Typically, this time of year "the weather outside is frightful" but this November has been incredibly mild and Sharon and I are not complaining one bit. Walking the dogs with this mild weather is a real treat.
As winter approaches we all tend to hunker down indoors for a long winter's nap. Our energy output starts to drop but our appetites do not. Fall and winter bring our season for eating - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years, etc. Inevitably our weight starts to climb as the cold months continue.
We can all hop on our bathroom scales and see how much weight we've gained. But is it a bad thing or not? Is our weight normal for our height; is it above normal; or is it way above normal? How do we find out?
Scientists have determined that the key factor as to whether or not your weight will affect your health revolves around the amount of fat in your body (by percentage). In other words, a high percentage of body fat leads to problems down the road. Lower percentages of body fat tend not to cause problems.
There are many ways to measure your body fat. One of the simplest is called Body Mass Index (BMI). Although other measures such as hydro densitometry (underwater volume), skin fold measurements (using calipers), Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide more accurate determinations of body fat, BMI is simple and can be useful in most cases.
How to Calculate Your BMI
Your BMI is simply determined by the ratio of your weight and height.
The easiest way to calculate your personal BMI is to use the automated calculator on our website. Just click the link below:
http://torontochirowellness.com/custom_content/c_214658_calculate_your_bmi.html
Feel free to play with the BMI calculator tool on our website to see how much your weight needs to change to reach the normal range.
Interpreting Your BMI
The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) consider BMI scores for average individuals to be ranked as follows:
Condition BMI
Underweight Below 18.5
Normal 18.5-24.9
Overweight 25.0-29.9
Obesity 30.0 and above
It is important to note, however, that BMI scores may fail to properly estimate the level of body fat in certain individuals. Athletes and others with muscular builds, for example, may fall into the overweight category despite having near perfect physiques, while the elderly and those who have lost muscle mass may fall into the underweight category despite having excess body fat (so called 'skinny fat').
The other important thing to note is that BMI assessments vary by sex and age. BMI scores for boys are slightly lower than for girls (aged 7-16), and scores for women are slightly lower than for men (aged 18 and up).
Despite these caveats, for most people, the BMI is a simple and useful tool for determining disease risk due to excess fat.
Risk Factors Associated with High BMI
There are a number of risk factors linked to high BMI scores that put individuals at significant risk for back pain, knee pain, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, gall bladder disease and some types of cancer. These include:
• Elevated LDL cholesterol (called "bad" cholesterol) levels
• Lower HDL cholesterol (called "good" cholesterol) levels
• High blood sugar
• High triglycerides
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking
How much BMI do I need to lose to see improvements?
It may seem that a significant amount of dieting and exercise is required to lose weight but even a small drop of 5 to 10 percent body weight can help lower the risk for obesity related diseases. Something as simple as eating a few less cookies each day and starting a 20 minute daily walking campaign can make huge changes. As with all exercise programs, care must be taken when first starting up. Check with us before you begin a new program to discuss whether or not the fitness program you intend to start is the best one for you.
The number of risk factors you have has a direct bearing on the program you should start (weight control program vs. weight loss program, etc.). For most individuals, a sensible fitness program combined with a healthy diet can significantly lower BMI scores and thus reduce the disease risk factors that go along with high BMI scores.
A little Healthy Eating, Healthy Moving and Healthy Thinking can keep your feeling revved up and vital well beyond your years all winter long.
As I look outside the window today and see the big white fluffy flakes coming down I realize that our mild weather may be coming to an end. Oh well, "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"
References
1. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk Website
(Link: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/risk.htm)
2. Halls.md, The BMI gap between men and women
(Link: http://www.halls.md/bmi/gap.htm)