Diet and nutrition

Managing weight sensibly

Overall health and well-being, not to mention a healthy weight, go hand in hand with sensible eating and regular physical exercise. To maintain optimal health, adults need to avoid gaining weight. Being overweight or obese increases health risks such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, arthritis and respiratory problems. Healthy weight is the key to longevity.

Evaluate your body weight

It is important to determine your ideal weight in relation to your height. This is known as the Body Mass Index, or BMI. To determine your BMI, weigh yourself and have someone measure your height. Find your BMI in the table below. The higher your BMI category, the greater your risk of developing weight-related health problems.

Using a tape measure, stand and measure just around your waist, just above the hip bones. Health risks increase as this measurement increases, particularly if this measurement is above 35 inches (89 cm) in women and above 40 inches (102 cm) in men. A pot belly or excess abdominal fat may also place you at higher risk, even if your BMI is within the healthy range.

It should be noted that not all adults whose BMI is deemed "healthy" are at their ideal weight. For instance, some adults may have a lot of body fat and little muscle. In general, a BMI above the healthy range is unhealthy for most people, but it may be healthy in those with lots of muscle and little body fat. The higher your BMI above the healthy range, the greater your weight-related health risks. If this is the case for you, you may benefit from weight loss, particularly if you have other health risk factors such as a family history of heart disease, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, diabetes, or abnormal blood lipids (i.e. high or low cholesterol or high triglycerides). Your risk also increases if you are postmenopausal.

A BMI below the healthy range can still be considered healthy as long as it does not result from illness. Those whose BMI is below the healthy range can experience dysmenorrhea (irregular menstrual periods), infertility, and osteoperosis.

Learn to manage your weight

Genetics affect our tendency to gain weight. However, weight management is possible through balancing sensible eating with regular physical exercise. Weight management is a lifelong commitment that requires long-term changes in eating behavior and physical activity. Crash diets, fasting, binge eating, purging, misuse of laxatives and diet pills, self-induced vomiting and obsessive exercise may lead to dramatic weight loss, but these are often the beginnings of serious eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Loss of one to two pounds per week is usually safe. The important thing to remember is to lose weight gradually—about ten percent of your total body weight over 6 months.

If you decide to diet to lose weight, be sure to consult your physician or health care provider. He or she can provide you with the information and support you need to ensure your weight loss is gradual and healthy. He or she may also suggest a program of physical activity that will help you lose weight but not muscle mass. Staying active is important and keeping active reduces the risk of muscle atrophy, decrease in bone density, and fractures.

Make healthy food choices

Eat sensibly—make sound food choices that include fruits and vegetables, grains (particularly whole grains), skim milk, and fish, poultry or legumes such as peas, nuts, beans or lentils. Exercise moderation in relation to foods containing refined flours and sugars. Added sugars and refined flours can increase the production of insulin in the body and what the body doesn't use, it may store as fat.

Ensure you choose reasonable portion sizes. When eating out especially, choose small portion sizes. Share an entrée with a friend or ask your server for a doggie bag so you can take food home. You can also check food labels for suggested serving sizes and for nutritional information such as calories and fat grams per serving. Many foods sold as single servings often provide two or more portions. Be particularly careful to limit your intake of high-calorie foods. These include cookies, cake, French fries, oils, and cheese or sandwich spreads.

Be sure you fully understand product labels. Low-fat foods are not necessarily low-calorie foods. In some cases, extra sugars are added to low-fat foods, making them high-calorie foods and therefore poor choices.

If you believe it will help you better understand your eating patterns, you can keep a food journal. Write in it the foods you eat, the amounts, and the times at which you eat and snack. This can help you identify where you may need to modify your eating habits. For example, if you tend to snack during the day, you may be taking in additional calories. Your journal will help you identify where you may need to make more sensible choices. Choose fruit slices or vegetable sticks in place of pretzels, for example. Try a cup of low-fat milk in place of a soft drink or similar snacks such as custards or puddings. Instead of frying fish and poultry, consider grilling them.

Increase your physical acitivity

Although necessary for good health, being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight provide different health benefits. Everyone can improve health and have fun by including moderate physical exercise into their daily routine. Moderate physical activity is any activity that requires about as much energy as walking 2 miles in 30 minutes. Try to exercise 30 minutes at least 3 times per week and daily, if at all possible. If you currently exercise 30 minutes per day, increasing the time you exercise or engaging in more rigorous physical activity will allow you to reap even greater health benefit. If you find it difficult to exercise for 30 minutes at a time, you can spread activity over the course of the day. For example, you can take your pet for a walk in the morning, vacuum when you get home from work, and do light gardening after dinner. You can go for a brisk walk with a friend, read a book, then play tag with your kids. The key is to make physical activity part of your routine.

Choose activities you enjoy and that you do regularly. Some people prefer activities that fit naturally into their daily lives—light gardening, walking the dog, or taking extra trips up and down stairs. Other people prefer a regular exercise program such as an aerobics class, circuit training, aquacize or dance class. Below are a few suggestions.

Daily activities that provide exercise
Walk more instead of using the car or bus Choose a bus stop that is a little further from your starting or end point so you can increase the amount of walking you do Take the stairs instead of the elevator Use a push mower to mow your grass Rake leaves	Clean the house Garden Walk the dog Push a baby stroller Pedal a stationary bike or use a treadmill while watching TV Play actively with children
Exercise and recreational activities
Walk, inline skate or jog Golf (pull cart or carry clubs) Canoe or kayak Cross-country or downhill ski Take part in exercise programs at home, school, or work Play rugby, football, or soccer	Swim or take an aquacise class Play racquetball, squash, or tennis Play field, floor, or ice hockey Take a ballroom or belly dance class and attend social dances Play volleyball or basketball Join a recreational softball league

Aerobic activities increase heart rate and breathing. As a result, they help improve cardiovascular fitness. Strength and flexibility activities such as carrying groceries, weight training, yoga, stretching, and dancing help improve muscle strength and overall flexibility. Combining aerobic exercise with strength and flexibility activities will provide the greatest overall health benefits.

Most people do not need to consult with their doctor before planning to become more physically active. However, you should definitely consult your physician or health care provider if you are planning to start a vigorous exercise program or if you have chronic health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, osteoperosis, or obesity, if you are at high risk for heart disease, or if you are a woman over the age of 50.