Should we strive for weight loss or fat loss ? If you lose weight primarily because of loss of muscle mass, your basal metabolic rate will slow down and after a while you will gain more weight than you started with. On the other hand,if you gain weight because of increased muscle mass, your metabolism will increase: a positive result. Therefore, it is not what you weigh that matters, but what that weight is made up of.
Your body consists of water, bones, various organs, muscles and fat. The amount of body fat varies quite a lot within a 'normal'range. Ideally for men, that means about 16 to 18 per cent fat. Normally, only top athletes have a lower percentage of fat. For women, 20 to 22 per cent body fat is considered ideal. Looking at your percentage of body fat, rather than at your weight, is a better way to judge good health. The simplest way to determine whether you have lost body fat is to take into account both your BMI (Body Mass Index) and your waistline measurement, especially if you have a lot of abdominal fat.
How To calculate Your BMI: Your weight in kilograms, divided by your height in metres squared. So someone who weighs 100kg and is 1.8m tall would have a BMI of 31 (1.8m x 1.8m = 3.24: 100kg / 3.24 = 30.86)
BMI 19 - 25 : normal weight
BMI 25 - 30: Overweight
BMI 30 - 35: Stage 1 obesity
BMI 35 - 40: Stage 2 obesity
BMI over 40: Stage 3 obesity
Remember
- Every day is a new day for your body
- Regular small meals and snacks help keep your metabolism active
- Garlic and spices boost metabolism and increase fat burning
- Exercise builds muscle, burns fat and boosts metabolism. Aim to do at least 20 - 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (brisk walking is ideal) every day, plus resistance exercise / strength training two or three times a week.
- Being physically inactive is a much greater health hazard than being overweight.
(sourced: The Greek Doctor's Diet - Dr. Fedon Alexander Lindberg)
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