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In some cultures, even in America, being overweight is a status symbol. Having a big belly tells everyone that you make so much money that you can afford lots of food. It also says that you don't do manual labour or work with your muscles because your brain is all you need for your job. I think in most cultures this image is going away, because
muscular superhero look that I'm helping you attain shows just as much success in a different way.
Obese
If your BMI is over 30, you are considered obese. This is category that is most associated with hightened risk for all sorts of diseases. Risk is not a guarantee, you might live to be 90, but chances are slim.
I won't go into all of health problems you are exposing yourself to, because I've written another article about that. Read all about Obesity Statistics and Dangers at www.weightlessproducts.com.
I don't think anything more needs to be said. If you are obese, you need to start losing weight right now to reduce your risks. Would you rather be dead? I don't like scaring people, but I am scared for you.
BMI Alone is Not Enough
One important fact to consider is that BMI is based only on height and weight. Therefore, BMI is not best measure of your health. It is attractive because it's fast and easy to calculate, not because it is perfect. If you have been lifting weights and have a lot of muscle, your BMI may say you are overweight even though you have little health risk. That is because your big muscles increase your weight, not body fat.
To get a truly accurate picture of your health risks, you can try one or more of following other indicators.
Percentage bodyfat is best measure. You cannot do this yourself without special equipment. A doctor or nutritionist must do one of three tests: 1) use skin calipers to measure "skin fold" at four or six points on your body, or 2) submerge you in water to calculate your volume, or 3) use a device that measures BIA (bioelectrical impedence analysis) by running a small electrical charge through your body.
Generally, men should have less than 18% body fat, and women less than 23%.
Another good indicator of health risk related to weight is waist-hip ratio. Stand with stomach relaxed and measure narrowest part of your waist, and divide that number by measurement at widest point of your hips/buttocks. For women, this number should be less than 0.8, for men it should be less than 0.95. If your ratio is higher, then you carry excess fat around waist, which carries a higher health risk. However, this only really applies if your BMI is already over 25.
If your BMI is over 25, it is time to take action to improve your health. If your BMI is over 30, you are already at risk for many diseases. Start one of our programs today, it's FREE.
David McCormick is the founder of Weightless Products. On the website, Mr. Weightless gives you tons of information completely free. No banner ads, no pop-ups, no sign-up. Visit http://www.weightlessproducts.com
