Weight Loss and Body Mass Index

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For those that are having trouble losing weight, you have to look beyond the simple "cutting calories" method to lose weight. An in-depth look at how the body loses weight, is really about losing body fat. Depending on the amount of fat you have, there will be a different approach to your weight loss journey. We all just can't cut out 1 meal a day and lose weight. Or maybe you have even tried cutting out 2 meals and still can't lose. Well, It's true that you do have to cut your calories every day but you don't have to starve. More of us that need to lose fat are eating high calorie foods that add body fat.

So for those people changing to low-cal diet should work for you. That means you can eat most things if they are low in calories. For instance, if your choosing meat for dinner, Choose a chicken breast instead of fried chicken wings dipped in sauce. Those chicken wings at WingStop might be 1000 calories but the chicken breast salted without dipping sauce or Bar-barque sauce is a bit more than 100 calories. A 4 ounce piece or chicken breast is all the protein a person needs for one day.

Your BMI is based on your height and weight. It's one way to see if you're at a healthy weight. According to the Affordable Care Act, Doctors should be calculating your BMI and counseling you on your weight problem if it's necessary. The theory is that overweight people use more then there share of healthcare benefits and because the government wants to go to a single payer system, they are interested in keeping the cost of your healthcare the same as it would be for anyone else.

I believe the BMI system of calculating body fat has several problems, but the government adapted it because the British use this system and they have a National Healthcare program that has been working for a couple of decades. I don't think you can determine the amount of body fat someone has by simply looking at the height and weight. I believe in being proportionate. In other words, your waist should measure one half your height. If your 6 foot tall, you waist should measure no more than 36 inches at the navel. The extra fat that harms your health is belly fat. Unfortunately, spot weight loss doesn't work. If you want to lose belly fat you must lose fat all over the body and the belly fat will shrink proportionally.

Underweight: Your BMI is less than 18.5

Healthy weight: Your BMI is 18.5 to 24.9

Overweight: Your BMI is 25 to 29.9

Obese: Your BMI is 30 or higher

The chart below shows examples of body mass indexes. The figure at which your height corresponds with your weight is your body mass index. To find yours, consult the chart, or use WebMD's BMI calculator. For example the first one, if your 5'0" and weigh 140 pounds your BMI would be 27, meaning your in the "overweight category". I am 6'0" and weight 160 so my BMI would be 22. It's important to know your number, but remember your number doesn't tell the whole story. You can have a good BMI and still be overweight if you have too much belly fat. Some small people and this happens to smokers more but they are very thin people with a disproportionate waist. Anyone who has a waist 5 inches bigger then normal is overweight, even if the weight falls into the normal category for their height.


Body Mass Index (BMI) Chart


                                                                HEIGHT

Weight                5'0"            5'3"            5'6"            5'9"             6'0"            6'3"


140
27
25
23
21
19
18
150
29
27
24
22
20
19
160
31
28
26
24
22
20
170
33
30
28
25
23
21
180
35
32
29
27
25
23
190
37
34
31
28
26
24
200
39
36
32
30
27
25
210
41
37
34
31
29
26
220
43
39
36
33
30
28
230
45
41
37
34
31
29
240
47
43
39
36
33
30
250
49
44
40
37
34
31

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