BMI calculations might seem like some esoteric and complicated process that you have no hope of figuring out. That’s not true. BMI isn’t magic or some scientific secret withheld by those in the know. If you’ve ever used a BMI calculator online, then you know that you put in your height and weight, and it cranks out special number. There’s always a chart handy, or the website interprets it for you, and tells you whether you’re underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese, all based on this single number. The website did the calculations for you, but you might be wondering just how it arrived at that number. BMI calculations are fairly simple once you understand the basic formula. But first, let’s look at what BMI is and what BMI calculations are used for in the first place.

BMI is the measure of body mass. By comparing your weight and height, specifically dividing your weight by your height, squared, the BMI calculations give us a single number. Depending on where that number falls on a special scale, it tells you if you’re underweight for your height, in the normal range, overweight, or obese.

BMI doesn’t measure body fat, however, so often the number is wrong when it comes to athletes or very muscular people. Muscle weighs more than fat, so for them, BMI isn’t an accurate measure at all. For most people, though, it’s a very good estimate of weight in relation to height. So what BMI calculations allow us to arrive at that magic BMI number?

BMI calculations may seem complicated, but they’re really not. At its most basic, the formula is kg/m2. Or your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters, squared (your height in meters times itself). A person who’s five-and-a-half-feet tall stands about 1.7 meters. Square that number (1.7 times 1.7) and you come up with 2.89. A person who weighs 150 pounds weights about 68 kilograms. So the BMI calculations to determine this person’s BMI would be 68 divided by 2.89. The result of that is about 23.5.

A BMI of 18.5 or below indicates that an individual is underweight. The normal weight range is from 18.5 to 24.9. Overweight people will calculate a BMI of 25 to 29.9. A BMI of 30 or greater indicates obesity. So a person with a BMI of 23.5 is within his or her normal weight range, according to the BMI calculations.

If you don’t want to convert feet and pounds to meters and kilograms, then you can use one of the other BMI calculations to figure your number. This person’s new formula would be weight in pounds, 150, times 4.88, or 732, divided by height in feet squared (5.5 times 5.5) which is 30.25. Then divide weight by height squared (732 divided by 30.25) and the result is 24.1, very similar to the metric formula’s result. BMI calculations can also be done by taking weight in pounds times 703, and dividing by height in inches, squared.

Tags: Accurate Measure, Bm, Bmi Calculations, Bmi Calculator, Body Fat, Body Mass, Calculator Online, Cranks, Handy, Height And Weight, Kg, Losing Weight, M2, Magic Number, Number 1, Obese, obesity;, Overweight, Weight In Kilograms, Weights —

Teens do experience what we could call “teenage weight pressures.” At the age of 16, teenagers are still too self conscious of their appearance that they are easily affected by jeers by classmates and peers when it comes to how they look. Being stereotyped because they are a little overweight can be really demeaning which could cause other personal or even psychological problems later on.

But the thing is, if a teenager has been eating and exercising right their bodies will be where they should be at their age. And when teenagers find themselves overweight, impatient as they are, they tend to go overboard often taking the drastic route to loose weight. They try skipping their meals or limiting food intake the wrong way.

Because teens and preteens are still growing, the practice of skipping meals is not such a great idea. Even adult weight loss programs do not arbitrarily recommend skipping meals. The right diet is eating the right food that covers teenagers’ nutritional needs for their body’s further growth and development.

More often than not, dietitians recommend that teens follow an eating plan that will help reach their ideal weight and keep it there. They complement food diets with lots of physical activities. They find that cutting back on calorie intake is not the best option for teenagers to take. Being effective “calorie burners” seems to be the right path that teenagers should take. By exercising a lot they will reduce body fat and build their muscles at the same time.

As teenagers, they should also be encouraged to try all types of sports. By increasing their physical activities they will develop tons of energy as well as strength and stamina. Their bones will grow better and stronger. The will have better and healthier skin and will have a general happy outlook in life.

However, for some teenagers a customized diet program is needed and is suggested to be the most effective. But this is in a case to case basis. Not all situations and circumstances are alike. These diets are normally designed by diet and nutrition experts. Included in these customized diet programs are itemization of particular food groups and proper proportion you child or teen should eat.

These diets focus on reducing the intake of foods loaded with saturated fats. Reducing fat in one’s diet will make him/her healthier and will make it easier to maintain their body weight. Under these programs, daily food consumption should not have more than 30 grams, or 10 ounces, of fat.

You need to, therefore, spread out your intake of fat for each meal if you eat. It is generally recommended that persons on a diet should avoid fat laden snacks like potato chips or buttered popcorn.

In your teen’s eating habits, probably the biggest obstacle that they will face is when they eat at restaurants or dinners with friends. Foods in restaurant are served in big portions and more often than not contain too much salt, fat, and calories. Part of a diet program should be instilling discipline and self control. One can still join their friends when they dine out but they should learn to choose the right food and ask for the right servings.

You are what you eat. If you eat too much fat, then you’ll probably end up fat. Always remember to eat foods like fruits, vegetables, low-GI foods, and foods with low fat contents. If you have been accustomed to eating fatty and salty meals and junk foods, then your body might tell you that fruits and vegetables don’t taste that good. You then have to retrain your taste buds and body by eating as many fruits and vegetables as possible. If you keep eating them, you’ll start to enjoy them later on.

Tags: Adult Weight, Body Fat, Calorie Burners, Calorie Intake, Case Basis, Classmates, Diet Program, energy;, food consumption;, Food Diets, food intake;, food;, Growth And Development, Ideal Weight, Jeers, Loose Weight, Overweight, particular food groups, Potato Chips, Preteens, Psychological Problems, Skipping Meals, Stamina, Weight Loss Diet, Wrong Way —

There are plenty of weight loss medications available today, but you shouldn’t take any until you have had a chance to discuss your best options with your personal physician. However, there is nothing stopping you from doing your own research on those options before you have the talk with your doctor. In fact, it’s a really good idea to be as informed as possible, as this with give you a solid base of knowledge to help you understand whatever your doctor has to say.

One of the main things to consider is whether or not you really need weight loss medication in the first place. After all, millions of people lose weight every year without taking any kind medicine whatsoever. Remember, all prescription medicines have the risk of side effects. You can actually think of the positive benefits as a sort of side effect. In other words, losing weight could be labeled as a side effect. But what we’re talking about is the potential of harmful side effects.

It’s probably a safe bet that, because you’re looking into weight loss medications, you have already tried to lose weight several times before; with little or no long-lasting success. The latest and greatest diets come and go, and get rid of a few pounds here and there, but then you go back to your old weight (or end up weighing even more than when you started). Exercise plans may have helped at first, too, but then you give up on them and go back to your regular activities. And none of this includes starvation diets or extreme exercise regimens.

The big problem with all of this that it’s just so easy to stay overweight. But the health risks associated with weighing too much make it worth trying as many times as it takes to see lasting results. The question is if weight loss medications are right for you.

Remember, there are risks when taking any medication. This is also true of medications for losing weight. In fact, there have been past cases of popular medications that led to serious side effects, and even death in a few cases. You need to balance the risk with the potential reward. For example, if you only want to lose five pounds or so, then the risk probably isn’t worth it. On the other hand, if you want to lose fifty pounds or more, and you have health problems related to obesity, then the risk of adverse side effects may not matter as much.

The main thing is to talk to your own physician about the choices you have. They will know your health history, and also have a better idea of what the real risks are for you. A doctor will also know which weight loss medications have been around for a long tome and have a proven track record of helping people lose weight. Assuming your doctor approves of giving you a prescription, you should see results in a short time.

Tags: Exercise Plans, Exercise Regimens, Extreme Exercise, Health Risks, Kind Medicine, Led, Lose Weight, Losing Weight, Medication, Medications, Medicine, Overweight, People, Personal Physician, Prescription Medicines, Risk, Safe Bet, Several Times, Starvation Diets, Weight Loss Medication —

Are you overweight? Have a problem with high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease? Are you worried about getting cancer or other ailments? Do you wish you could just feel better? If so, then you need to make a healthy eating program a part of your daily life.

It all starts with knowing how your body works, and how it reacts to various types of foods. Some foods drain you and can make you sick, others have no real effect, and still others will improve your overall health. It’s this last category that you will want to focus on as you start your own healthy eating program.

The next thing you need to consider is what your health goals are. After all, if you’re not interested in losing weight, then it wouldn’t make sense to start a plan that’s all about shedding pounds. However, you could still look into it and then use the parts of the diet that fit in with your particular goals. See, when you start looking at the bigger picture, you won’t feel as though you have to try every new eating plan that comes out. At the same time though, you will be able to incorporate good ideas from any plan and make them a part of your program.

One of the keys to look for in a healthy eating program is balance. Any diet that has you eat too much of certain foods, or too little of others is usually not a smart choice. The first reason why such plans don’t make sense is that they won’t give you all of the nutrition you need. There are some vital nutrients that can only be found in certain foods, and if those foods are eliminated (or drastically reduced), then you could harm your health in the long run. The second reason is that you will most likely start to crave the “forbidden” foods. Now, willpower can be a wonderful thing, but it can only carry you so far. You will eventually give in to your temptations, and you’ll be worse off than before.

Some general guidelines to follow are to eat whole foods, or foods that are as close to their natural source as possible. Good choices for most people include whole grains, lean protein, healthy fats, and fruits and vegetables. Avoid over-processed foods. Try to eat a wide variety of foods so you have a more complete nutrition profile. Pay attention to the food you eat and remember that food matters.

You don’t have to follow a healthy eating program that was created by somebody else. The truth is that you can make your own plan and do just fine. The catch is that it may take some time to figure everything out and a lot of the available information on food can be confusing. For those reasons, a lot of people will look for programs that cover most of what they’re looking for; as a sort of shortcut to good health. This is actually a good idea, at least to get you started.

Tags: Ailments, Atkins, Body Fitness, Body Works, cancer;, diabetes;, Diet, Eating Habits, Fruits And Vegetables, Health Goals, Healthy Diet, Healthy Eating, heart disease;, high blood pressure;, Losing Weight, Natural Source, Nutrition, Overweight, Smart Choice, Temptations, Vital Nutrients, Wellness, Whole Foods, Wonderful Thing —