Weight Loss

What is Body Mass Index (BMI), and how do I calculate it?

Body mass index (BMI) is an easy way to determine if you are underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese. To calculate your BMI, divide your weight (kilogram) by your height (centimeters).

Calculate your BMI

BMI

Category

less than 19

underweight

19-23

normal

24-28

overweight

over 29

obese

What is my ideal weight?

Your ideal weight can be obtained by subtracting 100 from your height, measured in centimeters.

For example: Height: 153 cm

Ideal weight: around 53 kg (+/- 5kgs)

How does obesity affect fertility in women?

Many underweight, overweight, and obese women have no problem getting pregnant. But others will have problems conceiving, most often due to ovulation problems (failure to release eggs from the ovaries).

If your BMI is not in the healthy range (under or overweight), it can cause irregular menstrual cycles and irregular ovulation.

However, obese women with normal ovulation also have lower pregnancy rates. Disorders related to obesity, such as thyroid disease, insulin resistance, diabetes and hypertension may affect rates of pregnancy.

How does obesity affect fertility in men?

Obesity can affect changes in testosterone levels in men. Low sperm counts and low sperm motility (movement) have been found more in overweight and obese men.

Weight Loss and Management

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is an eating plan to eat and fast on a regular schedule. Intermittent fasting is focused on when to eat, and you only eat during a specific period.

There are many ways to follow intermittent fasting, but we recommend overnight fasting. While beginning with intermittent fasting, start with 12 hours of fasting. Eat dinner by 7pm, and do not eat or drink anything until breakfast the next day around 7am. Slowly, you can increase the overnight fasting period to 9am.

Benefits of intermittent fasting:

  • Burning more body fat
  • Reduces overall calorie intake
  • Reduces blood sugar

What kind of exercise should I do?

It is recommended that you get 45minutes to an hour of exercise every day. You can choose any form of exercise such as:

  • Walking or jogging (try to reach 10, 000 steps every day)
  • Yoga
  • Playing a sport (cricket, football, swimming, badminton, kho-kho, kabbadi, etc.)
  • Following exercise tutorials online

What kind of diet should I be following?

You should be following a balanced diet, which includes:

  • Low fat diet
    • Use little oil when cooking
    • Avoid butter
    • Avoid high-fat milk and cheese
  • Low carb diet
    • Cut out sugar, bread, biscuits, sugary drinks such as Coke, tea/coffee with sugar
    • Cut out rice. Eat rotis or bhakri made with a mixed flour [wheat+naachni+jowar]
    • Blend different pulses or daal to make roti from that mixture.
  • Higher protein intake [ideally 15 to 30g per meal]
    • Chicken
    • Fish
    • Eggs
    • Mutton
    • Vegetarian options:
      • Daal, pulses: Toor daal, moong, matki, etc.
      • Chole
      • Rajma
      • Paneer
      • Tofu
      • Soya chunks
      • Curd, low-fat milk, buttermilk
    • Include dry fruits in your diet. Only eat once a day, and limit to 3-4 pieces total.
      • Almonds
      • Pistas
      • Walnuts
      • Dates (not more than 1)
      • Black raisins

What fruits and vegetables should I eat?

Fruits to eat:

  • Apples
  • Pears
  • Oranges
  • Sweet Lime (Mosambi)
  • Pomegranate

 

Vegetables to eat:

  • Green leafy vegetables: spinach, methi, etc.
  • Cauliflower
  • Cabbage
  • Peas
  • Capsicum
  • Cucumber
  • Tomato
  • Pumpkin

How many hours of sleep should I get?

You should get 8 hours of sleep per night.