My Body Mass Diet

The body mass diet is a plan that uses your body mass to decipher weight goals. To decide if there is a reason to diet or limit calories, you must first calculate your body mass index, which determines if you're within a normal or healthy weight.

Background

According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, body mass index or BMI is defined as "a measure of body mass based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women." Your BMI is in one of four categories: underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese. Each category considers your risk for chronic disease later in life. BMI can be calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in centimeters squared. A BMI less than 18.5 is considered thin, a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is normal weight, a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is overweight and a BMI greater than 30 is categorized as obese.

Muscle Mass

BMI is applicable to most men and women, but does not always accurately account for muscle mass. BMI will overestimate the body-mass category in athletes with ample muscle development. BMI may underestimate the body-mass category in the elderly or others who have lost excess muscle mass. It is important to consider your stature when using BMI to determine your diet.

Interpreting BMI

Body mass relates to diet. It is a marker to determine whether weight needs to be lost or gained. People in the normal weight category do not need to lose or gain weight, individuals in the thin category are encouraged to gain weight and people in the overweight and obese categories should lose weight.

Diet

The average adult needs anywhere from 1,200 to 3,500 calories per day. The United States Department of Agriculture provides guidelines for calorie needs, based on age and activity level. The healthiest method of losing weight is determining your calorie needs and creating a deficit of 500 calories per day. Individuals in the thin category are encouraged to increase intake by 300 to 500 calories a day to gain weight and reach the normal body weight category.

Exercise

Exercising is vital to any diet because it increases muscle mass. The USDA recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day. For some people, especially those wanting to improve their body mass, more exercise is necessary.

Considerations

Body mass is essentially a measure of weight based on height. The body mass index is not necessarily an indicator of good health. To maintain your health, it is important to eat a variety of well-balanced foods and participate in daily physical activity.