Category: Medical Weight Loss

What Is Your Body Mass Index (BMI)?

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What Is Your Body Mass Index (BMI)?

What Is Your BMI?

BMI was first introduced in 1830-1850 by a Belgium astronomer.

The modern term “Body Mass Index” (BMI) for the ratio of human body weight to squared height.

It was coined in a paper published in the July 1972 edition of the Journal of Chronic Diseases by Ancel Keys.

BMI is universally expressed in kg/m2, resulting from mass in kilograms and height in meters.

Why Calculate BMI?

A person’s BMI can be used as a screening tool for weight issues.

However, it is not indicative of a person’s overall health.

BMI is used as a general rule to determine if an adult patient is underweight, normal, overweight, obese or morbidly obese.

BMI Ranges:

Underweight: Less than 18.5 BMI

Normal: Between 18.5 and 25 BMI

Overweight: Between 25 and 30 BMI

Obese: Between 30 and 35 BMI

Morbidly Obese: Over 35 BMI

So What Is Your BMI? Calculate your BMI With Our BMI Calculator:

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BMI Table For Adults:

BMI Table

For Children ages 2-20, BMI is used differently as a comparison with other children of the same age.

Children below 5 percent BMI are considered underweight and obese if they are above 95 percent BMI compared to other children their age.

BMI roughly correlates to increasing heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and other chronic diseases.

There is some debate about BMI and it’s use and accuracy.

 

Can BMI be misleading?

BMI can be misleading in those patients with larger than average muscle mass and higher than average fat mass.

An example where BMI does not correlate with health status would be a body builder with low body fat that may screen with an obese BMI.

Another example would be a middle aged female with normal BMI may actually have very high body fat percentage and low muscle mass (aka- skinny fat).

The important factors that make up weight are muscle and fat.

Definitions of ‘overweight’ based on body fat percentages use a male threshold of 25% body fat and female of 33%.

Studies show that BMI may average a 2-point discrepancy when analyzing bod fat percentage.

 

BMI for Women vs. Men

Women vs Men BMI

Women carry more body fat then men typically.

There is debate whether there would be different overweight cut off values for men and women.

However, men usually carry more muscle which weighs more.

Knowing these variables using body composition will help shed more light on a patient’s true health status and help health care providers better direct patients on their health risks and nutrition and exercise goals.

BMI is a quick screening tool that can help establish some risks but ultimately each individual patient should be assessed based on their actual body fat percentage.

Written by Dr. Michael Luciano

Dr. Michael Luciano Bucks County, PA

If you are located near Doylestown, Warrington, or Newtown, PA or the surrounding cities and are interested in learning more about your BMI or need help losing weight, schedule a medical weight loss appointment with Dr. Luciano.

There are more accurate tools that Dr. Luciano utilizes in his practice such as the Metabolic Test and the Body Composition Test.

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You may also enjoy reading “Metabolism Testing.”

Do I Have A Slow Metabolism?

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Metabolism

One of the most common explanations for my patients who struggle with weight loss is my metabolism has slowed down.

Or my thyroid is to blame.

Could this be true?

It is possible but usually not the case.

The way to find out the answers to these questions is quite simple by getting a metabolism test.

What Is A Metabolism Test?

A metabolism test is done by breathing into a device called an indirect calorimeter.

Metabolic Test

The important number to calculate is called your resting metabolic rate.

The resting metabolic rate is the amount of calories your body will expend just to keep you alive.

This number is unique to you based upon the oxygen you expend on a daily basis in a resting state.

The test only takes 10 minutes.

The patient breathes into a tube connected to the device.

Each breath, inhaled and exhaled is analyzed and the final result in computed.

Metabolic Test Results

Metabolic Test Results

Based on your resting metabolic rate number, we can compare you to others your age as well as predict the calories burned while your perform daily activities and exercise.

It is usually surprising to most patients to realize in fact their metabolism is not slow and often times even fast.

This is usually the case for patients who are overweight which is upwards of 70 percent of Americans.

The reason for this is simple. Your body needs to work harder at higher weights to keep you alive.

This hard work translates to burning more calories which explains a higher metabolic rate.

This number called resting energy expenditure is not a variable that can be immediately increased.

However, the number of calories expended with exercise and daily activities can.

This is the key to long term success.

Eating the correct number of calories per day to satisfy your bodies basic energy requirements without going over is the answer to lose weight.

Creating an energy deficit by burning calories through daily activities such as walking, taking the stairs, increasing our steps, household chores, and exercising will get you to your goal weight quicker.

What If I Find Out My Metabolism Is Slow?

There are cases where the metabolism can be slower then normal and we can account to look further into why through lab testing to see if there is a thyroid or metabolic condition present.

Most of the time labs will come back normal.

In this case, we will need to adjust our calories appropriately and work on a long term plan for building a healthier metabolism through a nutrition and exercise program to burn fat and build lean muscle mass.

Finally, consistency is the key to all this for sustainable results.

Your metabolism will likely change over time, and especially with a change in weight.

Measuring this through indirect calorimetry will give you the insight to fuel the body properly, a process we like to call eating to your metabolism.

Written by Dr. Michael Luciano

Dr. Michael Luciano Bucks County, PA

 

Are you interested in testing your metabolism or medical weight loss? If you live near the surrounding cities of Doylestown, Warrington, Newtown, and Warminster, schedule your appointment with Dr. Luciano  online or by calling us at (267) 332-5567.

 

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Top Three Medical Weight-Loss Questions Answered

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Healthy Solutions Medspa If you’ve been carrying around a few extra pounds, you’re certainly not alone—with an estimated 160 million Americans now being identified as either overweight or obese, the fight against fat has never been more urgent. Unfortunately, many dieters find it difficult or seemingly impossible to shed the pounds on their own. Some have even given up on their journey towards health due to a scale that won’t budge. Fortunately there is a great option for people with a Board Certified Obesity Medicine Doctor called Medical Weight Loss.

 

In seeking ways to lose weight, people in the know have turned to Medical Weight Loss. These medical diet programs are different because they offer guidance and program planning from physicians who have devoted their lives to helping clients maintain a healthy weight. But what is medical weight loss, and how can it help you to reach your goals? Read on to learn three quick facts about medical weight loss.

How does being overweight effect my health?

Carrying around a few extra pounds may not seem like a big deal but living with excess fat can have serious consequences for your long-term health. Doctors have linked an overweight or obese BMI to a host of conditions, ranging from Type-II diabetes to certain types of cancers.

How can Medical Weight Loss help me lose weight?

Medical weight loss differs from other weight loss programs because you’ll have a Physician to help you create a personalized plan that fits your dietary needs and lifestyle. Medical weight loss doctors in our office near Warrington offer personalized consultations, comprehensive medical evaluations, metabolism and body composition testing as well as customized nutrition plans. Dr. Michael Luciano’s Medical Weight Loss programs include incorporating the ketogenic diet, protein supplements, vitamins, lipotropic or b12 injections that help boost your metabolism, weight loss medications, and the options of hormone medications like the HCG diet to help you achieve your ultimate goals. Oversight, accountability, and structure under medical supervision promotes a safe, rapid, and successful weight loss plan.

How will I be able to keep the weight off after I lose it with Medical Weight Loss?

Medical weight loss is more than just lowering the number that you see when you step on the scale—it’s also about creating a realistic plan to avoid post-treatment weight gain. Maintaining muscle mass and focusing on fat loss is necessary for long term maintenance of results. At Doctor Luciano’s office, he monitors his patient’s body composition and metabolism as their weight decreases using the latest technology ensuring that you are on the right track and staying healthy. At Healthy Solutions by Dr. Luciano medspa near Richboro, PA, Dr. Luciano will work with you so you can have a smooth transition from weight loss to maintenance.

Are you ready to walk down the path towards a happier and healthier life today? Schedule your appointment at Healthy Solutions by Dr. Luciano by calling (267) 332-5567 to get started!