The Body Mass Index
December 3, 2008
It is most popular to find everyone make a mad rush to work out. They often do it because it’s the right place to be seen, and spoken about. Some people do it because it’s fashionable, some to network, and others because that is what they think keeping healthy is all about.
A good work out for the body is most essential. What is more important is working out with some direction. It is important to know and understand your body and its demands, so you can work on and around the body better.
Lots of people consider themselves overweight. The benchmark is often what other peers weigh. We feel we overeat and weigh too much in comparison to those we are seen with. What we fail to understand is that each body type, its metabolism and mechanism is different. Some people have a more physically challenging lifestyle which may require more foods, others with more sedentary practices may not need as much.
Another key determinant to the weight we attain is the corresponding height. While a close friend may not weight quite as much as you do, he or she might be a whole lot shorter. While their weight might be perfect in correspondence with their height, so might yours. It is important to establish that link while making comparisons.
A good calculation to make is to find out your BMI or body mass index. This is obtained by dividing your height in kilograms by the square of your height in metres. This will give you a good idea of the way forward.
A body mass index of between 18.5 and 25. This means the balance between your height and weight is ideal, and you need to focus only on maintaining this level, so choosing an appropriate workout is easy.
Those on the higher levels need to dwell a little on the amount of fat in the body. It simply means that the fat in the body needs to be converted into muscle, and more weight training and cardio exercises may be necessary.
Those with a lower index may need medical intervension since it is not very healthy. A workout aimed at buiding more muscle and corresponding weight gain may be recommended. What needs to be remembered is that these figures cannot be read in isolation. While the index might actually be at a level like 15, the reason may be because that is ideal for an athlete. Situations need to be put in perspective during analysis.
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