How to read your BMI as a Pakistani
The standard BMI categories were designed using European body composition. South Asians, including Pakistanis, tend to carry more visceral fat at the same BMI as a European of the same height. WHO's South Asian-specific cut-offs flag overweight at BMI 23 and obesity at 27.5 — about two points lower than the global numbers shown above. If you sit in the "normal" range on this tool but your waist measures more than 90 cm (men) or 80 cm (women), treat yourself as borderline overweight and adjust accordingly.
BMR vs TDEE — the two numbers that actually matter
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is what you burn doing nothing — breathing, digesting, beating your heart. TDEE is BMR multiplied by your activity level and is what you actually burn in a day. Eat at TDEE to maintain. Eat 500 below to lose roughly 0.5 kg per week. Eat 300–500 above to build muscle if you're training hard and sleeping enough.
Why we set protein at 1.8 g/kg
For active adults the research consistently lands between 1.6–2.2 g/kg bodyweight for maintaining and building muscle. 1.8 is the sweet spot. A 75 kg trainer needs about 135 g of protein a day — that's three eggs plus a chicken breast plus a serving of daal plus a scoop of whey, spread across the day.
Ideal weight range
Your "ideal weight" here is just the weight range that puts your BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 for your height. It's a guide, not a goal — muscular athletes routinely sit above it without being unhealthy.