Chicago Weight Loss - Body Mass Index or BMI

The Weight Reduction Center near Chicago weight loss programs can help you fight obesity and lose weight. Dr. Lopez will help you understand things such as your BMI or body mass index, which is important to know when you start a routine for weight loss.

Your body mass index or BMI is a great way for you to measure your body fat based on your height and weight. Standard body mass index charts apply to what both adult men and women should weigh based on their current height and weight. There are several categories of weight measure, which yield a result. The underweight category applies to anyone with BMI of 18.5 or less. Normal weight is applicable for individuals with a BMI reading between 18.5-24.9. People are considered overweight, if his or her body mass index reads between 25 and 29.9. The obesity category applies for people who have a body mass index of 30 or greater.

Since obesity is such a big problem for many Americans, it is important to know your body mass index, and get it under control if you are having a problem in the overweight or obese category. Once we know our BMI, we can start working on the problem immediately and help with your weight loss. Depending upon what your BMI is your doctor will tell you how much you may need to cut back on your favorite fatty foods and what kind of exercise program to incorporate into your daily life. Individuals who are only slightly obese and need to lose just a few pounds to get them back into the normal weight category are still going to have to cut back on fat laced foods, while exercising at the same time. People with more serious obesity problems may have to see his or her doctor and get on a special diet for weight loss provided by the physician and have their exercise program drawn out for them on paper. These individuals obviously have to work harder to keep the pounds off, but fighting the "belly bulge" can be a challenging feat for everyone, regardless of weight. If you have not been eating well or exercising, incorporating new behavior into your life is sometimes easier said then done, depending upon the individual and what is causing their obesity. Individuals experiencing obesity issues due to medical problems may need additional assistance outside of just a change in diet or exercise routine. Sometimes people need medications or even surgery in order to get their body mass index under control.

Body mass index was developed by Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian polymath, between the years of 1830 and 1850. From a technical definition of BMI, body mass index = individual body weight divided by the square of the individual's height. The concept of BMI was initially developed to apply to only population studies. However, the popular formula has now been applied to both population and individuals, even though some argued that this was not what the equation was developed for in the first place. Although BMI is very popular, we need to be careful about how we read numbers. People have a bad habit of applying a simple number to a complicated issue and using distinct numbers to place people into different categories, thus causing a labeling problem, which can sometimes lead to negative stereotyping. The body mass index was really developed for more simple purposes. It was really innovated for the purpose of classifying physically inactive individuals who have an average body composition. We need to think a bit broader here. Although a person's body mass index may place them in a particular category, it is really how far into that category that matters. For example, people who are significantly obese are going to need more assistance to keep the weight off in contrast to say, someone who is just barely into the overweight or obese category. This is not to say that those who are only slightly obese may not develop more significant obesity problems down the line. The key is catching the problem early enough so we can start to do something about it now before the problem gets so out of control that the workload needed to reduce weight becomes overwhelming. Many individuals who suffer with obesity issues have psychological problems that are augmenting their obesity. Depression and anxiety are two of the biggest contributing factors to why some people overeat. Learning new behavior and ways to combat your mental issues without overeating can be a daunting challenge for some depending upon depression and anxiety level. People who are already dieting and exercising, but cannot lose the weight, may have a physical medical issue that is causing the weight gain. In these cases, medication is typically used in addition to diet and exercise. It is important to know your BMI in order to establish a reasonable weight goal with the help of your physician. Appetite control, exercise, lifestyle changes and perhaps medications under the guidance of a board certified physician in bariatric medicine will ensure that the weight loss process will be more effective and hopefully permanent.

Chicago weight loss can be helped at the Weight Reduction Center, located just west of the city. Our weight loss clinic serving the Chicago area has helped thousands of patients with their weight loss through coming up with plans that are suited to their individual needs.

Call today at 708-546-5900 for availability and more information.
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