Nestlé Caribbean Region. Take a High Five for Life.

Check Health, take a hi five for life

The BMI or Mass Index gives us an indication of how much fat a person has in relation to their weight and height. It helps to determine weather a person is underweight, normal, overweight or obese. Even though it does not provide us with a distinction between the fat and the non fat components of the overall body mass (muscle to fat ratio), it is still the most practical method to evaluate one’s degree of risk associated with obesity.

Your BMI is , if your BMI is less than 18.5, based on your height, you are considered to be underweight. You should speak to your doctor or health professional to help determine the possible causes, as well as for the best advice on weight gain.

Your BMI is , if your BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9, based on your height, you are considered to have a healthy weight. A healthy/ normal body weight is one that would lower your risk of nutrition-related diseases.

Your BMI is , if your BMI is between 25 and 29.9, based on your height, you are considered to be overweight. In this group, there is a growing risk to develop chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Your BMI is , if your BMI is 30 or more, based on your height, you are considered to be obese. At this point, there is a moderate to high risk of developing chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol.

Your BMI is , if your BMI is 40 or more, based on your height, you are considered Morbidly Obese. Suffering Morbid Obesity puts you at a very high risk of developing chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiac arrest, arthritis and other life threatening illnesses.

It is very important to put life measures in place to reduce your weight and as such improve your health. The best way is usually to combine a healthy diet with regular physical exercise. You should speak to your doctor, health care professional, and dietician, to determine the best suited way for you to lose weight.

Move it to lose it!

There are many paths to achieve that longed for lowered healthy weight but the path most used to get and stay there is EXERCISE. Regular exercise was cited as the NO. 1 successful weight loss maintenance strategy and walking was the most common form used.

Walk Your Way To Good Health Plan

Phase 1: Walk 20-30mins per day; 2-3 times per week
•    Start slow. Stick to flat surfaces
•    Focus on developing good walking and breathing habits
•    Ask a friend to join you or form a group
•    Move to phase 2 after 2-3 consistent weeks

Phase 2: Walk 30-40mins per day; 2-3 times per week
•    Add small hills and increase pace
•    Try difference speeds (fast then slow and alternate)
•    Walk backwards or on your toes to work more muscles
•    Move to phase 3 after 2-3 consistent weeks

Phase 3: Walk 60mins per day; 3-5 times per week
•    Add some excitement- walk and exercise
•    Aim to conquer a bigger or steeper hill (if possible). This will increase the intensity of your walk and the amount of calories you will burn.

Phase 4: Walk and do other exercises
•    Add some hand- held weights and stretching exercises
•    Challenge your friend to a speed walking race

Brisk or long distance walking provides equal or more benefits than other intense exercises. But regardless of what form of exercise you do, aim to be consistent and the weight will gradually be lost permanently.