Diets to Lower the BMI

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of body fat that helps a person determine whether he or she is underweight, overweight, obese or a healthy weight. Enter your height and weight into a BMI calculator to determine your BMI. Since we can't do a lot about our height, the only way to lower the BMI is to lose weight. Committing to a diet plan and supplementing the program with a half hour of aerobic exercise per day will quickly begin to improve your BMI.

Low-Fat Diets

Healthy eating plans are often described in terms of the food pyramid. This guide for healthy eating has been distributed in many forms, such as the one offered by the Harvard School of Public Health; it typically recommends the consumption of lots of vegetables, whole grains and fruit, while restricting your intake of fatty foods (such as red meat), sweets and sugary soft drinks,

According to AnneCollins.com, a maximum of 30 percent of your calories should derive from fats and oils. Be cautious when shopping for low-fat foods, since it is common for low-fat versions of some foods to have higher levels of sugar. Choose products that are both low in fat and sugar.

According to AnneCollins.com, an FDA study of more than 3,000 people found that low-fat dieting was far more effective than low-carbohydrate dieting when it came to keeping the weight off.

Low-Carb Diets

Low-carbohydrate diets work by cutting down the number of carbohydrates consumed each day to a bare minimum while allowing you to enjoy some fatty foods. While on a restricted carbohydrate diet you will be able to eat more red meat and other fatty foods, but you will eat only a small amount of breads, pastas, potatoes and other starches with high carbohydrates.

A low-carbohydrate diet can reduce your BMI quickly. According to AboutAtkinsDiet.com, you can lose up to 30 pounds in your first month on the Atkins Diet, which is one of many programs that use such techniques. These programs, which include South Beach, The Zone and SugarBusters, among others, are fad diets that may be too extreme for some dieters, so consult with your doctor or a nutritionist before embarking on a low-carb diet.

Staying Healthy

There are many critics in the health and nutrition fields that have problems with some of the popular diets marketed today. The National Institutes of Health advises you to choose a weight loss program that is not only effective in losing weight and improving your BMI, but is also healthy and safe.

When choosing a weight-loss plan, the NIH suggests that you keep some key points in mind.

Find a plan that reduces calories without forbidding you from certain types of food. Be sure that the diet includes options that will allow you to eat your favorite types of foods and the foods that are normal in your culture, although they may have to be modified.

Select a diet that will result in a safe rate of weight loss; typically, that's approximately two pounds per week. Remain under a doctor's supervision, so that a professional can monitor your progress and any potential problems.

Your diet should also include a maintenance plan for keeping the weight off after you lose it.