Are you wondering if your weight is in proportion with your height? Or are you concerned if your child’s height and weight are normal for their age? Then you better check your or their BMI or Body Mass Index. Remember that BMI for children and teens is different. Likewise, there is a specific BMI chart for men and women. Even among Asians, a different BMI cut-off point was proposed by the World Health Organization.¹

In general and in simple terms, Body Mass Index (BMI) is a statistical tool that gauges a person’s weight in relation to his height and describes if he is underweight, healthy, overweight, obese or morbidly obese. Body Mass Index (BMI) can be derived by dividing your body weight by the square of your height, expressed as:

• BMI = kg/m2

To calculate your BMI, follow this procedure:

• Multiply your weight in pounds by 703 (a constant)
• Divide that answer by your height in inches
• Again, divide that answer by your height in inches.

Here’s a sample BMI calculation for somebody who weighs 180 pounds and stands 65 inches tall.

• Step 1  – 180 x 703 = 126, 540
• Step 2  – 126,540/65 = 1,946.76
• Step 3  – 1,946.76/65 = 29.95

The BMI is 29.95. Now compare this result with the BMI chart below:

Source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007196.htm²

You see by using the BMI, you can tell that a person weighing 180 pounds and is 65 inches tall is overweight.

Online BMI calculators

Now, calculating your BMI is as easy as 1-2-3! Online BMI calculators are available. All you have to do is encode your height and weight and click! – You have the result and the description (i.e. normal, overweight, underweight, obese, extremely obese). The calculator comes in standard and metric systems too. Here are my recommended BMI calculators:

BMI calculator for Adult:  National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

Child/Teen and adult BMI calculators:  Center for Disease Control and Prevention

BMI Chart

Another way to determine your ideal body weight is by using a BMI weight-for-height chart. The BMI chart presents the weight in the horizontal axis and the height in the vertical axis. You plot your weight and height and see if the point where both axis meet fall on the BMI categories such as normal, overweight, underweight, obese or extremely obese. Here is an example of this chart.

BMI Table

Another tool to know the ideal weight for your height is the BMI Table. Height is listed in the left-hand part of the table while the weight is listed across the table; the number at the top is the BMI. To use the table, you simply find your height and weight and see the BMI on the top of your coordinates. Try to use this table from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

Why BMI for children and teens are different?

BMI for children and teens is different because their bone density and body fat change as they grow. Also, boys differ from girls in terms of growth spurt. That is why BMI for children and teens is gender and age specific. For this reason also, BMI for children and teens is specifically called BMI-for-age. Try using this online BMI calculator:

Child and Teen BMI calculator:  Center for Disease Control and Prevention

What BMI is not

BMI does NOT actually measure the percentage of body fat. BMI is used to estimate a healthy body weight in relation to height. For body fat measurement, clinical tests and other tools are used like Body Fat Calculator, Tape-Measure Test, Body Fat Scale among other methods. Check with a health professional for a correct body fat measurement.

BMI is NOT the sole indicator if you need to lose weight. If you are a body builder or you muscular in nature, your BMI may be higher but is still normal for your frame. Among elderly, a higher BMI is also a protection for osteoporosis. A doctor has to consider other factors if you need to lose weight. Do not rely on your own BMI calculations if you need to lose or gain weight, always check with a health professional especially if you have the following health problems: heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, diabetes (type 2), varicose veins.

How BMI came to be?

Body mass index (BMI) is also known as Quetelet index named after its inventor, Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian statistician and anthropometrist . BMI was invented sometime in 1830-1850 during the time when Quetelet was developing “social physics”.

Footnotes

1. World Health Organization.  www.who.int/nutrition/publications/bmi_asia_strategies.pdf.
2. MedlinePlus.  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007196.htm

Now to the meat and potatoes of this Fat Loss 4 Idiots review.

Overview: Fat Loss 4 Idiots	Fat Loss 4 Idiots states you can lose 9 pounds every 11 days. The premise is you are overweight because you eat the wrong foods in the wrong pattern. It is not a low carb diet, a calorie counting diet, or a low fat diet. How does it work?  This easy weight loss diet focuses on using fat-burning hormones naturally produced by the body.  The hormones burn fat after each meal. What’s the trick?  Simple, eat the foods prescribed by Fat Loss 4 Idiots that stimulate fat burning.  It also shows you how to eat and when to eat so that you easily lose weight without going hungry 24/7.
Features	A comprehensive eating plan that tells you what to eat, how often, and when to eat. The key is eating foods that help you lose weight by burning fat. According to Fat Loss 4 Idiots there are foods that actually stimulate hormones in your body that are naturally produced that will burn fat. It uses Calorie Shifting, where it tricks your body’s metabolism into burning more fat and calories.  Calorie shifitng is simply giving your body a variety of calories on different days to confuse your metabolism – this in turn forces fat loss to occur faster. Claims that you can potentially lose up to 9 pounds every eleven days. When you eat, 2 types of hormones are released.  One stimulates fat burning, the other fat storage.  Fat Loss 4 Idiots tells you the foods that stimulate fat burning. You get to eat more than 3 times per day.  This easy weight loss diet plan tells you how often and when to eat.  It is not a starvation diet. Fat loss 4 idiots is weight loss 4 idiots. When you lose fat, you lose weight.  When you lose weight, you lose inches.
What Fat Loss 4 Idiots is Not	Not a low carb diet. Not a calorie counting diet. Not a low fat diet. Not positive thinking. Not a pill. According to Fat Loss 4 Idiots, these diets are either horrendously slow (you want easy and fast right), but also often fail in the long run.  Take the calorie counting diet which essentially restricts your caloric intake.  Over the long-run your body adjusts to the lower caloric intake which slows your metabolism rather than speed it up.
Benefits	Fast weight loss program.  Up to 9 pounds in 11 days. Doesn’t impose a low-carb, low-calorie, and low-fat diet, hence one will find the diet more enjoyable. Results are evident in a short period of time. Lose inches off your waistline quickly and easily.  Just follow the prescribed diet plan. Gain more energy. Enjoy a healthier lifestyle with your new weight loss. Look better and feel better.
Specification	If one loses more than one pound in weight every day, one should slow down on the diet a bit.
Warranty/Refund	60-day money back guarantee.
Dislikes	Your weight loss after the first cycle may vary – but it stabilizes after the second cycle.  Don’t get discouraged if you don’t maintain losing 9 pounds every 11 days.  The fact is, if you’re losing weight just by changing what you eat, then you’re fortunate. Some people don’t lose 9 pounds in the second week.  This may seem discouraging.  The point is in the long run, significant weight loss is possible.
Comments	Keep in mind that if you complement Fat Loss 4 Idiots with exercise, you may add muscle, which means you may not lose as much weight as you like – but it’s your body’s shape that is most important.  Judge your weight loss success with how you look and feel – not just the weight loss numbers.
Click Here to Visit the Official Fat Loss 4 Idiots Website

End of the Fat Loss 4 Idiots review.

Ironically however it is observed that food cravings seem to magnify while we are on a diet. The more we suppress our cravings the more our mouth waters for food we wish to limit our intake like chocolate, ice cream, cake, sweets, potato chips or drinks like soda or cola. Worse, we end up gulping more than our normal intake until one day we wake up feeling heavier than before. After a quick step on a weighing scale our suspicion is confirmed and that’s when we declare our diet plan is not working – again.

For this reason, I think it is best we should first understand food cravings before we attempt to manage it. Equally important is we should know which diet plan and popular diet concept work. Does artificial sweeteners reduce craving for sugar? Does going “diet” or “light” helpful? Does chewing a gum really suppress our appetite? Does exercise curb food craving? Or do exercises make us hungrier? Read on and find researched-based answers to these queries.

Food Craving: Its Psychology

The psychology of food craving, a research by Hill A.J. in (year) tried to explain our tendency to crave more for food while on diet. Through prospective and experimental research, the study validated the general observation on dieting and craving. Trying to diet or to restrain oneself from eating a particular food or taking a particular drink is associated with increased cravings for that “unavailable” food or drink. This behavior is a result of a complex mix of underlying cognitive, conditioning, and emotional processes most notable of which are ironic cognitive processes, conditioned cue reactivity and dysphoric mood. In simple terms, too much conscious effort to suppress an unwanted thought (food craving), exposure to the cue (unwanted food), and the general feeling of unhappiness (for restrained eating) intensify food craving while on diet.(1).  Surprisingly this research also suggested that fasting makes craving diminish. But of course, fasting is not an ideal way to curb food cravings. Suppression of hunger may result to some physical conditions like dizziness, fatigue and constipation.

Another study entitled How visual images of chocolate affect the craving and guilt of female dieters by Fletcher BC, Pine KJ　et al (2005) also validated conditioned cue reactivity among women. The participants of the study were 85 females 2/3 of which were dieting or had dieted in the past. They were exposed to images of chocolate and were asked to answer the Attitudes to Chocolate Questionnaire (ACQ) [Benton, Greenfield, & Morgan (1998)]. Results showed that dieters ACQ scores are significantly higher than non-dieters. This study suggested that dieting increases desire for restricted foods. Moreover dietary restriction induces guilt, anxiety and depression.

In addition, research and an article called The nature of imagery processes underlying food cravings (Harvey K, et al. 2009) concluded that craving increased among dieter-participants when given instructions to imagine the food induction scenario.

Among adolescents it was found out that increased daytime sleep is greatly associated with unhealthy food cravings that can lead to obesity. In addition, the study Sleep, hunger, satiety, food cravings, and caloric intake in adolescents by Landis AM, Parker KP and Dunbar SB (2009) suggested that age, gender and race are closely associated with feelings of hunger, satiety, total food cravings and caloric intake.(2)

Another notable result from research underscored hyperandrogenemia or menstrual disturbances and psychological distress as factors for greater food cravings among young women. (Limm SS, Norman RJ et. al., 2008. Hyperandrogenemia, psychological distress, and food cravings in young women).

Considering the results of the above-mentioned study, here are pieces of practical advice on how to manage food cravings while on a diet:

1. Take it easy. Don’t be too conscious that you are on diet. The less you think of it, the more you feel you are in control.
2. Stop staring at those glossy, mouth-watering images of food. Shut your thoughts as soon as a mental picture of “unwanted” food or drink starts to flash. Never stay long in the grocers, in the bakers or in a restaurant – especially if it’s an eat-all-you-can restaurant, don’t dare open its door. Distract yourself when you start thinking about food. Change your activity and let your mind focus on a new task to dispel thoughts of food.
3. Don’t oversleep on daytime especially among teenagers. Too much sleep increases food craving.
4. Never start a diet plan (for young women) when you have menstrual problems. Body chemicals released during this period trigger a more intense craving for certain foods.
5. Be happy. Distress feelings lead to over-eating. A happy mood makes you see dieting not as a restriction or a burden but a positive, healthy activity.

Food Craving: Its Biological Cause

Blood sugar imbalance and low blood sugar trigger food cravings. Any of these two conditions – blood sugar imbalance and low blood sugar – may happen if there is less intake of calorie or there is a long period of time between your meals.(3)

Practical

1. Eat at regular intervals in a day. Don’t skip meals.

2. Get enough recommended calorie for each day. Don’t fall below the safe calorie intake level.

3. Take healthful food for snacks: e.g. fruits.

4. Eat a low GI (Glycemic Index) carbohydrates food: e.g. whole grain bread.

5. Take high-fiber and high protein food.

Food and Cravings

Aside from knowing the nature of food craving, it is also important to identify what kind of food induces more cravings. Awareness of these food types will help you avoid them or drop them from your diet plan all together.

What are the foods that intensify cravings?

What are the characteristics of these foods that somehow have an “addictive” effect? As gleaned from a research, food with high energy density and fat content, and low protein and fiber contents are top candidates for craved food. (Gilhooly CH, Das SK　et al, 2007. Food cravings and energy regulation: the characteristics of craved foods and their relationship with eating behaviors and weight change during 6 months of dietary energy restriction). If you want a long term weight loss, this article and research suggests that you focus on changing the serving size of craved foods and frequency of giving in to food cravings.

An interesting laboratory taste test investigation revealed that that there is a significant correlation between food cravings and intake of corresponding types of food. In this study, participants completed the Food Craving Inventory on sweets, fats, carbohydrates, and fast food fats and a taste test on specific food items (jelly beans, M&M’s, regular potato chips, and baked low-fat potato chips). After that, they were allowed to indulge on the given food items. The study showed that “sweets scale correlated with M&Ms and jelly bean intake, but not chip intake. On the other hand, fats scale correlated only with intake of regular potato chips.” (Martin CK, O’Neil PM, et. al, 2007. The association between food cravings and consumption of specific foods in a laboratory taste test).

Food to avoid/limit intake:

Food with too much added sugar: cake, sweets, breakfast cereals, ice cream, cookies, etc.; food with too much salt; chips, canned or processed or refined foods; caffeinated drinks like coffee, cola; high GI (Glycemic Index) food: white breads, regular soda, etc.

Recommended food:

High in fiber foods like vegetables, beans, fruits, etc; low GI food like whole grain bread, sweet potatoes, brown rice, wheat pasta, sweet potatoes, etc.

Attitudes and Approaches on How to Manage Food Cravings

If we have to think about it, the very nature of dieting itself triggers a psychological response that makes us want more for food. Aside from that, it is almost impossible to live in a world that we will not see around the very food we would like to avoid. Nevertheless, don’t despair. With proper attitude and approach, it is not difficult to curb food craving. The following are some researched-based approaches on how to manage cravings while on diet. If you are in a hunt for specific and practical techniques on how to curb your urge for food while you are watching your weight, see if those techniques are anchored on these principles:

1. Acceptance-based strategies such as experiential acceptance and defusion techniques were associated with better outcomes on food cravings and consumption. (Forman EM, Hoffman KL et al. 2007. A comparison of acceptance- and control-based strategies for coping with food cravings: an analog study).
2. Dynamic visual noise technique is more effective than thought suppression in reducing food cravings among dieters or weight watchers.　(Kemps E, Tiggemann M, and Christianson R. 2007. Concurrent visuo-spatial processing reduces food cravings in prescribed weight-loss dieters).
3. Visual imagery task reduces food cravings than auditory imagery task (Harvey K, Kemps E, Tiggemann M. 2009. The nature of imagery processes underlying food cravings).
4. In the lights of these findings, here are some specific activities to combat cravings: (a) Distract your thoughts by a change in activity once thoughts of food creep to your mind. (b)  Write about your food cravings, your feelings, your goals, and your determination.  (c)  Talk to your cravings as if it were a person and say “I am stronger than you!”  (d) At night, keep the lights turned off in your kitchen. Don’t linger in your kitchen. If you have a
   refrigerator in your bedroom, better remove it.
5. Change your routine. Don’t eat in front of the television. Stop passing by your favorite restaurant.

These are but some examples of psychological approaches on how to overcome food cravings especially if the craving is not real hunger but a psychological one. You may check with a licensed counselor or psychologist to effectively help you control your food cravings especially if your craving is out of proportion and is a threat to your health and well-being.

Quick Replies to Popular Dieter’s Queries

1.  Does chewing a gum suppress food cravings?

Yes. Chewing a gum suppresses one’s appetite particularly sweets. Also, chewing a gum reduces snack intake. (Hetherington MM and Boyland E. 2007. Short-term effects of chewing gum on snack intake and appetite).

2.  Does artificial sweeteners or going “diet” or “light” help in losing weight?

Surprisingly, no it doesn’t. As cited by a study, there were researches that suggest artificial sweeteners may even contribute to gaining weight. (Yang Q.　2009. Gain weight by “going diet?” Artificial sweeteners and the neurobiology of sugar cravings: Neuroscience 2010).

3.  Does exercise reduce food craving?

Absolutely Yes – specifically for chocolate cravings. An experimental study on Acute effects of brisk walking on urges to eat chocolate, affect, and responses to a stressor and chocolate cue (Taylor AH and Oliver AJ., 2009 in their article Acute effects of brisk walking on urges to eat chocolate, affect, and responses to a stressor and chocolate cue. An experimental study) revealed that exercise specifically brisk walking reduces chocolate urges and weakens responses to chocolate cues.

Lastly, I wish to say never hesitate to join a support group in your community or online. Have someone or a group check on your progress on how you manage your own cravings. Or better yet, let this person – maybe a friend, a loved one or your parents – act as your conscience every time you give in to the temptation of a sweet treat.

Endnotes

1. Hill, Andrew J.  The Psychology of Food Craving.

2.  Landis, A.M. et al.  Sleep, hunger, satiety, food cravings, and caloric intake in adolescents.

3.  Lim, S.S.  Hyperandrogenemia, psychological distress, and food cravings in young women.

Lisa is 41 years old. She is falling into a depression because she is 40 pounds over her desired weight. She’s bought 5 diet programs – all touted to be easy and effective. She lost some weight, but it came back.

Lisa works in an office at a desk. Her job is a busy one, but requires pretty much no physical activity. Lisa has two kids ages 6 and 9. She doesn’t have a lot of time for going to the gym, although she has a membership. Some of the supposedly easy weight loss diets Lisa tried so far include:

• calorie counting;
• low carb diets;
• various diet pills;
• low fat diets; and
• vegetarian diet.

For Lisa, they weren’t easy and not effective in the long run.

She even fit in exercise while on some of these diets.  She did lose weight, but now it’s back again.  She’s lost motivation and is showing signs of depression.  Once depressed, getting back into action to lose weight is very, very difficult.  Lisa needs help; what can she do?

Now, the above-listed diets do work for some people in the long run.  However, not all weight loss diets work for everyone as Lisa found out.

The first thing Lisa needs to do is get her motivation to lose weight back.  She needs to identify why she wants to lose weight.  Likely there are several reasons.  She needs to focus on those reasons.

Second, Lisa needs hope again.  Hope is a powerful state of mind that can work wonders.

The third thing Lisa can do is try an easy weight loss diet she hasn’t tried – one that is set out in the video.  It’s a weight loss program that takes an approach she has not pursued yet.  Remember, the new diet program must be something that works in the long-term, be relatively easy, and not take a lot of time each day.  Obviously a variation of any of the above 5 diets is not the answer.

The above 5 diets are well-known in our culture and so it’s no surprising Lisa has tried them.  However, there is a lesser-known weight loss diet program call Fat Loss 4 Idiots that is gaining popularity.  It’s available only online – click here if you want to check it out now.

What does Fat Loss 4 Idiots have to offer that Lisa hasn’t tried yet?

The answer is simple:  information.  Specifically, information about how to eat foods that actually burn fat.  If you want to talk about a simple and easy weight loss diet – Fat Loss 4 Idiots is one such program.  It’s entire premise is on burning fat with the foods you eat.

But how can foods burn fat?

According to Fat Loss 4 Idiots, when you eat, the food either stimulates hormones to store fat or burn fat.  This diet program tells you the foods that burn fat.  It also tells you how to vary your eating so you can maximize fat burning week-to-week.  It’s that simple.

Returning to Lisa, she’s regained a sliver of hope watching the above video.  That is good.  She’ll take some time investigating the Fat Loss 4 Idiots program because starting a diet program is an investment of emotional effort, money, and time.  However, with renewed hope and motivation, she’ll probably get the Fat Loss 4 Idiots diet program as her next diet in a long line of easy weight loss diets.

Visit the Official Fat Loss 4 Idiots Website

It’s important to note that no matter which diet one chooses, it helps tremendously to also get active – even walking is good.  One way to establish a walking routine is to use a treadmill.  This way you can work out in the convenience of your how home.  If you’re looking to get a treadmill, then start your research by reading in-depth treadmill reviews.  Treadmill reviews are a great resource to guide you in your treadmill buying decision.  A treadmill is a large purchase and should be done with care.

If you want to lose weight, you no doubt want to do it in a healthy way, effectively, and as quickly as possible.  You also don’t want jeopardize your weight loss program.

I’ve lost weight while eating fruit – in fact I’ve lost lots of weight while eating a lot a fruit.  The fact is I have an incredible sweet tooth and so I found fruit was (while losing weight) and is (keeping the weight off) an excellent way to feed my sweet tooth.

My favorite best fruits for weight loss are:

1. Apples
2. Oranges
3. Grapefruits
4. Kiwis
5. Pomegranates
6. Pears
7. Mangos
8. Lemons (for lemon water)
9. Cantaloupe
10. Watermelon

When losing weight I found eating fruit for breakfast on its own an outstanding way to get the day started.  Fruit for breakfast is easy to prepare, high-energy, all-natural, very tasty, and doesn’t bog you down when getting going first thing.  I hope my favorite best fruits for weight loss list gives you some ideas for your weight loss program.

Calorie is a pre-International System of Units (pre-SI) for energy. A calorie is a unit of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree centigrade at atmospheric pressure.¹ The International System of Units (SI) for energy is Joules (J) but this measurement is often used in physical sciences. To express the equivalent of one calorie to joule:

• 1 cal = 4.184 J

In nutrition, Calorie (often with a capitalized C) also commonly referred to as food calorie or diet calorie is a unit of measurement to gauge the energy-giving potential in food. In this case however as with most food labels, calorie (cal) actually means kilocalorie (kcal) represented as:

• 1000 cal = I kcal

For example, a can of soda with 200 calories actually means 200,000 calories or 200 kilocalories of heat energy if subjected to complete combustion. A 100 gram Fried egg with 180 calories is equivalent to 180,000 calories or 180 kilocalories. A 100 gram whole milk has 70 calories which means 70,000 calories or 70 kilocalories of heat energy.

Is a Calorie Bad?

If calorie simply means heat energy, why do we concern so much with our intake of calorie? Anyway, our body needs energy. Of course we need energy to sustain our everyday activities; however, a surplus of calorie could result in mass gain. In other words, unused calorie is stored as fat. Naturally, nobody would like that. Agree? Here’s a sample illustration of how an extra calorie converts into gain weight,

• 7700 kcal surplus = I kg of gain weight
• 3500 kcal surplus = 0.454 kg of gain weight

Consider this with caution, however. Doctors and nutritionists consider this as a very simplistic estimate.²

How many calories do you need?

The recommended daily calorie intake for most of us is only 2000 – 2500 calories.

Remember, 2000 – 2500 is only a general recommendation on calorie intake. For athletes, or very active people and those with special needs – losing weight, recuperating from illness, undergoing health care management like diabetics, hypertensives – these groups may require a different calorie count. Calorie restriction using a recommended diet plan coupled with exercise may help improve mental function, heart health in overweight, hypertensive adults.³

Check this chart that serves as a guide to help you determine your calorie need considering your age, gender and activity level.

If you wish to personally know your own calorie requirements, you may use this calorie calculator, or consult your doctor or health care provider.

How the term Calorie came to be?

An article from the Journal of Nutrition (2006) published by the American Society for Nutrition entitled History of the Calorie in Nutrition authored by James L. Hargrove of the Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, Athens explained that calorie was not actually a unit of heat in the original metric system. Before, modern kcal was used in 1852 by Fayre and Silberman or by Mayer in 1848, Nicholas Clement has already introduced calorie in his lectures on heat engines in 1819-1824 in Paris. The word calorie with its present definition entered the English language in 1863.⁴

Footnotes

1. WordNetWeb.  wordnetweb.princeton.eduhttp://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=calorie
2. http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/0,,sid9_gci771826,00.html
3. http://www.newsroom.heart.org/index.php?s=43&item=980
4. http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/abstract/136/12/2957