Body Mass Index Term - Essay Example

BMI values below 18.5 show a person is underweight while BMIs between 25 and 29.9 show that a person is overweight. On the other hand, BMIs greater than 30 show that an individual is obese. Any deviations from the ideal values are causes for concern. For example, positive deviations from the ideal BMI indicate the possibility of being overweight and obese. On the other hand, negative deviations from the ideal BMI indicate the chances of being underweight or malnourished. Though BMI indicates an individual’s status in terms of height and weight, it has its shortcomings, as it does not put into consideration the ratio of an individual’s body fat against muscle content.

Part 2
There are two ways of determining BMI namely the metric system and the imperial system. The metric system calculates BMI by finding the quotient of a person’s weight in kilograms, and the height in meters squared. The imperial system uses the weight in pounds multiplied by a constant value of 703 divided by height in inches squared.
My height is 5’3” (63 inches) while my weight is 130 pounds. Therefore, my BMI is

(130*703)/632=91390/3969
BMI=23.03
Part 3

The BMI value indicates that I have a healthy weight because it falls between 18.5 and 25. It is, therefore, important that I eat and exercise in such a manner that will enable me to maintain my weight. The ideal number of calories that I need to take in a day to maintain my weight is 1800 calories because I exercise less for 30 minutes at most in a day (Daily food plans, 2014). In addition, the calories are adequate to cater to my average needs that match my BMI. My diet includes 6 ounces of grains, two and a half cups of vegetables, one and a half cups of fruits, three cups of dairy products, and five ounces of protein food. Normally, my dairy products are low fat, and my proteins consist of lean meats to prevent the intake of excess fats that might lead to unwanted weight gain. I also ensure that half of my grain servings comprise of whole meal grains to provide roughage. Additionally, I balance starchy vegetables and other vegetables.

On an average day, my breakfast consists of a cup of whole-wheat cereal flakes (1 ounce of whole grain) with milk (an 8-fluid-ounce packet) topped with half a banana (equivalent to 1/2 cup of fruits)and bananas. At lunchtime, a piece of cornbread (2 ounces of refined grain), one cup of low-fat yogurt, and one small orange (1/2 cup) make up my lunch. My dinner includes a fruit cocktail (1/2 cup) of fruits, 1/3 cup of cheddar cheese, which is also equivalent to 1 cup of milk, beef strip steak (5 ounces), two medium baked potatoes (2 cups of starchy vegetables), and half a cup of raw cauliflower. During the day, I snack two times on five pieces of whole-wheat crackers at a time (equivalent to 2 ounces of whole-wheat grain).

My exercise plan involves moderate activities such as brisk walking and jogging daily and aerobics three times a week. My aerobic exercises involve dancing, which is one of my favorite activities. I normally take a jog every morning before breakfast and walk briskly thereafter whenever I have an errand to run. Read More