BMI (Body Mass Index)

You've heard so many times about this BMI a.k.a Body Mass Index. What is BMI exactly?

Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women. Though it does not actually measure the percentage of body fat, it is used to estimate a healthy body weight based on a person's height.
 
These are the 2 most common formulas of how to determine your BMI.

English BMI Formula
BMI = ( Weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches ) x ( Height in inches ) ) x 703
Metric BMI Formula
BMI = ( Weight in Kilograms / ( Height in Meters ) x ( Height in Meters ) )

After you get the result of your BMI, you can determine whether you are overweight, obese, or even underweight by using this guidance.

BMI Categories:

• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

 For more information, regarding BMI visit Wikipedia.

How to Calculate Ideal Body Weight

Are you worried about your weight? Do you know your ideal weight? Here is a simple formula of how to determine your ideal weight.

(a) Take your height in inches. Subtracts 60 and multiply it by five.
(b) If you're a woman, add 100; if you are a man, add 110. This is your ideal weight (in pounds)

10 Points of Success

Now that you decided to change your life style, don't give up easily! Here are 10 points of success that you should consider 

1. Mind your carbohydrates intake (keep it below 100 grams)

    Remember that you are aiming for 50 - 100 grams of carbohydrates a day and enjoying 

    3  balanced meals and snacks in between. Carbohydrates are not merely from bread, 

    potato, or rice, but you can also get carbohydrates from your fibers intake (fruits and 

    salads).

2. Drink your water - the goal is 2,5 liters a day (the least)

    Water is good for you if your water is good. Be sure your water goes through quality filter. A lot of water will help bumping up your metabolism level.

3. Step it up! The goal is 8,000-12,000 steps a day

    Walking is wellness! You maybe wondering, where can I get more steps?

    - Take the stairs instead of lift

    - Park further from the office

    - Park at the other end of the shopping centre

    - Walk around the block during lunch time

    - Get up and walk around the office, minimize using the phone

    - Walk your dog in the evening

    - Walk with your kids in the evening

4. Eat! Remember, you should not be hungry and starve yourself

    Be sure to have protein snacks available - they do help controlling hunger and cravings. The best protein snacks should include a little carbohydrates and fat. Remember that in between the 3 regular meals, always insert snack time (3-6 times a day).

5. Remember to write down what you eat everyday

    Accountability is the key to success. By writing what you eat, you can keep track of how much calories you have taken, how many grams of carbohydrates you took, or is your diet rich enough.

6. Remember to take multivitamin

    It is recommended that all adults take multivitamin. An organically grown supplement is the best.

7. Keep Motivating yourself

    It is important to identify what is motivating you. By having a motivation, it's easier to "kick away" those negative thoughts that comes into your head. Baby steps are the key to achieving your ultimate goal.

8. Get a little fruity

    Have more fruits in your daily diet menu is good to help your weight loss, especially a citrus fruit.

9. Exercise more

    Besides the 8,000-12,000 steps a day, add more exercise by going to the gym. Hitting the gym won't be a bad idea. Try to do more circuit work and lightweight lifting and of course CARDIO training is essential.

10. Stay away from alcohol

     Stay as far as you can from alcohol as alcohol suppressed your hormone level by 75% and it also dehydrates your body because it absorbs water from your body.   

Tips for Dieters for Eating Out

Being on diet doesn't mean that dieters can't eat out. Every now and then it's good to eat out with family or friends but try as much as we could to be on track and don't go overboard when eating out.

Here are some tips for dieters who's going to eat out:

• Ask for substitutes in place of potato, rice, etc. You can always ask for salads in the place of french fries or mash potato.

• Order dressings on the side and dip with fork. Many restaurants wouldn't mind separates the dressing for you and put it on the side.

• If ordering salads, order a non fat dressing on the side and try to avoid croutons or noodles. Olive oil dressing or lime juice dressing could be an alternative.

• Split meals with your partners (since most restaurants give a very large portion). Alternatively, cut in half and ask to put the rest in a take away container.

• Avoid fried and crumbed foods.

• Ask for poached eggs or egg whites instead of fried

• Request grilled or baked meat and steamed vegetables

• Carry fruits (banana, apple, or orange) in case fruit is unavailable in the restaurant

Dieting Myth

Do you want to change your lifestyle? Do you feel sick of looking at yourself in front of the mirror? Do you hate all those flapping fats around the belly? But you don't know what to do about it? Try this!

There's a well known myth about dieting which is "Eat less, and you'll lose some weight". Some people take this advice seriously and try to cut back as much as they can. From 3x meals a day (breakfast-lunch-dinner) to 1x big meal a day(either lunch or dinner) hoping that they'll lose some weight. They also cut down the intake protein, carbs, and fats. They may also decide to exercise as well. This method of cutting food intake is a BIG MISTAKE!

Why? Now the body's very smart. When we don't eat enough protein as needed by our body, it'll start taking protein from our own body. Once the body starts robbing its own protein, it goes into starvation mode. And when the body's in starvation mode, the body resists losing weight and it holds onto fat. So this is why you can't lose weight only by cutting your food intake.

What is the solution then? The solution is to cut back and reduce the amount of carbohyrates and fat that we eat, but we don't cut back on the protein. Try to have the normal natural amount of protein that your body needs so that your body isn't forced into starvation mode where it resists losing weight.

Protein rich foods can be more satisfying than other foods because the protein keeps you full and more satisfied longer. Weight loss will occur when the body metabolizes fat for energy. Typically it burns glucose from carbohydrates, but when there isn't enough glucose in your bloodstream, your body will draws its attention to fat stores instead.