|
Author: Ian Mason Article source: http://www.laweightloss.com/. Used with author's permission.
We all have an image of "fit" - lean, even thin, with a healthy glow. Many researchers are now beginning to question that picture of fitness - there may be more to being "fit" and less to being "fat" than conventional wisdom suggests.
What Are The Dangers Of Extra Weight
Carrying extra weight can put stress on your body. People who are overweight - that is, who weigh more for their height than is considered healthy - may be at increased risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and strokes, and may put additional pressure on their joints.
So Thin People Are In Danger Too?
However, as recent debates among scientists show, the "fit = thin" equation may hide a more complex situation. Often, when an overweight person begins to exercise and eat healthier foods, measures of their health improve. It might be that blood pressure and cholesterol improve because of weight loss that comes with exercise. But, researchers like Steven Blair argue, it may be that the exercise itself makes us healthier. As we exercise and eat better, our metabolism - the use of food to build and repair the body and make energy - changes, and that's what makes us healthy. The weight loss is a sort of "side effect" of the changes we've made in lifestyle.
Focus On Your Body's Functions, Not Appearance:
Glenn Glaesser, author of Big Fat Lies: The Truth About Your Weight and Your Health, endorses the idea of metabolic fitness. He suggests that we not focus on height-to-weight ratios (like the body-mass index or BMI) but on other measures of how your body is functioning, like cholesterol level, blood pressure, blood sugar and waist-to-hip ratio. His research suggests that it's possible to be fit and not have the slender figure we see in so many fashion magazines and movies. Conversely, if you are slender and sedentary, you may have health risks, regardless of your physique.
But don't replace one equation with another simplistic one: fat = fine. A balance seems to be the thing that all the experts agree on.
Balance Is Important:
If you fit the standard body-mass index definition of obese, how do you achieve the balance? Start out by finding out more about your health. Check your fat-to-muscle ratio. See if you're carrying a healthy amount of fat on your body relative to muscle (your local Y may be able to estimate your body fat for you at low cost). Ask your healthcare provider check your blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and heart function. Your nurse practitioner or doctor can help you think about small changes in diet and exercise that can help you get more fit, show you what parts of your metabolic health are doing well, what could use work. And lastly, check your own functioning: are there things you'd like to do that you haven't been able to? Are you getting tired on the dance floor more often than you'd like?
Take Improvement Step-By-Step:
Then, start slowly incorporating changes into your life - you may need to change how much you eat, what you eat, how much you exercise, or some combination, to achieve better health. Check back regularly with your health care worker, who can help you monitor progress. You may lose some weight in the process. You might not, initially, but do yourself a favor and take your measurements as well. The weight may not change, but you may find yourself becoming slimmer simply because muscle weighs a lot but doesn't take up as much room as fat does!
As your health and metabolic status improves, you may find that you aren't at the "perfect" weight. The jury is still out on whether losing extra weight to reach the "ideal" is necessary for the best health. However, don't be discouraged and quit your newly healthy lifestyle: the new research does tell us that fitness, whatever your weight, brings you health benefits that will stand you in good stead - and help you enjoy your fun activities today.
Blair S., "The fitness, obesity, and health equation: is physical activity the common denominator?" Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 292, issue 10, pages1232-1234, 2004
Blair, S., "Modifiable behavioral factors as causes of death. "Journal of the American Medical Association
Volume 291, issue 24 pages 2942-2943, 2004
Blair, S.N. "Revisiting fitness and fatness as predictors of mortality," Clinical Journal of Sport Volume 13, issue 5, pages 319-320, 2003
Conus, F, "Metabolic and behavioral characteristics of metabolically obese but normal-weight women,"Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Volume 89, issue 10, pages 5013-5020, 2004 Copyright (C) Shoppe.MD, PhenForum.com and Ian Mason, 2004-2005
Learn more about health, diet and exercise at our weight loss forum.
PhenForum.com is a popular discussion forum for weight loss programs, diet advice, and tips to help you burn fat.
All the best,
Ian Mason
7 Tips for Product Enhancement to Increase Your Sales
Everyone needs to know what business they're in and they
need to be able to express that purpose in a few sentences
in their USA.
Prepaid Wireless: Is It Right For You?
Article presents choices and pitfalls of prepaid wireless phone service.
Want to Earn More Profits
It's a simple yet common question, "How can I make my business more successful?"
DESIGNING YOUR LOG HOME: The Question of Dead Space
There's something about huge log homes that makes the rest of us jealous: the owners don't have to worry about wasted space. But for smaller floor plans, we ne...
Web Page Building for Beginners 4
Page ranking by search engines such as Google are not only overrated but unusually explained by "experts" in the SEO field. SEO stands for search engine optimiz...
Let Go Of My EgGO--Pride Cometh Before A Fall!
Pride is a double edged sword that can really cut
if used in the wrong way.
Product Trademarks
How does one go about registering a trademark on their product name? Here is a handy article on the very basics of "how to."
Opportunity Does Not Knock
I can tell you that as a breed, entrepreneurs are an impatient lot and many jump on the first business bandwagon that comes along just for the sake of being in ...
Making Changes in Your Personal Life
Making changes in your personal life can be a tough process. Change starts with a thought. It cannot begin without one. However, what we think and dream is n...
Business Plan Financial Projections: Stop Worrying About Being Right...
Business plan financial projections seem daunting because
they are so uncertain. This very uncertainty, however, is
what makes preparing them easy because you...
Why Wont My Teens Clean Their Room?
Have you ever had this struggle with your teens? Did you get to the results that you were looking for? Did moving toward those results create an unexpected rift...
The Gift is in the Giving
There are so many gifts you can receive, but if you alredy have so much, can more gifts truly make you happy?
Treadmill Vs Elliptical: A Never Ending Argument
The treadmill vs elliptical debate has been prevalent for some time. The treadmill vs elliptical debate isn't valid since selection of either one depends upon t...
Considering Daycare? Consider the Pros and Cons
When you're a parent it's a difficult decision to know whether to send your child to daycare or not. We have provided many of the pros and cons of sending your...
How to Eliminate the Competition in Your Massage Business
One of the biggest mistakes massage therapists make in trying to promote themselves is that they are mostly doing it the same way as every other therapist. The ...
Little Weight Loss Goes A Long Way
If you simply take some healthful steps in the direction of your weight-loss goals, you are likely to reap some healthy rewards, even if you never drop a single...
Treadmill Review - How To Find The Best Treadmill At The Best Price
When shopping for a treadmill, it is important to know the facts in advance. Sales and advertised specials will not always assure that you get the best price o...
Dining Chair Slipcovers – A Great Way to Impress Your Dinner Guests!
Planning a dinner party but worried what your guests will think about your tired looking furniture? Stop worrying, because dining chair slipcovers offer a simp...
Tax Trap #4 -- The Quagmire of Depreciation
How to avoid the quagmire of tax rules known as depreciation
Is The U.S. Dollar About To Reverse Course?
For the first time in several years the U.S. dollar has managed to gain value against the world's other major currencies. During the first three months of 2005,...
How to Make Gooey Grits Cake
I was intrigued when I came across this unusual dessert recipe. Now, ordinarily, I wouldn't think that a dessert containing grits, of all things, would be appea...
Cholesterol, Blood Pressure or Fitness - Which is More Important?
Got high cholesterol or high blood pressure? Would you like to lose a few pounds, improve your fitness level and reduce risks of a heart attack? This study will...
5 Easy Steps to Help You Lose Weight
This article explains 5 easy ways to lose weight...
On the Crossing of Continents
Cyprus is situated in the north-east Mediterranean on the crossing of three continents - Europe, Asia and Africa. This strategic location ensured development of...
|
Print this page