Your weight and health can be broken down into three categories:

• Body mass index (BMI)
• Waist diameter
• Risk factors for diseases and conditions linked with obesity

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Gain a healthy weight, reap the benefits

Even though BMI can be used for both sexes, it isn’t without its limits.

• It might overestimate body fat in sportsmen and people who possess a muscular frame.
• It might underestimate body fat in the elderly and people who have lost muscle.

Use the BMI Calculator to gauge your body fat level. The BMI score can be broken down such as follows:

It’s in the waist?

Checking your waist circumference helps you screen for potential health risks that may arise from being overweight and obese. Should most of your fat be contained at your waist compared to your hips, you’ll be at a significant risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. This risk rises exponentially for waist sizes higher than 35 inches for women or higher than 40 inches for men. To measure your waist precisely, stand and begin measuring the area over?your hipbones. Start measuring your waist after exhaling.

A guide on whether your BMI and waist diameter could put you at risk from obesity diseases can be found here. It’s best to know beforehand as it can help prevent any untoward medical conditions.

People who are overweight or obese are at a higher risk for heart disease and other ailments. These risk factors are:

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)
• Low HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol)
• High triglycerides
• High blood glucose (sugar)
• Family history of premature heart disease
• Physical inactivity
• Cigarette smoking

For people who are obese with a BMI (above or equivalent to 30) or overweight (BMI of 25 to 29.9) and possess two or more risk factors, it is imperative that you lose weight. It may not seem like much, but a small weight loss (in the range of 5 to 10 percent of your current weight) will work in your favor to lowering the risk of developing diseases connected with obesity.

Seek the advice of your doctor to determine whether you’re at a possible risk of developing potential obesity related issues and whether you need to lose weight. Your doctor will assess your BMI, measure your waist and other risk factors for heart disease.

The best bit? Even a marginal weight loss (that ranges between 5 to 10 percent of your current weight) will greatly lessen your chance from getting those diseases.

Contrary to popular belief, many everyday life math applications don’t actually require complex calculations or precise solutions. Should you need to measure an approximate length, but don’t have a measuring tape in sight, do note that you always have a trusty one nearby; your body. Yes, your ever dependable body can function as a quick length gauge should the need arise. Say goodbye to looking for that crumpled tape measure, and start measuring things your way.

The ever trusty hand: The average of your palm measures about 4 inches, or 10 centimeters.

Put your best foot forward: Your foot measures at about 12 inches in length.

Your forearm from elbow to fingertip: Your extended forearm measures about 1.5 feet. That’s 46 centimeters for you.

From nose to your fingertips: The space between from your nose to your fingertips when your arms are outstretched is around a yard (36 inches). A tried and tested measurement method back in the day; your grandmother may have used it.

The space of one complete stride: Also known as a pace, it measures around 58 inches, just short of 6 feet. Back in the Roman empire, they relied on this particular unit of measurement, you can too!

These substitute measurements are meant to be used as estimates and shouldn’t be taken as a precise measurement. To help you gauge a more accurate measurement with the use of your body is to know the width of your palm, the length of your feet and so forth. Through proper usage, you can start making more accurate measurements in the future. Whoever said you had to have a measuring with you at all times?

Give yourself a pat on the back for being a human ruler!

Through the ages, people have been utilizing their bodies as a means to measure length estimates. Now so can you!

Struggling to look for ways on how you can save your money? With the ever dire financial situation in Malaysia, you’re not alone. Which is why we have compiled five ways for you to make the most of your hard earned Ringgit. The following money saving tips are:

Nothing like a home cooked meal

Tired of eating outside and having to fork out your hard earned cash? Start making a concerted effort in preparing home cooked meals. Choose to have breakfast at home instead or pack it and bring your lunch to make the most of your savings. Avoid the temptation to eat outside and cook your own dinner instead. Apart from offering you massive savings over time, packing your own meals also brings health benefits with it. Double the satisfaction!

Monitor your spending

Yes, while it may be inconvenient to track down all your expenses on a consistent basis, you will be surprised at how the little spendings can snowball and amount to something substantial. Listing down your monthly expenses in a concise manner can give you an understanding on where the most cost heavy ones lie and how to work around on reducing it. To help you do that in an engaging manner, be sure to download the many budget apps that are available for both the App Store and Google App Store.

Be more thrifty, go with generic brands

Let’s face it; you don’t really need the most expensive household items to get the basics done. Essentials such as powder detergent, cooking oil and toiletries may vary quite differently in prices depending on brands but more often than not they are similar in quality. Start shopping smartly to get the most bang for your buck.

Make smarter, spending choices

Don’t give in to your shopping urges. Yes, deals and promotions may be ever aplenty in Malaysia but you should practice discipline when it comes to your spending. If it’s not a necessity, and not something that you actually need (don’t fool yourself) then choosing to say no would be the smarter choice. Just because an item may be on sale doesn’t mean you should get it. This is ever more essential as the current economic situation in our country isn’t improving; the cost of goods just keeps rising!

Cut Access Expenses

Dread the feeling of looking at your bank account only to see your savings ever dwindling? It doesn’t have to be that way. Avoid the temptation to watch every blockbuster or Happy Hour sessions that your colleagues are into. Choosing to stay in every now and then can work wonders in helping you save some much needed money. Have a look at your social habits and monthly expenses to see where you can make adjustments (gym membership, more affordable mobile plan) in order to really stretch your Ringgit.