Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Should You Have Your Baby's BMI Tested?

The BMI formula factors your height and weight to find if you have unnecessary body fat. BMI measurement is a healthier appraisal of fatness, as opposed to body weight alone, since it takes into account height. For example, knowing a person weighs 200 lbs isn’t enough information to appraise whether they are fat. Factoring in a person’s height helps place their body weight into perspective: An individual who is 6-foot and 200 lbs may not be fat, while another person who is 5-foot-8 and 200 pounds is more in all probability to bear surplus body fat.

BMI and Body Fat

Higher BMI totals are connected with increased dangers of disease and dying. Higher BMI totals are connected with diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. Research has found that the lowest and highest BMIs are connected with the highest health risks. So BMI numbers are classified into categories meant to reflect the stage of jeopardy a person faces.

Those individuals with the lowest risks of disease seem to land in the 18.5 to 24.9 BMI scope, so they are believed to be “normal.”

A BMI of 25 looks to be the threshold where disease danger significantly increases, and a BMI of 30 confers even greater health perils. So these rates have been classed into “overweight” and “obese” categories.

Extremely high BMIs are linked to even graver perils of certain diseases. The “underweight” category is included because being too thin is also linked with raised health chances.

BMI Grades - Overweight and Obese

Underweight <18.5
Normal 18.5 - 24.9
Overweight 25.0 - 29.9
Obesity 30.0 - 39.9
Extreme Obesity 40+

Receiving a BMI reading of 25+ is an indicant of being heavy, but not necessarily fat. A BMI of 30 or more is an indication of bearing too much body fat.

Heaviness isn't inevitably a consequence of holding too much body fat. Brawny individuals can be overly heavy. Muscular individuals may have a very low percentage of body fat, despite weighing more than expected on a scale. So their BMI number might unreliably suggest they bear more body fat than they do. Athletic individuals, often have higher BMIs. But since they are fit and lean, they are not necessarily at magnified chance of certain health risks simply because they have got a massive BMI.

In certain illustrations BMI is not a reliable reading of body fat.

Seasoned individuals may carry more body fat and less muscular tissue, but their BMI number may live on the low end of the BMI scale, indicating that they carry less body fat than they do.

Individuals under 5 ft may too have high BMI figures that do not reflect their degree of accumulated fat. People who are sick or on medications that cause exaggerated amounts of edema, or swelling in the body, may weigh more from surplus fluid accumulation. A ample BMI number may not reflect the absence or presence of body fat in this case.

As a statistical instrument employing thousands of instances, BMI is usable when working with scientific data points to gauge the instances of the overweight and obese and related disease chances. For the individual, BMI is a functional manner to supervise changes in weight over time.

Because BMI does not directly measure body fat, or where body fat is dished out, it may not be the most effective method of judging individual stages of fatness and how it associates to health risks. Waistline, and other components should be considered when appraising a person’s overall health endangerments.

How to Define Your BMI

A laboratory is the proper setting to measure your BMI. Some laboratory body testing equipment such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, underwater scales and the Bod Pod measure body fat directly. There are other devices (although less reliable) to evaluate body fat. Including skin fold testing or using a commercial body fat scale, some health clubs offer up these body fat testing services.

BMI relates height to weight and is a better assessment of fatness, as opposed to using body weight solely. The BMI formula is a improved means to ascertain if you have surplus body fat.


Research has observed that the lowest and highest BMIs are linked with the biggest health perils such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.

BMI numbers are separated into categories calculated to typify the degree of hazard a person faces. A BMI of 25 looks to be the doorway where disease chance significantly steps-up, and a BMI of 30 means even greater health hazards. Extremely high BMIs (40+) are tied to even graver risks of certain health hazards. The BMI “underweight” class is part of the chart because being too thin is also attached with magnified wellness dangers. Going to get your BMI valuated may be an inconvenient or expensive proposal for some individuals, but there are options such as skin fold measuring, that are not as correct, but less expensive or free and are accessible at local health clubs.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Review - Atkins Diet Weight Loss Plan Good for Kids?

The Atkins diet program is based on sustaining your body in a state of ketosis. Ketosis causes the liver to convert fatty acids into energy instead of using carbohydrates.

I’ve tried the Atkins Diet and lost 34 lbs. I kept it off until I got off the weight loss plan and went back to my bad eating habits. The diet lets you intake proteins and fats and limiting carbohydrates to encourage your body to enter ketosis. The body then starts the process of breaking down fat cells to utilize as a source of food. Fat and protein will leave you feeling fuller and hold off hunger between meals.

Dr. Robert Atkins, the author and founder, says the theory behind the Atkins Diet: your body's main source of energy is from carbohydrates. If you significantly decrease your intake of carbohydrates, it forces your body to utilize your stored fat for energy.

The Atkins Diet Advantage program offers pre-packaged low-carb making meal planning quick and easy.

Studies are ongoing to determine if the Atkins Diet affects weight for more than 1 year. Studieswere conducted on the Atkins Diet for one year concluded that there was quantifiable body weight loss.

Details of the Atkins Diet program are written in an easy to follow format in the Diet Revolution and the New Diet Revolution, by Dr. Atkins

Atkins Diet - Four Phases
The weight loss program is set up into four phases.

• Induction
• On-going Weight Loss
• Pre-Maintenance
• Lifetime Maintenance

Atkins Diet - Induction

For the induction phase (approximately 2 weeks) carbohydrates are restricted to 20 grams per day. Only leafy, green carbohydrates are allowed. Cheeses, meats, oils and creams are the bulk of this phase. Alcohol and caffeine are not allowed during induction. The ketosis state starts and causes calories to be burnt at a higher rate, usually producing the largest amount of weight loss throughout the diet.

Atkins Diet - On-going Weight Loss

Cheeses, meats, oils and creams are still the main focus of Atkins, but carbohydrates are increased weekly by approximately 5 grams. If there is an increase in weight or weight loss stops, it is advised to decrease your intake of carbohydrates. This phase is continues until you're within 10 pounds of your desired weight.

Atkins Diet -Pre-Maintenance

Following the Atkins Glycemic Ranking, carbohydrate intake is again increased. The goal is to find level of carbohydrates that can be eaten while maintain the desired body weight.

Atkins Diet - Lifetime Maintenance

Lifetime Maintenance is maintaining the desired body weight while trying different amounts of carbohydrates. Varying the types of carbohydrates to determine how much of each food can be consumed without affecting body weight.

Atkins Diet – Exercise

Walking is one recommended exercise to maintain fitness levels while on the Atkins Diet. Walking is aerobic and will encourage the body to utilize fat for fuel.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Adding Some Color to Your Baby’s Plate

Adding Some Color to Your Baby’s Plate

Your Baby’s health is in your hands. You are the one in control of your baby’s body. It is your option to keep exercising for life, eat on the proper things, and living a healthy life-style. Filling up your baby’s body with fruits and vegetables at dinner time is a primary leading off point because they are furnishing your baby’s body with fiber, nutrients and are low cal low fat. Almost all fruits and vegetables are fiber-rich, nutrient-dense foods (signifying they are tight with critical nutrients your baby’s body needs and low in calories and fat). Individuals who eat more fruits and vegetables as component of a reasonable life style are able to maintain weight loss, less likely to have lifelong diseases such as stroke, type 2 diabetes, some types of malignancies. Individuals also have got diminished events of heart troubles, and dangerous blood pressure levels. Heaping on the fruits and vegetables is a healthy choice you can arrange to sustain a healthy lifestyle.

Do You Get the Big Picture?

A healthy diet is more than fruits and vegetables, there are a host of nutrients you body needs from a variety of foods - Whole grains, low fat or fat free milk products (think - low fat, fat free yogurt, cheese make with 2% milk), lean meats, fish, beans, eggs and nuts are all low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt and added sugars.

Decorate Your Baby’s Plate with Colors

Vary the colors of your baby’s fruits and vegetables to give your baby’s body a wide range of valuable nutrients. Green spinach, red potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon, white onions or red raspberries. Mix and match the colors for a more colorful variety. Make it a regular habit to try a new fruit and vegetable once a week. Look for new fruits and vegetables that are in season or visit your local farmers market to get fruits and vegetables at their peak of flavor.


Some healthy alternatives for your baby’s diet

Add fruit to your baby’s cereal, low-fat or fat-free yogurt, or oatmeal.
Snack on fruit during the day. Grab an apple, banana, or some grapes on your baby’s way out the door.
Eat a colorful salad at lunch. Try mixed greens with tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, and bell peppers.
Make fruits and vegetables about half your baby’s plate.
Snack on raw veggies with a healthy low-fat or fat-free dip.
Enjoy your baby’s favorite beans and peas. Add them to salads and low-fat dips.
Eat at least two vegetables with dinner.
Have fruit for dessert.

You are not getting enough!

How colorful are you? There is a terrific spread of colors and flavors in fruits and veggies, but the hidden value is on the inside. Fruits and vegetables are incredible sources of plenty of minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients that work to stave off chronic health problems. Maintaining a heart healthy diet, exercising, and making other lifestyle changes are crucial to maintaining your baby’s body’s good health. Tons of study has proved that diets rich in fruits and vegetables are associated with decreased chances for strokes.
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