It All Starts With Knowing Your BMI
“Hip-Hop 4 Better Health” Series (Volume 1; Article 2)
By Charles Fisher and Randy Fisher @HHSYC
Well, summer is officially here and for some of you that means a lot of eating out, cookouts, fast food, junk food, and the loss of your will power to stay in shape—and that 
we can not have. In order for you to win your personal “War on Obesity” you have to first know if you are overweight. Then you can develop a plan works for you to fight the problem. Everyone is different, so there is no one Plan that Fits All. “People don’t Plan to Fail, but they do Fail to Plan,” so the information we are providing will help you on your journey to create a “Master Plan” to lose weight this summer and throughout the year. The fight is not going to be an easy one, but to be victorious you must have the tools and know the rules of the game, so let us begin.
How Can I Tell if I’m at a Healthy Weight?
By calculating your body mass index or “BMI.”
What is BMI?
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from an Adult or Child’s weight and height. BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness for most adults, children and teens and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. BMI does not measure body fat directly, but research has shown that BMI correlates to direct measures of body fat, such as underwater weighing and dual energy x-ray absorptionmetry (DXA).
BMI can be considered an alternative for direct measures of body fat. Additionally, BMI is an inexpensive and easy-to-perform method of screening for weight categories that may lead to health problems. For children and teens BMI is age and gender specific and is often referred to as BMI-for-age. Below are the links to the BMI charts that will help you create your plan.
Site for Children & Teens
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/
Site for Adults
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/ assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html
Our Children Continue to Lose the “War on Obesity”
For the first time in history, this generation is not expected to live longer than or even as long as their parents because obesity-related health problems also mean a reduced life expectancy. Obesity is one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide. On average, obesity reduces life expectancy by 6-7 years. A BMI of 30–35 reduces life expectancy by 2-4 years and severe obesity (BMI > 40) reduces life expectancy by 10 years. Currently, more than 25 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, 27 million have chronic heart disease, 68 million have hypertension and 50 million have arthritis. In addition, 795,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year and approximately 1 in 3 deaths from cancer per year (approximately 190,650) are related to obesity, poor nutrition or physical inactivity.
Finally Real Solutions
We have been in the Weight Loss Consultation Business for 37 years and know every facet of a food industry that rarely tells the truth about their products. The FDA is here to protect us, but you still have to do your own homework. Without the facts about the food you put into your precious body you will never lose weight no matter what plan you buy into. You will lose it and then gain it back. This never-ending cycle is destructive to your spirit, body and will to stay slim. Most Americans simply give up because the stress to eat right and stay in shape is just too overwhelming!
IF YOU WANT US TO CUSTOMIZE A WEIGHT LOSS PLAN FOR YOU HIT US UP AT: HipHopSYC@aol.com
YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT WEIGHT!
TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM DANGEROUS WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY CHECK OUT OUR ARTICLE “SLIM FAST” ON P. 29 OF THE SOURCE MAGAZINE’S T.I ISSUE.
