BMI (Body Mass Index)

The personal perception when one feels too fat is quite different with each individual. For an objective judgment of body weight there are guidelines calculable in different ways. In the scope of our wellness concept, you will mainly have to deal with two measurements:

1. Body Mass Index (BMI)
2. Body Fat Content

Through the determination of BMI and additional body fat measuring, you can follow and document the now-value and later the success of your effort to decrease body weight.

The only thing you need to know is your actual body weight and height. With these two factors you can figure out your BMI. With this acquired information about your body composition, your body fat percentage, daily calorie consumption and calorie balance can be determined. We want to motivate you and help you on your way to lasting weight reduction by giving more value to your lifestyle, especially in regards to your nutrition and physical activity.

For good health your BMI should be somewhere in the 19 to 25 range. Someone with a BMI of 26 to 30 is generally believed to carry moderate health risks. A BMI of 31 and higher is considered obese and carries extreme health risks.

Refer to Step 2 of the Almased Workbook for Weight Loss section at the back of this book to calculate your BMI.

Body Fat Percentage

The second important measurement besides BMI is body fat percentage. With this you can control whether your weight loss program actually reduces unwanted body fat or whether it eliminates necessary body proteins and water. At no time should you lose body protein, i.e. muscle mass, in the course of a diet.

Before starting a diet program, it is recommended that you have your body fat percentage measured. It is one of the best ways to measure how much fat you are losing. Using a scale to determine the effectiveness of a diet is only telling half of the story. The reduction of fat in the body is the true test of any diet program. Should you have the opportunity to measure your body fat there are several tools that do this, including a body fat scale or the Impedance or Infrared method. Just make sure the tool or method you’re using has a highly regarded accuracy rating. A good way to test your body fat during a diet program is to purchase an inexpensive, do-it-yourself body fat tester like the one made by Accu-Measure. See the additional information section of this book for more information.

Once you have your body fat percentage you can see how it rates on the table provided in Step 3 of the Almased Workbook for Weight Loss section at the back of this book.

What Does a Healthy Diet Look Like?

You have decided to slim down and want to lose body weight and keep it off. This is possible in multiple ways but, for lasting success, certain prerequisites need to be explained. The chosen method of diet should:

1. Contain all necessary nutrients, minerals and vitamins in ample and well-balanced amounts.
2. Enable a long-term change of eating habits to a normal fat (low in saturated fats) diet.
3. Ensure that muscle mass stays the same and, in conjunction with exercise, builds additional muscle.

The goal of a healthy diet lies in reducing body fat. Muscle mass is supposed to increase or stay unchanged. The more muscle mass you have in your body the more calories your body burns.