Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated by your height and weight. It is used to screen for possible weight problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you can determine your BMI by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by double your height (in meters). Your BMI will reflect whether you are underweight (below 18.5), normal range (18.5 to 24.9), overweight (25 to 29.9) or obese (30 and above). Taking steps toward a healthier lifestyle and losing just 5% to 10% of your body weight could significantly lower your BMI, which can provide health benefits such as lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
How to Lower Your BMI
Step 1
Calculate your BMI by using an online BMI calculator (see Resources). Your BMI rating will help determine if you are underweight, normal range, overweight or obese.
Step 2
Focus on consuming fewer calories. Cutting back on calorie intake is most important for weight loss, because you lose weight when you burn more calories than you consume. Find the serving size on the foods that you eat and stick to the recommended serving.
Step 3
Make changes to your diet. Make healthy substitutions, such as using vegetable oil instead of butter or shortening or substituting whole wheat pasta, rice, flour and bread for white versions. If you like sweet foods, you can find low-calorie sugar substitutions. Drink skim milk instead of whole milk and choose lean cuts of meat.
Step 4
Increase the amount of water that you drink. Water will help you to feel full and will keep your body hydrated and operating correctly. As a bonus, drinking water in place in of soda or sugary drinks cuts out extra calories.
Step 5
Limit the amount of times you eat out at restaurants. Many restaurant foods are loaded with sodium, fat and calories. When you cook for yourself and eat at home, you choose what goes into your meals and learn how to cook healthy foods.
Step 6
Exercise often. Aim for exercising 30 to 60 minutes a day for three to four days a week. Your exercise routine should be a combination of cardiovascular and strength training routines. You can run, walk, hike, lift weights or do yoga. For each hour of exercise, you could burn 500 to 800 calories.
Step 7
Focus on permanent lifestyle changes. In order to lower your BMI and keep it down, you need to make changes you can stick with. Make a habit out of eating reasonable portions, making healthy substitutes and exercising.
Tips and Warnings
- BMI is calculated differently for adults than it is for children and teenagers. Please ask a medical professional for information about your child's BMI and ways to lower it, if necessary. Remember to ask your doctor about your specific BMI and weight. BMI varies among men, women and athletes and varies according to age. Losing weight at a rate of about one to two pounds a week makes you more likely to keep the weight off. You can achieve this by cutting back 500 to 1,000 calories a day.
- Remember that BMI is not the only indicator of your health. Waist circumference, blood pressure and cholesterol readings are also important measurements in determining what changes need to be made to your lifestyle.
Things You'll Need
- BMI calculator
Member Comments