Day One Hundred and Four!!!!

BMI
What is the BMI? The BMI is the ‘Body Mass Index’. It is a way to measure if you are over weight. Earlier in my blog I talked about calculating your ideal weight with the Hamwi equation. The Hamwi equation is to do with calculating your weight by adding 5 pounds per inch above 5 feet, starting the 100 pounds. If you are 5’6 you should be 130 pounds. An old measurement or American measurement for sure, but effective.


The BMI on the other hand is what is considered the gold standard of measurements of being overweight. The BMI if less than 24.9 is considered normal weight, between 29.9 is considered to be overweight and 30 or greater, is considered to be obese. Now the BMI is not necessarily the best tool for evaluating all of us because, if you are extremely muscular it will not reflect well on your muscularity. There is also something that has been entitled “over fat” which refers to people who have a normal BMI but are carrying most of their weight as body fat (no muscle).
 
So lets take a look at my BMI. (uuuuuuughghghghghghghghgh)
If you would like to look up yours there is many calculator apps on line.
So my BMI is 34.9. oops! Unfortunately, I seem to be landing in the category entitled obesity. 


So there are factors that relate to the development of obesity such as, biological factors. Biological factors refer to both parents being morbidly obese. In this case there is an 80% chance that their children will also be obese. Genetic makeup can account to 50-90% of your bodies ability to store body fat. There are also social and environmental factors which can play a role in obesity. Such as; limited ability to eat good food because of limited funds and something called ‘built environment’ in which the ability to exercise is limited because of location of where you live. There are social factors as well as life style and behavioural factors such as; social pressure, to need to eat as much as everyone else, or to be sedentary like everybody else. There are psychological factors, as people tend to eat more when they have to cope with stress or as a way to alleviate boredom or depression. 


So let me take a look at myself. 


Genetically, as I have stated before, there has always been one big chunk meister on my dads side of the family, and also on my mom’s side of the family. Both grandmothers of each side of the family and my aunt struggled with her weight, my uncle on my dads side died of complications to do with his weight so there you go. 


It is interesting that a lower level of education is also associated with increased body weight for women so, I can’t actually attribute that to me as I have actually worked pretty hard at my education. The media pisses me off. I do think that that is a significant factor. Have you ever noticed that the only large women are those that are comedians on TV? I can say that my ‘built environment’ does have a limited amount of walk-ability, but the truth be told if I really wanted to go outside in this weather we are currently having of -22 I really could, and I do have exercise equipment in my basement.
So now the other question is, am I stressed or bored? I do work mostly from home and that does provide a huge temptation, but I think I have been keeping to the diet (mostly). 
So I have now come to the conclusion that it is my genetics. I know, that is what everyone says. But it is true!