Aiming For A Healthy Weight And Body Mass Index (BMI)

No one likes to hear it, but you can’t escape the fact that as you age, it’s tougher to stay at a healthy weight. Suddenly, the eating habits that have kept you trim for years don’t seem to stop the number on the scale from inching up with every birthday—and you can’t put your finger on why. It’s frustrating, and it happens to all of us.

Instead of reflecting on what hasn’t changed—your eating habits, activity level—it’s important to think about what has changed—your metabolism, body composition and the emotional ups and downs specific to your life stage.

When you think about reaching the “ideal” weight, you may envision finally slipping into a specific size or looking like someone you know, but what really matters is aiming for a healthy weight—a goal that is absent of arbitrary numbers and is instead based on your body (specifically your height, frame and gender) and what it needs to function well.

Concerns That Come With Being Overweight

Research shows that being overweight or obese increases your risk of a laundry list of health problems: diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, cancer, arthritis, back pain, infertility, asthma, sleep apnea, cataracts, gallstones, depression and more.

Weight centred around the abdomen (belly fat) is of special concern since it can affect your organs and be a greater indication of disease risk than fat found in other areas of the body. Getting to a healthy weight can not only reduce the risk of these concerns but also improve the odds of living longer and maintaining a better quality of life

Concerns That Come With Being Underweight

Being underweight poses its own set of health issues, particularly in the elderly. Though too much weight carries the risks noted above, a healthy amount of weight actually helps the body by keeping bones strong, providing protective cushioning, keeping you warm and more.

Because of this, adults at a consistently low body weight have higher rates of infection, osteoporosis (a bone disease that weakens the bone), injury, depression and premature death than people in a healthy weight range.

Quality of life can be impacted due to lack of muscle strength, problems regulating body temperature, fatigue, irritability, lack of concentration and difficulty recovering from illness.

On The Road To A Healthy Weight

For adults, a healthy weight is defined as the appropriate body weight in relation to height.

Even if you’ve always struggled with your weight, you can make transformative health changes at any point in your life. The first step on that journey is determining what a healthy weight is for you.

For this, many turn to BODY MASS INDEX (BMI)—an estimate of total body fat based on your height and weight.

Observing the body mass index (BMI).

How To Calculate Body Mass Index

To figure out your BMI, just use this math formula: Multiply your weight in pounds by 703 and divide it by your height (in inches) squared.

BMI Categories:
Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
Overweight = 25–29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

Who Shouldn’t Use The BMI Calculation?

BMI is not used for muscle builders, long-distance athletes, pregnant women, the elderly or young children.

This is because BMI does not take into account whether the weight is carried as muscle or fat, just the number. Those with a higher muscle mass, such as athletes, may have a high BMI but not be at greater health risk.

Those with a lower muscle mass, such as children who have not completed their growth or the elderly who may be losing some muscle mass may have a lower BMI. During pregnancy and lactation, a woman’s body composition changes, so using BMI is not appropriate.

Beginning The Weight Maintenance Journey

While reaching a healthy weight should be your final goal, it may surprise you that losing just 5% of your body weight can give you many health benefits. It may be enough to lower your blood pressure, lower your bad cholesterol, and prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

This means if you weigh 200 pounds, you can benefit by losing just 10 pounds!

It’s best to lose weight gradually. It’s safer that way, and you are more likely to keep the weight off. Keeping weight off is about making permanent changes to your lifestyle, and not about quick fixes and diets. Permanent changes come from making better food choices and from being active.

Focus on Doable and Specific Goals

It’s easy to say, “I’ll eat better,” or “I will exercise more.” But these aren’t very specific, which doesn’t make them very doable.

Instead, create specific goals that are doable, such as, “I will eat 3 pieces of fruit per day” or “I will walk 30 minutes on five days each week.” Maybe you will choose to swap one can of soft drink for water each day. These are specific goals that you can reach! Additionally, you may also want to reward yourself when you have achieved your goals (but not with food!).

For example, treat yourself to a walk through the park.

Be Mindful

Of situations that encourage unhealthy eating – there may be situations that encourage undesirable eating, such as sitting in front of the TV, or when there are treats available in the workplace. In these situations, be aware of that cue and change it.

For example, create a specific and doable goal to not eat a snack while watching TV, or instead, eat a healthy one, such as a piece of fruit, or a carrot.  At work, walk away from the treat table.

Of fullness – It takes 15 minutes for your brain to get the message that you’ve been fed.

Eating slowly will help prevent you from eating too much and will help you feel satisfied.

Also, eating fruits and vegetables, and drinking plenty of water can help you to feel fuller.

Eating fruits helps you feel satisfied, hence eating less portion of food.

More Tips For Healthier Eating

• Reduce your portion sizes. Using a smaller plate may help.
• Focus on variety! Try new foods.
• Drink more water.
• Make a healthy shift – this means swapping unhealthy food for healthier food, such as shifting from whole milk to low-fat milk in your breakfast cereal, shifting from drinking soda with your lunch to water, or shifting from white bread to whole-wheat bread.

Be More Active!

Along with a healthy diet, regular physical activity can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.  Additionally, much like healthy eating, physical activity also helps reduce your risk of developing serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

You should aim for 2 ½ hours of physical activity per week. That’s only 30 minutes five times a week! You can also break your physical activity into 10-15-minute chunks and still get the benefits.

If you haven’t been very physically active, start slowly and gradually increase your duration and intensity over time as you become stronger.

A great place to start is walking! Walking is the easiest, least expensive, and most convenient activity that you can do. You can walk almost anywhere.

To start, set a reachable goal for the day, such as ten minutes. Gradually increase until you can walk for at least 30 minutes at a time. Also, choose to take the stairs whenever you can!

In Conclusion

There’s no magic solution to freeze time, but working to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is a real chance to feel as young as possible.

It can lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes and more; helps improve symptoms of arthritis, muscle pain and depression—even boost your sex life.

Seize the day—and the opportunity—to live your most vital year, every year.

Remember, meaningful change takes time. Set doable and specific goals, and with each achievement, you will be that much closer to your desired weight!