Body Measures

BMI (Body Mass Index)

BMI is a measurement that is calculated on your height and your weight. However, at Esporta, we don't encourage BMI measurements as a health indicator because we feel that it is too generalised - instead, we like to focus on the individual and provide specific fitness goals, individual training advice and programming that is right for you. A rugby player, for example, is likely to be 'labelled' too heavy in relation to his height under the BMI system because of the weight of his extra muscle bulk. However, in comparison, a marathon runner may be 'labelled' too light. You're an individual, and shouldn't be labelled, and that is why we provide specific training advice to ensure that you get the right programme for you.

Body Fat Percentage

A certain amount of fat is essential for bodily functions. Fat regulates body temperature, cushions and insulates organs and tissues and is the main form of energy storage for the body. Too much or too little fat is unhealthy. Too little body fat can cause problems with normal, healthy functioning in both men and women and can lead to problems with reproduction in women. Too much body fat - especially located around the abdomen - increases the risk of many diseases, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Acceptable fat levels for women are 20-27% - and for men 8-15%.

Knowing your body fat percentage is important because when aiming to lose weight you should be trying to keep the calorie-burning muscle, and lose only the fat. Beware diets which promise drastic weight loss - since they may not necessarily mean fat loss - in which case you are likely to put back the weight relatively easily. Lasting long-term weight loss is best achieved through exercise and diet - which builds lean body mass at the same time as reducing fat.

Waist-to-hip Ratio

Waist-to-Hip ratio is a simple but useful measure of how you store your fat. Most people store their body fat in one of two distinct ways: around their middle (apple shape) or around their hips (pear shape). If you have an apple shape - carrying more weight around the waist - you have a greater risk of lifestyle related diseases such as heart disease and diabetes than those carrying weight around their hips. One of the best predictors of future heart complaints or chronic disease (CHD) can be your waist circumference.

For men, a ratio of 0.90 or less - i.e., your waist is smaller than your hips - is considered safe. For women, a ratio of 0.80 or less is considered safe. For both men and women, a Waist-to-Hip ratio of 1.0 or higher - i.e. your stomach measurement is greater than your hips - is considered 'at risk' for heart disease and other problems associated with being overweight.

Although waist-to-hip ratio can be used together with BMI as a simple indication of healthy body weight and shape, you should always consult your doctor for more detailed information regarding your health risks.

Energy Requirements

Energy requirements can be described as the fuel that you need to perform a variety of tasks. BER (Basic Energy Requirements) are the minimum calorific requirements needed to sustain life in a resting individual - the amount of calories expended by the body if you were to remain in bed asleep all day. When starting to exercise you will need to reconsider these requirements as many of us will need extra energy (EER) in order to fuel our bodies enough to effectively train and reach our goals.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)

Your BMR is similar in some ways to your BER and is the minimum energy supply you need each day. A higher than average BMR means you burn more calories than someone with a lower BMR, which should make it relatively easier for you to avoid weight gain. BMR usually accounts for about two-thirds of total daily energy expenditure. BMR varies considerably by individual and is based on a number of factors:

Genetics - Are athletes born or made? This has baffled even the most advanced scientists in the sports world for years. We can however say that some specific body types are more suited to particular exercises or sports and that some will be pre-disposed to improve faster in some areas and slower in others when compared to other exercisers.

Lean body mass - the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn - lean tissue burns more energy than fat tissue so taking regular exercise not only burns off calories through activity but it also raises your BMR - so contributing to yet more calorie burn.

Sex - Men have greater muscle mass and lower body fat percentage so tend to have a higher BMR compared to women. Equally, the bodies of men and women lend themselves to performing better in some area than others and are therefore suited to different exercises and activities. This doesn't mean that we can't all partake in the same sports - it just means that we sometimes need to participate at different intensities.

Age - Age is also important when thinking about fitness training as your age can affect your heart function, your body composition and your recovery time from injury. BMR decreases as you age - making it harder to eat whatever you want and stay slim. Your energy requirements will be affected too. Training should be adapted with age to make sure you are getting the most from your training.

Diet - Fasting or starving actually results in a lowering of BMR, with the majority of weight reduction resulting from fluid loss and dehydration. A sensible healthy diet pattern with some good nutritional advice is the real key to losing weight - just dieting alone is much less effective than diet and exercise. Like any high performance car, the fuel you put in is vital!

Daily Calorific Requirement

Daily Calorific Requirement is the total number of calories your body expends in 24 hours, taking into account your level of activity. In effect, it is your BMR plus whatever activities you do in a day. The calculation used here is very simplistic and is just an estimate - but knowing this figure gives you a starting point from where you can begin your weight loss campaign.

Your current daily calorific requirement tells you how many calories you require in order to maintain your current weight. If you want to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you are consuming. Trying to achieve this calorie deficit just by dieting to reduce the calories you consume - as we've seen above - will decrease your BMR - so making it harder to lose weight. The best way to lose weight therefore is by exercise and diet. With exercise, you get the double advantage of burning more calories through increased activity, as well as building lean body tissue you are also increasing your BMR. If you reduce your calorific intake at the same time as exercising you can create the calorie deficit which forces your body to use stored body fat to make up the deficit - so enabling you to lose weight.

Based on the fact that one pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories - if you create a daily deficit of 500 calories - in 7 days at 500 calories per day you will have lost 3500 calories - or one pound of fat. If you create a 7000 calories deficit in a week you will lose two pounds - although most experts recommend that you set realistic long-term targets rather than short-term crash targets which can be harmful. Reducing calories by 15-20% below your daily calorific requirement is a reasonable start point although you should bear in mind that calorie intake should never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 per day for men. You shouldn't aim for a weight loss of more than two pounds a week because if you consume too few calories and lose weight too fast, you may lose a greater percentage of lean body mass than is desirable.

Extra Calorific Requirements

Don't forget that when you start to exercise or start to train harder, you may well need to consume a greater amount of calories than you did before. This doesn't mean that you are going to gain weight; it just means that you need the right amount of fuel so you don't run out of steam. Provided that your increased calorific intake comes from the right sources through a good diet, avoiding the poor high-calorie, high-fat content you get in some foods, you will be doing the right thing for your body to support your increased exercise regime.