Looking good, feeling good
Sometimes we set weight loss goals after seeing magazine models or movie stars. But for longterm health, it’s smarter to look to the medical community for guidance.
“We help people set weight goals based on what’s going on with their overall health,” said dietitian and certified diabetes educator Donna deKay. “There is no ideal weight for a particular age or gender group. Healthy weight is a very individual issue.”
To help clients, deKay looks at three criteria:
BMI is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height. It helps determine at what point a person’s weight may start contributing to ill health. A healthy BMI for both men and women rests between 18.5 and 24.9.
deKay measures abdominal fat because too much of it puts people at risk for diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
After doing a weight assessment, she can help people plan healthy meals and snacks, eat slower, control portion sizes and use a pedometer for exercise.
“Most people think to become healthy they have to lose a lot of weight and totally change what they eat. Sometimes losing 8 pounds and making a few dietary changes can change blood chemistry substantially.”
Small changes can produce huge rewards. “Bringing fresh fruit to work instead of hitting the vending machine may eventually lead to weight loss,” deKay says.
“Achieving a healthy weight can be driven by a person’s desire to knock points off their cholesterol score, rather than by trying to look like someone else or lose an arbitrary number of pounds. It’s encouraging to see people judge their success this way.”
Calculate your BMI at www.mills-peninsula.org/obesity/tool.html
Rick Brandly of San Mateo made daily 45-minute walks an essential part of his heart-health makeover after tests revealed risk for cardiovascular disease.