| 1. What is my BMI and how do I calculate it? | | | | Fats are also an important part of our diet. Many |
| BMI means Body Mass Index. Healthy weight is | | | | foods contain fat in different amounts. High-fat |
| defined as a BMI equal to or greater than 19 and | | | | foods include dairy products like butter and cream |
| less than 25 among all people aged 20 or over. | | | | as well as mayonnaise and oils. |
| To determine body mass index, divide weight in | | | | There are two kinds of fats: saturated and |
| kilograms (2.2 lbs.=1 kg) by height in meters | | | | unsaturated. |
| squared (39.4 ins.=1m). | | | | Fat is necessary because: the only way to get |
| For example, if you are 1.75 M tall and weigh 80 | | | | certain fat-soluble vitamins is to eat fat, your |
| kg. , your BMI will be = 80/1.75X1.75 = 26.122, | | | | body has no way to make certain essential fats, |
| slightly overweight ("obesity" is ofen defined as a | | | | so you must get them in your food. |
| BMI equal to or greater than 30, which | | | | Another reason is that fat is a good source of |
| approximates to 30 pounds of excess weight.) | | | | energy, in fact it contains twice as many calories |
| 2. What are carbs, proteins, fats? | | | | per gram as do carbohydrates or proteins. Your |
| Carbohydrates provide your body with its basic | | | | body can burn fat as fuel when necessary |
| fuel, very much like a car engine and gasoline. | | | | 3. What else does my body need? |
| Glucose goes directly into the cells, which convert | | | | Mainly vitamins and minerals. These can be found |
| it into the energy they need. | | | | in various foods, fruits, etc..It seems the |
| There are two types of carbohydrates: | | | | "Standard Western Diet" is deficient in vitamins |
| Simple carbohydrates (also called "sugars" on food | | | | and minerals. This has led to the creation of |
| package labels): glucose etc. | | | | vitamin and mineral supplements. |
| Complex carbohydrates ("starches"), made up of | | | | 4. What are the dangers of being overweight (too |
| chains of glucose molecules, which is simply a way | | | | fat)? |
| plants store glucose. | | | | When it gets to a certain level, overweight |
| Starches can be found in great quantities in most | | | | becomes "obesity", which has been described as |
| grains (wheat, corn, oats, rice) and things like | | | | "a serious, chronic disease that is known to |
| potatoes and plantains. | | | | reduce life span, increase disability and lead to |
| Your digestive system breaks a starch back | | | | many serious illnesses including diabetes, heart |
| down into its component glucose molecules so | | | | disease and stroke, cancer, osteoarthritis, sleep |
| that the glucose can enter your bloodstream. | | | | apnea, gall bladder disease, gout." |
| Carbohydrates provide cells with energy, proteins | | | | 5. What exactly is Atkins diet? |
| provide cells with the building material they need | | | | Dr. Atkins diet, first introduced in 1972, is strictly |
| to grow and maintain their structure. | | | | focused on limiting carbohydrate consumption. |
| Protein can be found in both animal and vegetable | | | | That is why it is called a low-carb, high-protein diet |
| foods. Most animal sources (meat, milk, eggs) | | | | or sometimes simply a low-carb diet, together |
| provide "complete protein": they contain all of the | | | | with other diets such as South Beach Diet, Power |
| essential amino acids. | | | | Protein Diet etc... |