Understanding Your BMI and Eating Healthy
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure used to evaluate a person’s weight in relation to their height. It is important to understand your BMI because it can help you determine if you are at a healthy weight for your height. Additionally, understanding how to best manage your diet by eating healthy can help you reach a healthier weight. Let’s explore what BMI is, how it is calculated, and how to make changes that can help you reach your health goals.
What is BMI?
BMI stands for body mass index. It is a calculation based on your height and weight which helps determine if you are at a healthy weight for your age. It should be noted that this calculation does not take into account factors such as muscle mass or gender, so it may not always be an accurate representation of someone’s health status. However, it can still be an effective tool when trying to understand the relationship between one’s height and weight.
Calculating Your BMI
Your BMI can be calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters (kg/m2). You can also use any number of online calculators available on the internet to do this quickly and easily without having to do any math yourself! Once you have gotten the result from your calculator or equation, compare it with the chart below which categorizes different BMIs into underweight, normal range, overweight, obesity 1-3 classifications based on international standards established by the World Health Organization (WHO):
Underweight – Below 18.5 Normal Range – 18.5 – 24.9 Overweight – 25 – 29.9 Obesity 1 – 30 – 34.9 Obesity 2 – 35 – 39.9 Obesity 3 – 40+
Eating Healthy and Reaching Your Goals
Once you have determined where you fall on the BMI spectrum, then you can begin making dietary changes that will help get you closer to reaching an ideal healthy weight range for yourself. Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables along with lean proteins such as fish or chicken can go a long way towards improving not just one’s physical health but mental health as well! Additionally engaging in regular physical activity like walking or running can further improve overall health while helping burn calories more quickly than just diet alone would allow for!
While understanding one’s BMI is important for determining their current level of healthiness relative to their height and weight, making lifestyle changes intended towards achieving an ideal balance between those two metrics should be approached with care and caution as drastic changes could lead to negative side effects such as nutrient deficiencies or other medical problems down the line if done incorrectly without proper guidance from an experienced professional nutritionist or doctor! Ultimately though no matter what path one takes towards achieving their desired level of healthiness, eating healthy foods combined with regular exercise should always remain at the center of every person’s journey towards living their best life possible!
