BMI is totally bogus. So are those silly bathroom scales with body fat indicators. The only way to truly measure body fat is get dunked in water (Hydrodensitometry Weighing).

Personally, I wouldn’t worry about what your body fat % is unless you have it accurately tested annually. The best method for monitoring body fat is a tape around the gut, the mirror, and monitor your weight on a weekly basis. I use Arnold’s method. Jump up and down in front of a mirror and see what jiggles. If it jiggles, it’s time to make a change. (That's Jiggle - Peter / Tom, not bounce)

I also wouldn’t put too much weight in all these recommended caloretic intake charts that are all over the place. There’s simply too many variables to take into consideration when calorie counting. Until an individual knows their body well enough to see and feel changes from what they eat and what they do, it’s only guess work.

Keep it simple. Do the math on everything you eat. Look at the calorie count on the item / thing you want to eat and figure out caloretic fat percentage. Keep fat intake under 25%, protein at 50% and carbs at 25%. If you want to put on muscle, you need to consume one – one and half grams of protein for every pound of lean bodyweight. If you are a very active person (biking, running, hiking, etc) then bump up the carbs to 50% and lower protein to 25%. Eat small portions every three to four hours a day. A portion should be no larger than the size of your fist. Exercise for at least 20 minutes in the morning before eating anything at least three times a week. If you’re trying to tone up, start out at 10 calories per pound of body weight. Monitor your weight at this calorie intake for two weeks and adjust as needed. Shoot for one pound of weight loss per week, and no more. You want to loose fat gradually, and if you cut back too far, your body will cannibalize muscle mass.

Fitness and health is a way of life, not a program. If you are saying to yourself, “I don’t have time to work out”, you’ve already lost the game and admitted defeat. You need to get into the frame of mind that everything else comes after your health. It’s OK to be selfish. It’s the only body you will get and if you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anyone else, and eventually, you end up killing yourself prematurely if you don’t take care of yourself.


Last edited by mdrew; 04/03/08 03:43 PM.