Weight Loss Tailored for Women. Ohan Karatoprak MD

      You may be wondering; how can this be true?

      The BMI is a quick estimate method that uses a chart based system or quick calculation of height and body weight. In creating the BMI values, many general assumptions were made based on “population averages”. When you put these two variables together, assumptions + averages this leads to inaccuracies.

      It is well known that the BMI measurement approach alone will underestimate body fat in older people and overestimate body fat in muscular athletic people. When men and women grow older, it is common for them to lose lean body mass, such as muscle mass and bone mass, and gain body fat, while maintaining a normal BMI. In this way, they can have the same total body weight but actually have more body fat. This category of normal weight obese, or “thin obese” people often goes unnoticed by the medical community, but these people still have the same disease risks as overweight obese people (high BMI and high body fat percentage).

      After you know your body fat type, then you will like to know if you have metabolic syndrome. People who are obese, on the way to obesity, or normal body composition may or may not have a group of metabolic abnormalities referred to as “Metabolic Syndrome”.

      Metabolic Syndrome includes the following five measurements:

      High blood sugar,

      Hypertension (high blood pressure),

      Low good cholesterol (HDL),

      High triglycerides and

      Increased waist circumference.

      Determining metabolic abnormalities is easily accomplished from a routine medical examination. It is common that most people already know about their health condition, but for people who are not sure, the Body-Profile Type system provides readers with handy Body-Profile Type Evaluation information in Appendix A they can use when working with a doctor. It is also routine advice for people who are about to engage in a fat loss nutrition and exercise program that they should first get a medical examination, and be monitored by their doctor or other qualified health professional.

      The Body-Profile Type Approach also considers other health conditions that a person may have, and medications they may be taking. Certain health conditions and medications can contribute to obesity and can interfere with the fat loss process.

      After knowing your Body Fat Type and whether you have metabolic syndrome or not, next step will be to determine your Behavioral Type Category. Using the Behavioral Type classification, a person’s existing nutrition and exercise program category will be determined. There are four behavioral type categories. The Body-Profile Type Approach classifies people into one of four Behavioral Type categories:

      •Under-Eater and Under-Exerciser

      •Under-Eater and Over-Exerciser

      •Over-Eater and Under-Exerciser

      •Over-Eater and Over-Exerciser

      This behavioral categorization is another Body-Profile Approach medical breakthrough and provides important insights related to a person’s metabolic and lifestyle factors.

      Your daily caloric intake will determine your behavioral eating category as follows:

      Under-Eater, is someone who is eating less than 1800 calories per day.

      Over-Eater, is someone who is eating more than 3000 calories per day.

      For people who are under-exercisers, this provides important information as to their state of physical conditioning. This has a few implications concerning their metabolic rate and health. Regarding the person’s metabolic rate, under-exercisers are using less total calories a day and not using fat for energy very well either. Concerning metabolic health, when you are obese or on the way to obesity and have metabolic abnormalities from lack of exercise, a program of gradual exercise is required to gradually physically condition the body. This is where most exercise programs fail the obese or on the way to obesity under-exerciser, by making them follow an exercise program that is too advanced for their level of physical conditioning. This level of exercise increases the stress hormone cortisol, which stores body fat, and can increase Neuro Peptide Y secretion, which causes overeating. Neuro Peptide Y is a neurotransmitter in the brain that increases your appetite and slows down your metabolism. However, the specialized Body-Profile Type Exercise Program is designed to start out this type of under-exerciser person with an exercise regimen that is more suitable to their individual physical conditioning.

      The over-exerciser category reveals that the dieter could be doing more harm than good from their exercise program. Typically an obese person who is over-exercising has an issue with secreting excessive cortisol (stress hormone) that makes a person store more body fat instead of losing body fat. Therefore excessive exercise is typically causing conflict with the fat loss process. With your Body-Profile Type analysis, you will find the proper exercise program that has the ideal balance of resistive and aerobic exercises for you to lose excess body fat.

      Nutrition and Exercise Fat Loss Programs

      The Body-Profile Type Evaluation will determine the personalized Body-Profile Type eating plans. The eating plans range in total daily intake from 1,800 calories per day to 3,000 calories per day. Also the carbohydrate composition will be different based on a person’s gender, and if they have metabolic syndrome or not. For example, an obese female under-eater, under-exerciser without metabolic syndrome may start on the 1,800 calories per day plan, consisting of 40%-45% carbohydrate (40% from starchy foods), 30%-35% protein and 25%-30% fat, while an obese female over-eater, under-exerciser with metabolic syndrome may start on the 2,200 calories per day nutrition plan consisting of 40%-45% carbohydrate (20% from starchy foods), 30%-35% protein and 25%-30% fat.

      Regarding types of foods included in the Body-Profile Type eating plans, all types of healthy foods are included. However, there may be temporary periods were the amounts of certain foods are restricted or limited until hormonal balance is corrected and metabolic rate is improved, as indicated by the rate of body fat loss.

      Achieving Weight Maintenance

      Regardless of the person’s individualized starting point, the primary goal is to transition the individual from a condition of obesity to normal body composition and normal metabolism. As people achieve a normal body fat level they will be guided in to the weight maintenance nutrition and exercise programs. The basic macronutrient composition goal of the maintenance nutrition program is 40% to 45% Carbohydrate (with 40% from starch), 30% to 35% Protein (with at least 30% from legumes) and 25% to 30% Fat (low saturated fat). There will be additional guidelines to