This will depend on what your present weight is compared to what your ideal or optimal weight should be.
Measure your present weight and height and then use the BMI Calculator to judge your nutritional status.
This will give you a good idea of the changes, if any, which you will need to make in your diet.
Standard Height and Weight for Indian Men & Women
| |
Men |
Women |
Height
(Feet & Metres) |
Weight
(kgs) |
Weight
(kgs) |
| 5'-0" (1.523 m) |
50.8 - 54.4 |
50.8 - 54.4 |
| 5'-1" (1.548 m) |
51.7 - 55.3 |
51.7 - 55.3 |
| 5'-2" (1.574 m) |
56.3 - 60.3 |
53.1 - 56.7 |
| 5'-3" (1.599 m) |
57.6 - 61.7 |
54.4 - 58.1 |
| 5'-4" (1.624 m) |
58.9 - 63.5 |
56.3 - 59.9 |
| 5'-5" (1.650 m) |
60.8 - 65.3 |
57.6 - 61.2 |
| 5'-6" (1.675 m) |
62.2 - 66.7 |
58.9 - 63.5 |
| 5'-7" (1.700 m) |
64.0 - 68.5 |
60.8 - 65.3 |
| 5'-8" (1.726 m) |
65.8 - 70.8 |
62.2 - 66.7 |
| 5'-9" (1.751 m) |
67.6 - 72.6 |
64.0 - 68.5 |
| 5'-10" (1.777 m) |
69.4 - 74.4 |
65.8 - 70.3 |
| 5'-11" (1.802 m) |
71.2 - 76.2 |
67.1 - 71.7 |
| 6'-0" (1.827 m) |
73.0 - 78.5 |
68.5 - 73.9 |
| 6'-1" (1.853 m) |
73.3 - 80.7 |
73.3 - 80.7 |
| 6'-2" (1.878 m) |
77.6 - 83.5 |
77.6 - 83.5 |
| 6'-3" (1.904 m) |
79.8 - 85.9 |
79.8 - 85.9 |
Judge Optimal Body Weight
|
| Underweight |
Normal Weight |
Overweight |
| May have to increase food intake to optimise weight |
Continue same amount of food intake ; may need to increase food intake to make up for calories lost through avoiding sugar. |
Gradual decrease in amount of food normally eaten, accompanied by increase of activity level. |
The second step is using the Calorie Requirement Calculator to find out the number of calories you should eat to maintain your present weight.
If you then find that you need to lose weight, you will have to decrease the total number of calories which you are taking.
Approximately 7700 calories is equivalent to one Kilogram of body weight. Simply stated it means that in order to loose 1 kg of body weight a person can either:
- Reduce calorie intake by 7700 while maintaining the same activity level.
- Increase activity level to spend the 7700 calories, while maintaining the same calorie intake.
- Or judiciously reduce calorie intake and increase activity level in order to spend the excess calories. To obtain optimal weight.
7700 Calories for a kg body weight may seem large initially. However since:
- Most overweight people consume 2500-3000 calories/day
- Secondly a person should strive to loose 1.5-2 kgs every month.
- Loosing 1.5-2 kg body weight when converted to calories is approximately 11,500 – 15,500 Calories in a month. This comes down to loosing only 400-520 calories per day. Small reduction in dietary habit and a little increase in activity level should do the trick. Remember the objective behind a diet plan is to achieve optimal weight while maintaining health. Drastic reductions in dietary habits are not advisable as it will lead to cravings. Moreover, it will be difficult to maintain such a rigid diet and exercise regimen for any long period of time. This means that you might lose weight rapidly initially, but you will soon go back to your old regimen and regain the lost weight. Then after a while it is back to the rigid diet and exercise schedule. This has been well documented and is called the Yo-Yo phenomenon, where the weight goes up and down in cycles!
Others, who have an optimal weight and will not require many changes in their present day diet except for some modifications such as direct sugar intake.
Still others may have a low BMI (less than 19.0) and as such should modify their diet to gain some weight. Again, intake of calories should be increased gradually. Increasing intake of sweets to gain weight is definitely not an option. The basic principles of a diabetic diet still hold true.
To Sum Up
- MEASURE YOUR WEIGHT AND HEIGHT
- ESTIMATE YOUR OPTIMAL BODY WEIGHT
- DECIDE WHAT CHANGES IN YOUR WEIGHT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE
- CALCULATE THE CALORY INTAKE NEEDED TO MAINTAIN YOUR PRESENT WEIGHT WITH THE DIET YOU EAT AND YOUR ACTIVITY LEVELS
ESTIMATE THE CALORY REQUIREMENTS TO GRADUALLY REACH OPTIMAL WEIGHT
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