Body Mass Index

So, in the past there have been some disputes about the body mass of s. Fashion s. If you’re thinking train s, then I’m sorry. You’re reading the wrong blog. There is a rule in Spain now. They’ve banned s with a BMI (Body Mass Index) below 18.5, which is the cutoff for being underweight.

Growing up, I never really wanted to be any of the following things: Princess, , Prom Queen or (though ballerina and gymnast weren’t out of the question). But recently I watched a bit of a marathon of “America’s Next Top ”. I was very interested in it because I enjoy fashion (though not everything THEY were wearing) and also because of the photography aspect of it.

Only one in particular took my fancy, and that was because she had muscles. The others were literally skin-and-bones. I felt sorry for them.

So I started thinking that maybe Spain (and everywhere else) should only hire s with muscles. s with muscles are a much more encouraging body-type to aim for. These days some s see these s that look like they don’t eat at all. This seems to be the cause of low self-esteem and encourages eating disorders. The s starve themselves with the hopes of becoming just as skinny. But if s had muscles, then there’s something healthy we could all strive for, if we were indeed pressured to look like those people for some reason.

Another thing that encouraged me in the muscle-department, was thinking about sugar. I was watching something on TV and this guy was talking about sugar levels. He was saying that a healthy level is between the numbers of 80 and 120. Not that everyone takes their sugar on a regular basis because apparently diabetics are the only ones that have to worry about it. But according to the guy on TV it’s very important for everyone.

He was saying that if you don’t eat enough or stop eating, then your sugar goes down. That’s when your body stops burning carbs and fats for energy and starts burning muscle. But you shouldn’t overeat either. Your body goes into fat overload and is forced to store it, unless you exercise it off.

It’s become kind of a habit of mine to look at the nutrition labels of everything I possibly can. I look first at the calories, then at the fat, carbs and sugar. I enjoy power bars, but a lot of them actually have more calories inside than one single cookie. I have vowed never to buy a power bar that is more than 200 calories. And unless you’re on a football team that does 2-a-days 6 days a week, then I don’t recommend a 320 calorie power bar. What’s the point of eating something “healthy” if you’re not going to be in an Iron Man race? You might as well just go drink 3 cans of soda.

Well, I know this has been a lot of choppy science for you. If you have any questions what so ever, please ask them in the comment-thingy and I’ll answer them the best I can next time I write.

OH! Also, I wanted to talk a little more about Body Mass Index. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. Anything below that is underweight. 25-29.9 is considered overweight and a BMI of 30 or more is said to be Obese. China’s Center of Adoption Affairs said that parents may not adopt if their BMI is 40 or more.

Frankly I think that BMI is a little over rated. Mine is 20.4, and I’ll tell you how to calculate your own. Get a calculator, unless you are one. Okay. Divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and multiply that number by 703. Like this:

I am 68 inches tall.
Square that (68 x 68), and I get 4624.
Divide 134 (my weight) by 4624, equals 0.0289792 (to be slightly exact).
Multiply 0.0289792 times 703.
Answer: 20.372377

So I have a BMI of 20.4. Now YOU do it!

Well, I told you the system has some…um…issues. I mean, if I can compute it on a simple calculator (or you in your head), then it can’t be completely accurate. And especially people that work out. Muscle mass weighs more than fat. When all you do is calculate a bunch of weight and height stuff, athletic people kind of get the short end of the stick. I could have an evil identical twin out there (my friends Hannah and Noah and I are beginning to think so) who weighs the same and is the same height. But I am, to the human eye, in better shape simply because my evil twin never works out and/or eats too much. Also, it is said by those smart people that say things that a woman may have the same BMI as a man but actually have a higher percentage of body fat. Why? I don’t know.

So you can calculate your BMI if you want to. But it’s really not all it’s ed up to be.

And I apologize for the really long and tiring entry. Once again, if you have any questions, ask and they will be answered. Even if it takes me five hours of research. Which will be fine, because I like research. But don’t ask me more than 20 questions per person just because you think it will make a nice First Day of Spring present for me. Because that’s nice, but with all the other stuff I have to do right now, I really don’t need it. :)

Later gators!
~Jessica