BMI Basics
We have all heard that healthy weight control can aid in the prevention of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. And keeping a healthy weight can often seem a bit daunting, but it does not have to be like this; thereso tough. There are some basic principles you can apply in your everyday life to make healthy weight loss occur. Research indicates time and time again that healthy weight loss and weight maintenance can aid in the prevention of many chronic diseases to include, but not limited, to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer control.
So we'll present you with some overall information about a healthy BMI, and then some principles for you to follow to get started.
What is BMI?
The Body mass index (BMI) is a measurement of body fat based on an adult's height and weight. They apply a calculation to your height and weight to get the number:
(Weight (lbs) / Height x Height (inches)) x 703
Once you enter your information, the result is compared to the table below to determine which weight category you are in.
BMI Categories
Underweight = |
< 18.5 |
Normal weight = |
8.5 - 24.9 |
Overweight = |
25 - 29.9 |
Obesity = |
BMI of 30 or greater |
If you notice that your BMI falls within the overweight or obese category, the strategies below can help aid in sensible weight loss. Private health coaching and our PATH program are also available to support you in this area. If your BMI is falling within the underweight category please contact us at rita.madden@mymedwellness.com for more information on how to handle this.
Important Caveat to BMI Measurements!
If you are athletic, very toned, or simply lift weight to work on muscle mass, you will read high on this scale. That doesn't mean you are overweight or obese, only that the nature of the BMI calculation doesn't differentiate between lean muscle and fat. And because muscle weighs more than fat, it causes the reading to increase, falsely elevating the number.
*Four keys to weight control and chronic disease prevention
- Eat real food
- Control the portion size of the real foods you consume
- Incorporate exercise into your daily life
- Decrease and manage stress in your life.
*This is a starter list, we have provided you with a more detailed list found on the Shopping Guide for Weight Control file.