Body Mass Index vs Body Fat: Measurements of YOUR Health!

As you well know, the only real way to gauge success is to measure your progress periodically. In the fitness world, there are several assessments that can aid as a yardstick for your personal achievements. Similarly, there are other measurements that indirectly measure your “risk” of developing certain weight-related medical conditions. In this blog, I will address two common measurements that are currently used to assess weight-related health risks: Body Mass Index (BMI) and body fatness.

BMI is simply a ratio of a person’s height and weight. These two factors are plugged into a fancy equation and the resulting number is your BMI value. BMI values are used to determine how your weight can affect your overall health status. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has defined these ranges for BMI values in adults:

Underweight = Less than 18.5
Recommended = 18.6 to 24.9
Overweight = 25 to 29.9
Obese = Greater than 30

It is widely accepted that as your BMI goes up, so does your risk of developing weight-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. However, there are arguments that BMI is not the gold standard in determining a person’s overall health. For example, BMI values do not distinguish between muscle and fat. Therefore, highly trained athletes often fall in the overweight or obese categories for BMI despite having very low body fat. Those who argue that BMI is too broad and just a general measurement of risk, suggest that assessing body fat is a more accurate indicator of health. Determining how much fat your body has can paint a more accurate picture of your health.

So how much fat is too much? According to the American Council on Exercise, acceptable/unacceptable body fat ranges are:

Women Men
Essential Fat 10-12% 2-4%
Athletes 14-20% 6-13%
Fitness 21-24% 14-17%
Acceptable 25-31% 18-25%
Obese Over 32% Over 26%

Body fat can be measured by several different methods. A common method used by doctors and personal trainers is by using skinfold measurements and calipers to measure body fat. Calipers are used to measure body fat at specific body sites. These measurements are then compared to a chart to estimate overall body fat. The problem with this method is accuracy is dependent on the skills of the individual doing the measurements – which can vary greatly. Bioelectrical impedance analysis, another common method, is the technology behind the many fat percentage scales sold for home use. This method basically uses a weak electrical current to estimate body fat, muscle, and total body water. Another less common method is using water displacement tests to measure body fat. While this method is arguably more accurate, it is much more complicated and also not as available as other measurement techniques. The bottom line is that body fat measurement accuracy can vary greatly, as much as +/- 10% in some cases based on user error or measurement flaws.

The “take home” message is to understand the different ways we can assess overall health. While both BMI and body fat measurements provide great insight into the health of our body, they both have their drawbacks. However, both measurements provide us with a way we can assess progress and success – which is absolutely essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle…for life!

Turkey Day Tips

Today day is the day that gluttony is acceptable...or at least it seems. It is a day of celebration, feasting, family...football, and naps.

Although most of us are putting "being healthy" on our to do list for the New Year, there are a few things we can do today to make it through without making ourselves sick.

*Drink lots of water.
Sugary drinks, for example, are filled with calories. Our mind doesn't count that as food, and so we eat just as much while we intake more calories.
Sometimes our mind plays tricks on us. If you are dehydrated, your body sends a thirsty signal to your brain way after the fact that you need some agua. It also falsely tells you you are hungry, when in fact, you are dehydrated.
Have a big glass of water before eating, and you will eat less.

*Fiber is key.
Did Aunt Margaret make a cool casserole that you just can't pass up? Take some, but eat a salad to balance it out. Fiber is filling while simple carbohydrates (sugars, starchy foods) only temporarily fill you up.

*Turkey is good.
Have your turkey, tofurkey, or turducken today. Lean proteins are good for your body. You need protein for numerous reasons. Just make sure you stick to the white meat and stay away from the skin and fat. Protein is also a good way to fill up on the good stuff and not be hungry later.
Want to know how much lean protein you need?  Check out this lean protein estimator.

*Portion sizes.
You don't want to offend anyone by not eating their dish or dessert. Eat it and be merry! When you get your first round of food, make each amount a small one.

I hope you all have a good Thanksgiving. Be sure to help Mom clean up today before you take a nap or watch the big game!

How are you today? I'm well, thank you.

Instead of saying we are "good", we have gravitated to saying "well"... but what does it mean to be well? A basic health assessment can give you a better understanding of how you are doing physically, but there are other things that affect your physical fitness. Below is a well-being assessment from the Wellcoaches website.

Please add comments after the assessment about how you did on the questionnaire. You can also respond to it anonymously if you so choose. :)

Welcome to the Wellcoaches quickie well-being assessment. Well-being is a state of optimal physical and mental health. The 15 engaging questions below are focused on science-based areas which together form the foundation of our well-being. Your best guess at your scores will give you a snapshot of your level of well-being.

After you answer the 15 quick questions, we’ll show you a page which summarizes the scores you gave yourself from the highest to lowest. Please print this page as your record or we can email it to you if you provide your email address.

Note that we are not asking you for your name, contact information, or any demographic information. We want you to think about your well-being and what drives it, celebrate what’s going well, and perhaps tackle areas where there is potential for improvement and a healthier happier you!

TODAY’S Well-Being ASSESSMENT

Answer 14 well-being questions for today by rating yourself:

A: I did a stellar job today. (100%)
B: I did a good job. (80%)
C: I got this done. (70%)
D: I did some of this. (50%)
E: I did little or none of this. (40%))


1. I connected with my sense of purpose.

2.I put high octane fuel (healthful foods) in my tank.

3. I exercised with vigor for a total of at least 20 minutes.

4. I coped well with stressful situations.

5. I kept my energy high all day.

6.I had a positive and optimistic outlook.

7. I ate enough to fuel my energy and I did not overeat.

8. I expressed gratitude to someone or did a good deed.

9. I was in control of my spending.

10. I was observant for any obsessions or addictions, and if any, I managed them well.

11. I took actions to prevent or treat health issues, if relevant.

12. I did something to recharge my batteries or have fun.

13. I worked diligently to connect with people today.

If you scored 70-100% and want to maintain or improve your "wellness" or scored 70% or below and want to know more about what well-being is and how to achieve it, please read this blog by Wellcoach, Meg.

Weight Loss Challenge Schedule

Please contact me to sign up for the class. It will begin in January, 2010. I will be teaching in the Dayton area, Columbus area, and via GoToMeetings. If you would like to get a team from your workplace together, I can teach the class at your office. We can also set up personal health evaluations before the class begins.

Week 1: Protein
Week 2: Body Composition, Snacking, Water
Week 3: Metabolism
Week 4: Carbohydrates, Shopping and Cooking, Cellular Nutrition
Week 5: Nutrition Labels, Fats, Portion Control
Week 6: Digestive Health
Week 7: Dining Out
Week 8: Fiber
Week 9: Sugar
Week 10: Exercise
Week 11: Heart Health
Week 12: Maintenance: Long-Term Wellness
Week 13: Final Weigh In!