. All rights reserved.

Measure the same parts
of your body regularly

Measuring once each
month is often enough

Measure at the same
time of day

Write down your
measurements each
time so you can track
your progress!

Think about changes in
how your clothes are
fitting