subject: Simple Tools to Help You Lose Weight [print this page] The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that the weight of as many as two out of five Americans is 20% or more of their ideal body weight. Being overweight or obese can lead to many diseases and even death. Those who are overweight or obese have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, low self esteem, and poor body image.
Unfortunately, losing weight is not as easy as taking a pill. If you're serious about losing weight, you must make changes in your lifestyle, which involve modifying your food intake and increasing your physical activity. It is important to have a goal in mind as well so that you know what you are working to achieve. There are some simple mathematical tools that can help you in your journey to reach your ideal weight.
Knowing one's Body Mass Index (BMI) can help you to figure out just how overweight you are and how much weight you need to lose. BMI represents a ratio between one's body weight and one's height. In order to calculate your own BMI, simply take your weight in pounds * 703 divided by your height in inches squared. For example, if your weight is 203, multiply that by 703, which is 142709. Divide that number by your height in inches squared (let's say you're six feet tall, which is 72 inches tall, which squared is 5184). When you divide 142709 by 5184, your BMI equals 27.5. (If you prefer to use the metric version, take your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared to figure your BMI).
Doctors say that a person's ideal BMI should be 24. Those with a BMI under 24, or who are at 80% or less of their ideal body weight, are more prone to problems from malnutrition. If your BMI is 25 to 29, you are considered to be overweight. If your BMI is 30 to 39, you are considered to be obese. If your BMI is 40 or more, you are considered to be extremely obese.
Another useful calculation to have in the struggle to lose weight is your waist circumference. This is easy to measure: just take a tape measure around your waist. If you are a male and have a waist circumference of more than 40 inches, or a female with a waist circumference of 35 inches or more, you are considered to be overweight.
Even more important than numbers on a scale is your body fat calculation. Body fat percentages can offer more drastic changes than weight. Therefore, knowing your starting body fat can motivate you to lose more weight as that number decreases. The best way to measure body fat is with a caliper, which pinches the fat at your waist and measures your total body fat. A healthy body fat percentage range for men is 18 to 25%, and for women a healthy body fat percentage range is 25 to 31%. Calipers can be purchased online or at any local store which sells health and fitness products.
