Ways to Manage BMI better at Home
You must have heard a word when someone talked about good health. But what is BMI? And how is it related to good health? BMI is the BODY MASS INDEX, which indicates the ratio of weight to the height. In other words, BMI is a tool to measure a person’s weight according to his/her height.
BMI is the main index for weight to height and helps to classify a person as underweight, healthy/standard, and overweight or obese. The national institute of health, now, also defined weight according to BMI. The widely accepted normal range of BMI is 18 to 25 kg/m2. Below than this is called underweight, and above this is known as overweight. If BMI is over 30, then the person is classified as obese.
On the one hand, overweight or obesity increases the risk of diseases like kidney problems, heart problems, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, coronary artery disease, stroke, and so on. On the other hand, an underweight person has a risk of decreased immune function, vitamin deficiency, anemia, fatigue, and risk of complications after surgery, infections, and so on. Therefore, to live a healthy life, one should manage BMI.
Nine ways to manage BMI and keep it within a healthy range.
1. Exercise (Regular physical activity)
Exercise is an essential activity to live a healthy life. Nowadays, most people are involved in a desk job or even working from home that forces them to work long hours leading a sedentary life. No physical activities lead to obesity that is detrimental to health. Thus, exercise is needed to manage BMI as exercise can burn fat in overweight people while giving strength and muscle growth to underweight people.
- Consult with the gym trainer to gain mass if you are underweight as the combination of specific exercises and food is needed to gain weight.
- Do exercise at least 3 or 4 times a week.
- Move frequently while sitting for long.
- Participate in sports such as football, swimming, marathon, and so on.
- On busy days at least walk for 30 minutes.
2. Change your food habits (Balanced and healthy diet)
Food habits play an essential role in health: time, type, and frequency of meal or food change many things in the body. Processed or junk food has long term adverse effects on the body. Constant intake of salty, sugary, and fatty diet will put health at risk and make people vulnerable to diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, and so on.
When a person has an irregular meal schedule and tendency to have a ready-made meal or junk food or sleep immediately after having food at night. All these eventually affects ones BMI. Such habits either increase the BMI or lower the immune system.
Following a regular schedule for snacks and meals will reduce the BMI and maintain the internal body clock. It also helps in digestion and keeps digestion problems away.
- Make a meal plan and eat at the same time every day; follow the schedule.
- Lower the consumption of processed/ salty/sugary foods, carbonated drinks.
- Increase intake of fruits, whole grain, and green vegetables. Underweight or people who have lower BMI should include dry fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grain in everyday meals.
- Don’t eat food to fill tummy; instead, opt for healthy eating.
14 Healthy foods to add in your Diet – List of Foods
3. Never skip your breakfast
Everyone needs breakfast – kids or adults; however, due to busy life, we have started to skip breakfast. But no one knows how detrimental it is for the body. Breakfast is the first heavy meal we give to the body, which fuels our body to work all day. When one skips breakfast, the body doesn’t get the energy to work for long and make one feel fatigued and hungry, which will lead to the consumption of more food and sweetened drink later. This way, it increases BMI.
The body nutrients that are neglected during the day are provided with a well-balanced breakfast. People who are underweight or want to increase BMI should incorporate fruits, dry fruits, protein shakes, whole grains, and nutritious food in breakfast. Thus, to manage BMI better, well-balanced breakfast serves as an important meal and you shouldn’t skip it.
4. Get enough Sleep
Nothing works if you don’t get a sound sleep. Even though you eat nutritious food and do vigorous exercise, if you don’t get enough sleep, you will fail to manage healthy weight or BMI. During sleep, our bodies get a chance to recover and repair the cells from day-to-day wear and tear. Sleep deprivation will cause biochemical changes in the body that make you feel hungrier and less full after a meal. Also, lack of sleep causes a shift in hormones that control hunger and appetite, which will lead to unnecessary food craving. So ultimately, less sleep will make you hungry and obese.
However, excessive sleep will cause energy loss and make you thin but in the wrong way. When you sleep in the day time and don’t give fuel to yourself, the body takes energy from body cells, causing thinning of muscle mass. Consequently, the body loses minerals and vitamins and increases the risk of infection by lowering immunity. Thus, to manage BMI and keep yourself healthy, get at least 6 -7 hours of sound sleep. It is not only helpful in the regulation of hormones but also strengthen the body’s repair mechanism.
5. Ensure Effective Stress Management
Stress is inevitable, so its management has become essential. Excessive stress has harmful effects on the body as stress changes many-body mechanisms from the heart rate to hormones to perspiration. Stress is one of the hurdles in the management of BMI because stress causes weight loss or weight gain- It varies from person to person. During stress, some people do not feel hungry, and some crave sugary, fatty foods. It also slows down metabolism due to the stress hormone effect and makes one obese. So to manage BMI better, stress management is needed.
- Practice yoga and meditation.
- Play sports or do any favorite activities.
- Watch funny movies or comedy shows to relax.
- Get relaxation body and head massage.
- Plan a day to curb unnecessary daily stress.
6. Portion control
Paying attention to portion sizes and avoiding overeating can help manage BMI. Eating smaller, balanced meals throughout the day and avoiding large portion sizes can help prevent excessive calorie intake.
7. Lifestyle changes
Making healthy lifestyle changes such as reducing sedentary behavior, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption can also contribute to managing BMI. These factors can affect appetite, metabolism, and overall health.
8. Seek professional help
If you’re struggling with managing your BMI, consider seeking guidance from a healthcare professional, such as a registered dietitian or a healthcare provider. They can provide personalized recommendations based on your individual health needs and help you develop a plan tailored to your specific situation.
9. Avoid crash diets or extreme measures
It’s important to avoid crash diets or extreme measures that promise rapid weight loss, as these can be harmful to your health and may not be sustainable in the long term. Slow and steady weight loss through healthy lifestyle changes is generally recommended for long-term success.
Normal Healthy BMI Range Chart
How to calculate BMI at home
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure used to estimate whether an individual’s weight is within a healthy range for their height. It is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters. Here’s the BMI formula to calculate BMI at home:
BMI FORMULA = weight (kg) / height^2 (m^2)
Step-by-step instructions to calculate BMI with BMI formula:
- Step 1: Measure your weight in kilograms (kg). If your weight is given in pounds (lbs), you can convert it to kilograms by dividing it by 2.20462, as 1 kg is approximately equal to 2.20462 lbs.
- Step 2: Measure your height in meters (m). If your height is given in feet (ft) and inches (in), you can convert it to meters by multiplying the feet by 0.3048 and adding the inches multiplied by 0.0254. This will give you the height in meters.
For example, if a person weighs 70 kg and has a height of 1.75 meters, the calculation would be as follows:
Weight = 70 kg
Height = 1.75 m
BMI = 70 / (1.75^2)
BMI = 70 / 3.0625
BMI = 22.86
- Step 3: Once you have the weight and height in the appropriate units, divide the weight by the square of the height to get the BMI.
- Step 4: Interpret the BMI result. BMI falls into different categories to determine whether a person’s weight is within a healthy range. The World Health Organization (WHO) has established the following BMI categories for adults:
BMI HEALTHY RANGE CHART is as follows
- Underweight: BMI less than 18.5
- Normal weight: BMI 18.5 to 24.9
- Overweight: BMI 25 to 29.9
- Obese: BMI 30 or greater
It’s important to note that while BMI can be a useful screening tool, it does not take into consideration other factors such as body composition, muscle mass, and individual variations, and should be used in conjunction with other assessments for a comprehensive evaluation of a person’s health. It’s always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional for a proper assessment of your health and weight status.
Use this BMI formula to Calculate BMI at home and Healthy Normal BMI range is given above With BMI range chart.
The Takeaway
To maintain a healthy BMI, one should deliberately change his or her way of living. Daily exercise, nutritious foods, disciplinary life, proper sleep, and stress management are the critical factors in managing BMI better and living a long healthy life.
