4 Clues It's Time to Take Off Pounds
You may wonder if the weight you’ve added over the years is enough to affect your health. Here are some ways to find out.
Compare apples and pears. Look in the mirror and note where your extra weight is located. Fat stored around your waistline is much more dangerous to your health than fat stored on your hips and thighs.
In fact, fat around your waist, giving you an apple shape, puts you at higher risk for heart disease than if a few extra pounds have settled in the lower part of your body, giving you a pear-shaped appearance.
Measure your middle. Just how much girth is a problem? Consider your health at risk if you are a woman with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches. If you are a man, 40 inches ore more means it’s time to reduce.
Even with a smaller measurement, you may still be at risk for health problems if your waistline has increased 2 inches or more since you’ve reached maturity.
Check the charts. Use the body mass index (BMI) chart to determine the ratio of your weight to your height. This will help you decide if your weight is in a healthy range. A BMI between 19 and 25 is considered healthy. A BMI above 25 generally means you are overweight, and over 30 indicates you are obese, a more serious health concern.
This index is based on the assumption that having extra weight means you have more body fat. If, however, you are muscular you may fall into an overweight category but still be healthy.
As you get older, waist measurement may be a more accurate indicator of obesity than BMI. Many seniors lose muscle mass as they gain fat. That means it’s possible to fall within the healthy weight category when k in fact, you’re carrying too much unhealthy fat.
Get expert advice. Not all seniors should go on a diet. Talk to your doctor, especially if you are over 65 or plan to lose more than 20 pounds. Be sure to discuss the cause of your weight gain, and find out how other health conditions – like diabetes and high blood pressure – come into play.
© FCA Publishing
