Shape Up America! is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization committed to raising awareness of obesity as a health issue. The mission of Shape Up America! is to provide evidence-based information and guidance on weight management to the public, health care professionals, educators, policymakers and the media.

Main Navigation

Founded in 1994, Shape Up America! is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization committed to raising awareness of obesity as a health issue and to providing responsible information on healthy weight management.

Resource Center

Portion Control Tutorial

How much do you know about how big a serving size should be? Take a quiz and find out! Pick up some tips for controlling portions in this tutorial.

Tips for Family Fitness Fun

10,000 Steps

Did you know that walking 10,000 steps a day can help prevent weight gain? If that number sounds overwhelming to you, we can show you how to get there — safely and comfortably, one step at a time. We'll help you make it fun, too. Download our new brochure and get started today!

Physical Activity Calculator

The calculator will estimate the approximate number of calories you will burn when engaging in physical activity. Just enter your weight and the amount of time you will perform the activity.

Resting Metabolic Rate Calculator

Your Resting Metabolic Rate, or RMR, is the rate at which your body burns calories at rest (i.e., lying quietly, in a comfortable environment, without having consumed any calories for at least 8 hours). This calculator will estimate your RMR. Step 7 of Shape Up & Drop 10 will give you more information about RMR.

Meal and Snack Calculator

This calculator will estimate the meal and snack calories that are appropriate for you. The calculator estimates your total calorie needs, then breaks the calories down based on your typical meal pattern, whether it’s one to six meals per day. The calculator will automatically reserve some calories for a snack. NOTE: If your meal pattern is different on weekdays and weekends, you will need to use the calculator twice to estimate your weekday and weekend meal size.

Food and Activity Diary

(instructions)

Use the Shape Up America! Food and Activity Diary to keep track of the amounts and types of foods/beverages you consume and the physical activity you do each day.

 BMI Chart for Adults (up to 250 lbs.)

 BMI Chart for Adults (above 250 lbs.)

On the charts, color is used to indicate risk. The green zone indicates the lowest risk associated with BMI. The yellow zone indicates increased risk and the red zone indicates the highest risk associated with BMI.

BMI calculator

Our adult Body Mass Index or BMI calculator is an easy way to determine your BMI. However, the BMI calculator is not appropriate for everyone since, in some people, the results can be misleading. These individuals include:

• Weight lifters, body builders and other athletes whose BMI is elevated, not because of excessive body fat but because of muscle
• Frail, elderly individuals
• Infants, toddlers and children
• Teens who are still growing

IMPORTANT: This calculator is for adults only. To determine BMI for an individual between the ages of 2 and 20, please use our Pediatric BMI Assessment Tool.

The accuracy of BMI assessment depends on accurate measurements of both height and weight. Protocols for measurement of weight and standing height are provided.