How to Lose BMI the Fastest

Diet to Lower BMI

Reduce your calories. Eating more food than your body need leads to weight gain and a higher BMI. The more calories you cut, the faster you'll lose weight; however, don't go on a strict diet. Too few calories can slow your metabolism and prevent weight loss. Women should have at least 1,200 calories and men 1,500 calories a day.

Cut sugar and processed foods from your diet. These foods have little to no nutritional value and can add weight even if you keep your calories low, according to the National Institute of Health.

Eat fresh, whole foods. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends a diet of lean proteins, low-fat dairy, fresh vegetables and fruit and whole grains.

Exercise to Lower BMI

Exercise 60 minutes five days a week. The Centers for Disease Control reports that 30 minutes of aerobic exercise is acceptable for health, but 60 minutes is best for weight loss and lowering BMI. Choose activities you enjoy that increase your heart rate such as bicycling, tennis or aerobic dance.

Perform resistance training twice a week. Resistance training builds muscle, which helps you burn more calories and speeds up your metabolism. Perform exercises that target the major muscle groups including the legs, glutes, abs, back and arms.

Increase your activity throughout your day. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator and parking away from your destination to walk farther will burn calories to help you lose weight and lower your BMI. Other ways to fit activity in your day include standing instead of sitting and going for a walk instead of watching television.

Tips

• Get at least six but no more than eight hours of sleep every night. The National Institute of Health reports that people who got less than six hours or more than eight hours of sleep were more likely to gain weight.

Warnings

• Check with your doctor before starting an exercise and diet program.

  BMI measurement is a useful tool to determine appropriate weight, but it has limitations because it doesn't consider body composition. A muscular athlete may have a high BMI reading but have little fat, and someone with less muscle or who is older might have a low BMI but be too fat.