How to Find Your Healthy Body Weight

Is healthy weight determined by a number on the scale, by how you feel or by a measuring tape? Surprisingly, no. Finding the right balance can be a bit more difficult, which is where a doctor supervised weight loss program can come in handy. According to the Center for Disease Control, being underweight or overweight is dangerous. However, with only 2 percent of the population being underweight, that is not the primary problem we see.

On the other hand, being overweight or obeseis a problem for 30 percent of the American population as recorded by the Journal of the American Medical Association. The major cause of this is poor diet choices and too little physical activity. To track and manage weight accurately, it is important to know how to gauge it correctly. Here are the recommended tools:

Know Your BMI

BMI, or Body Mass Index, is the most popular tool for measuring a healthy body weight. The BMI does not reflect your total weight, like the bathroom scale does, but it gives you the total fat you have in your body. To get it, you need to multiply your weight by 700 and then divide it by your height in inches. The result you get is to be divided again by your height in inches, and the final figure is compared to a list of weight ranges for underweight, normal, and overweight amounts. The normal BMI range is set between 18.5 and 24.9.

Issues with the BMI

Though the BMI has been considered a breakthrough, it has some issues that need clarification. For one, it does not differentiate lean from fat. And since muscle weighs heavier than fat, a stocky and muscular athlete may be categorized as obese or overweight, when in fact he barely has fat in his body. The concern of doctor weight loss clinics about BMI is that it does not consider the differences among bodies in terms of race, sex (where women need more body fat), age (since lean muscle declines over time) or location of excess weight in the body.

Other Diagnostic Tools Pros and Cons

If you want to try other diagnostic tools, you can go to any doctor weight loss clinic and request the following: (the pros and cons have been included to help you decide)

1. Bio-electrical impedance scale. This tool sends safe electrical current to your body to determine fat content, but may not be accurate if you are dehydrated or having your menstrual cycle.
2. DEXA scanner. This uses an x-ray machine and is performed in a doctor weight loss clinic or other medical clinic. The results have been reported as accurate.
3. Bod pod. This is a new tool where the patient is seated in a chamber and air displacement is measured.

If you really want to know what your ideal weight is and where you are at now,you can reach out to your doctor for answers. A doctor supervised weight loss program can help you set proper goals and track your progress accurately. If you are interested, DocWeightLoss in Jacksonville and Orange Park, Florida can be contacted to get started. For more information please visit: Doctor supervised weight loss programs.