Weight Loss and Body Mass Index

Weight loss organisations and medical professionals use Body Mass Index (BMI) as a method of assessing a person's state of body mass. Body Mass Index is a statistical figure that determines whether a person is underweight, overweight or obese. Body Mass Index is more accurate than stepping on a scale as it caters for not just the person's weight but also their height. Although Body Mass Index does not directly measure the body fat, it is still an effective way of assessing the progression of a weight loss program, which is vital to its success as it not only provides a method of measuring the progress but it also provides moral encouragement. Body Mass Index is also invaluable to the medical professionals as there is a direct correlation between high BMI and weight related illnesses.

Measuring Body Mass Index for weight loss

Body mass index is commonly used to determine whether a person needs to embark on a weight loss or a weight-gain program. BMI is calculated by dividing the weight by the person's height squared. For example, if a person weighs 80kg and is 1.75m tall, then his or her BMI will be 80/(1.75x1.75)=26.1 (Please be advised that this formulae is only applicable to the metric units). However, if the thought of doing mathematical calculations is overwhelming, then the simplest way to calculating the BMI is to use websites that automatically make the calculations for you. All that is required is to enter the weight and the height and BMI is automatically determined. An example of one such site is BMI calculator.

Once the BMI is established, the next step is to determine what the figure reveal about the person's body mass. There are seven categories associated with BMI and determining the state of body mass. A BMI value under 16.5 is considered as Severely Underweight, or commonly known as anorexic. BMI figures are invaluable to any weight loss programs, not just to measure the extent to which a person is overweight, but also, people suffering from Anorexia can often see themselves as being overweight, and therefore could be tempted to embark on a weight loss program to loose any perceived excess weight! A BMI value ranging between 16.5 and 18.5 is considered as underweight and should therefore attempt to gain weight. BMI value between 18.5 and 25 is considered as being in the Normal category, which means the person is the right weight for the given height. BMI value between 25 and 30 is considered to be slightly overweight and should follow a weight loss diet and a weight loss lifestyle in order to loose the excess weight before it is too late. The sooner these changes have been made, the easier it is to recover from being Overweight. If a BMI value is between 30 and 35 then the person is considered to be suffering from Obesity Type I. People with BMI values between 35 and 40 are considered to be suffering from Obesity Type II and anything over 40 is classed as Obesity Type III. If you discover you are in the classification of Obesity II or III, then it is highly recommended that you consult your doctor as soon as possible. Remember, Obesity is not about looking over weight, it has also got very serious health implications too.

Is Body Mass Index really that accurate?

Body Mass Index is generally an accurate way of determining a person's state of body mass, however it does have its limitations. As the BMI formulae does not distinguish the difference between the weight caused by body fat and lean muscle mass. Therefore it should not be used in situations where a person is excessively muscular with very little body fat, as in cases of the bodybuilders. It is important to understand that muscle weighs more than fat, and therefore in situations where a person is excessively muscular then an approach must be chosen that also caters for the age and the body fat of the individual. Failure to do so can give highly misleading results, as there is no way of telling whether the excessive weight is due to body fat or muscle. However this is only an exception as the BMI approach is an accurate representation of the general population's state of body mass.

Obesity in Children has reached epidemic proportions and has become of serious concern to the medical community. This is because obesity in children is often the root cause of many serious illnesses in adulthood. Obesity in children has reached dangerous levels where in the past 10 years the cases of Child Obesity have doubled.

Calories are the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1kg of water by one degree Celsius. The secret to weight loss is about controlling the amount of kilogram calories taken in through food (please note that when people talk about calories, they are in fact referring to the Kilogram Calories). The human body requires certain amount of energy to function normally and any additional physical exertions require additional energy.

Weight loss diet is a kind of diet specifically designed to promote weight loss in people who follow it. A healthy diet is the single most effective way of achieving a healthy weight for a given individual. However, a weight loss diet is not always the same as a healthy diet as their objective is to help loose weight, even if it causes long term damage.

A Weight loss supplements designed to promote weight loss in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle. But it is important to recognise that these supplements are not miracle pills, and a weight loss supplement pill on its own cannot achieve weight loss without incorporating it with a healthy lifestyle.

Exercise for weight loss is defined as the type of physical activity that promotes weight loss. Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains the over all health and fitness. The type of exercise in general is grouped into three categories. The importance exercise to weight loss is understood by most people, but not many appreciate that exercise is important to the normal functioning of the organs and the nervous system.

Fat loss tips are designed to help people with weight loss but fat loss must be approached with care. Before following any fat loss tips it is important to consult your medical practitioner. Fat loss is the primary objective of any weight loss program but this fat loss is not sustainable unless all the aspects of obesity have been addressed. A healthy sustainable fat loss is only achievable if the approach adopted addresses the physical as well as the psychological parameters.