Posts Tagged ‘Overweight’
The number of people who are overweight really is at epidemic proportions, and the situation is at its worst in the US. In the United States, it’s believed that sixty-six percent of people are overweight. In actual numbers, that’s two of three people. As a gross, the number is in the hundreds of millions. With that many people overweight, there are plenty of opportunities to discuss and or promote various weight loss methods.
One word that gets thrown about a lot when talking about weight loss is metabolism. Metabolism has become a generic term to a degree, but the guess here is that most people aren’t genuinely aware of what metabolism refers to: simply that it has some role in a person’s body weight. Metabolism is actually a set of chemical reactions that occur within living cells. Metabolism in fact allows cells to grow and reproduce. Referring to the term metabolism when talking about body weight regulation is overly broad. What actually affects body weight is calories, and more specifically, how many calories are consumed versus how many calories are burned in energy consumption.
Calorie is a measurement for the amount of energy a source of food gives the body. A food source with more calories provides the body more energy. With respect to calories, the adage of more isn’t always better holds quite a bit of truth. Calories that are surplus to what the body actually needs for fuel will be stored, as fat typically. The significant issue for body weight then is how much calorie fuel a particular body uses. The answer obviously varies. An infant will need less calorie fuel than an adult will. But averaging things out, calorie fuel usage is determined by how much energy a person expends. Energy typically takes the form of physical exertion. More calorie energy is typically burned in people who engage in regular physical activity than in people who don’t.
Metabolism enters the picture with respect to body weight by what’s called basal metabolic rate. Basal metabolic rate essentially refers to the amount of caloric energy a person burns while at rest. This is influenced again by how physically active a person is on average. The more active a person is generally, the higher their basal metabolic rate. The term metabolism then is not entirely accurate when discussing body weight issues. The more proper reference would be basal metabolic rate. Still, the general notion that more exercise equals more energy burned is correct, and more energy burned typically equals a healthier body weight.
By: Zinn Jeremiah
About the Author:
One word that gets thrown about a lot when talking about weight loss is metabolism. Metabolism has become a generic term to a degree, but the guess here is that most people aren’t genuinely aware of what metabolism refers to: simply that it has some role in a person’s body weight. Metabolism is actually a set of chemical reactions that occur within living cells. Metabolism in fact allows cells to grow and reproduce. Referring to the term metabolism when talking about body weight regulation is overly broad. What actually affects body weight is calories, and more specifically, how many calories are consumed versus how many calories are burned in energy consumption.
Calorie is a measurement for the amount of energy a source of food gives the body. A food source with more calories provides the body more energy. With respect to calories, the adage of more isn’t always better holds quite a bit of truth. Calories that are surplus to what the body actually needs for fuel will be stored, as fat typically. The significant issue for body weight then is how much calorie fuel a particular body uses. The answer obviously varies. An infant will need less calorie fuel than an adult will. But averaging things out, calorie fuel usage is determined by how much energy a person expends. Energy typically takes the form of physical exertion. More calorie energy is typically burned in people who engage in regular physical activity than in people who don’t.
Metabolism enters the picture with respect to body weight by what’s called basal metabolic rate. Basal metabolic rate essentially refers to the amount of caloric energy a person burns while at rest. This is influenced again by how physically active a person is on average. The more active a person is generally, the higher their basal metabolic rate. The term metabolism then is not entirely accurate when discussing body weight issues. The more proper reference would be basal metabolic rate. Still, the general notion that more exercise equals more energy burned is correct, and more energy burned typically equals a healthier body weight.
By: Zinn Jeremiah
About the Author:
Zinn Jeremiah is a freelance writer. To find weight loss resources, visit weight loss help or weight loss program.
Setting goals, measuring your progress and making ongoing adjustments to your behavior is one of the best techniques to accomplish almost anything you set out to do. This is holds no less true when it comes to losing weight. Using body weight charts to set and measure progress toward weight goals is a smart way to manage your weight.
One of the most widely-acknowledged types of body weight charts is the Body Mass Index, or BMI. Medical doctors and nutritionists the world over use the BMI method for helping to determine whether people are at a healthy weight. You can use the Body Mass Index whether you use the metric system or pounds and inches.
Here is a step-by-step method for calculating your BMI, along with tips for what to do if your number indicates that you are overweight.
1. Weigh yourself
Start by weighing yourself. Any household scale will do. Record your weight in either pounds or kilograms*.
2. Measure your height and square it
Next, use a simple household measuring tape and measure your height. Note: if you measured your weight in pounds, measure your height in inches.
* If you measured your weight in kilograms for #1 above, measure your height in centimeters and then convert to meters (e.g., 165 cm = 1.65 meters). Now, square your height (i.e., multiple the number times itself).
3. Divide your weight by the square of your height
Now, it is just “weight divided by square of your height” (or, #1 / #2, above). Okay, you are almost there!
4. Finally, multiply by 703 (if not using the metric system)
In fact, if you were using the metric system (kilograms and meters) above, you are done: this is your BMI! If you were using pounds and inches above: multiply your answer in #3 by 703. This is your BMI.
5. Determine what your BMI means
Okay, now you have a BMI number. But, what do you do with it? Okay, here is what your number means in terms of whether you are likely at a healthy weight:
under 18: you are underweight
18 to 18.5: you are thin
18.6 to 24.9: you are at a healthy weight
25 to 29.9: you are overweight
over 30: you are obese
6. Limitations of BMI as an indicator of health
If you are not happy with your BMI number and what it means about the health of your weight, first, don’t panic just yet: this system is not perfect! For example, it does not take into account your muscle mass or body type. So, if you are particularly muscular, for example, you may have a BMI that is well over 25 but you could still be considered to be at a healthy weight.
7. What to do if you are overweight
If your BMI indicates that you are overweight, you need to decide if you are willing to commit to getting yourself down to a healthy weight. That will likely mean a combination of exercise and eating right. Take the time to educate yourself now as to how to best get your body weight into a healthy range.
The BMI is just one indicator of healthy weight. Other valid indicators used by doctors and nutritionists today include skinfold thickness measurements (using calipers), underwater weighing, and bioelectrical impedance testing. However, BMI is by far the simplest method for measuring your health in terms of weight.
By: Marie-Claire Smith
About the Author:
One of the most widely-acknowledged types of body weight charts is the Body Mass Index, or BMI. Medical doctors and nutritionists the world over use the BMI method for helping to determine whether people are at a healthy weight. You can use the Body Mass Index whether you use the metric system or pounds and inches.
Here is a step-by-step method for calculating your BMI, along with tips for what to do if your number indicates that you are overweight.
1. Weigh yourself
Start by weighing yourself. Any household scale will do. Record your weight in either pounds or kilograms*.
2. Measure your height and square it
Next, use a simple household measuring tape and measure your height. Note: if you measured your weight in pounds, measure your height in inches.
* If you measured your weight in kilograms for #1 above, measure your height in centimeters and then convert to meters (e.g., 165 cm = 1.65 meters). Now, square your height (i.e., multiple the number times itself).
3. Divide your weight by the square of your height
Now, it is just “weight divided by square of your height” (or, #1 / #2, above). Okay, you are almost there!
4. Finally, multiply by 703 (if not using the metric system)
In fact, if you were using the metric system (kilograms and meters) above, you are done: this is your BMI! If you were using pounds and inches above: multiply your answer in #3 by 703. This is your BMI.
5. Determine what your BMI means
Okay, now you have a BMI number. But, what do you do with it? Okay, here is what your number means in terms of whether you are likely at a healthy weight:
under 18: you are underweight
18 to 18.5: you are thin
18.6 to 24.9: you are at a healthy weight
25 to 29.9: you are overweight
over 30: you are obese
6. Limitations of BMI as an indicator of health
If you are not happy with your BMI number and what it means about the health of your weight, first, don’t panic just yet: this system is not perfect! For example, it does not take into account your muscle mass or body type. So, if you are particularly muscular, for example, you may have a BMI that is well over 25 but you could still be considered to be at a healthy weight.
7. What to do if you are overweight
If your BMI indicates that you are overweight, you need to decide if you are willing to commit to getting yourself down to a healthy weight. That will likely mean a combination of exercise and eating right. Take the time to educate yourself now as to how to best get your body weight into a healthy range.
The BMI is just one indicator of healthy weight. Other valid indicators used by doctors and nutritionists today include skinfold thickness measurements (using calipers), underwater weighing, and bioelectrical impedance testing. However, BMI is by far the simplest method for measuring your health in terms of weight.
By: Marie-Claire Smith
About the Author:
Find out the shocking, proven secret about how to lose weight that goes well beyond diet and exercise at: www.no-fat-yes-muscle.com.
