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Know BMI

Posted on January 5th, 2008 in Beginners, Nutrition & Weight Loss by

A lot of people obsess about weight and talk about calories and miles logged. Many of them also throw around terms like BMI a lot. But how many of us actually understand what BMI means? BMI stands for Body Mass Index which is a ratio of a person’s height and weight. It is measured as follows:

Weight (kg/ pounds)

Height (m)

BMI is used to measure whether a person is overweight, underweight or has a healthy weight. Through this doctors and other health professionals are able to discuss a patient’s weight and related problems with them. It gives a person a proper idea about how overweight he or she is so that they know the goal they have to reach and act accordingly.

BMI is very easy to calculate and for that reason it is easy for people to find how to what extent their weight has become a problem. BMI is the best way to measure the body and weight ratio for people who lead sedentary lifestyles. It however has a lot of demerits.

BMI does not take into account muscle weight. Most athletes have a lot of muscle weight and they tend to be shown as overweight or obese on the BMI scale. Unless a different mechanism is devolved for athletes with a new framework, this one cannot be accepted as a true reflection. Also BMI also does not make allowances for body type/ frame etc. People who have a larger bone structure but not much fat may still be counted in the overweight category. In the U.S BMI is also used to make a new classification that is starvation. People are classified into various categories as followed:

BMI Category

The Benefits of Running

Posted on November 27th, 2007 in Beginners by

When we talk about running, it categorizes people into three categories. Those who love it, those who hate it, and those who don’t care. Of course, the first category outnumbers the other two by a very large number, and for good reason. Running is not popular only because it’s a fun sport, it is also the most complete form of exercise recommended by doctors, physicians and trainers.The benefits of running are varied and widespread, and listing every single one down would make a long list indeed. The reasons, like I said, are varied, and each one is sufficient by itself. It may be to lose weight or get fit. Perhaps you should run to stay healthy and happy. It could even be a way to meet people or to compete with themselves or others in races.

Physical Benefits

The most common reason why many people take up running is with the idea of losing weight. Losing excess weight through running has been established to be one of the healthiest things one can do. Running not only helps fight diseases, it also helps to strengthen your heart and whole cardiovascular system. Not only that, running even prevents muscle and bone loss that occurs naturally with old age. These are just a few of the health benefits one earns from running.

Mental

There are numerous and, in fact, scientifically proven psychological benefits to running as well. Running has been observed to build confidence in all ages of people. Additionally, going for a jog during your day can reduce your stress level drastically. As we know, of course, endorphins are the body’s natural antidepressant.