Diets don’t work, so commit to lifestyle changes. Unless you give the true meaning to the word diet, which is simply the food that you eat, what works is having a healthy diet, not going “on” a diet. Going “on
Diets don’t work, so commit to lifestyle changes.
Unless you give the true meaning to the word diet, which is simply the food that you eat, what works is having a healthy diet, not going “on” a diet.
Going “on a diet” presumes that at some point you will go “off your diet.” What works is making sure that the way you feed yourself is healthy and simply the everyday, long-lasting lifestyle that you can live with.
Seems simple enough, yet we are fed so much misinformation about food and nutrition that it becomes a quagmire of conflicting and erroneous “facts.” Sifting the real from the fad becomes impossible for most people.
Jan. 20-26 is National Healthy Weight Week and the concept behind this idea is that dieting, in the way we have come to think about it, is harmful. Not just to your body to also your psyche.
There are many factors that contribute to a healthy weight. Certainly bone structure, height, bone density, body type and body composition all contribute to anyone’s weight.
The most important factor is body composition. Many times I’ve had clients come in for a fitness assessment and they tell me that, based on their BMI, they are too heavy.
The BMI, or body mass index, is simply a ratio of your weight to your height. That means if you take the weight of a short, very muscular person and compare it with their height, they will have a very high BMI.
Does this mean that they are overweight? No, they could have a very low percentage of body fat but simply be heavy because they have well developed muscularity. It is a misleading measure that is frequently used because it is easy to calculate and anyone can calculate it by following a chart.
A better measure of appropriate weight and a better measure of what your body is comprised of, is your body fat percentage. This measure is done by a competent fitness trainer by selecting several sites on the body with fat calipers and then determining the amount of skin fold at those sites.
There are some machines and weigh scales that claim to calculate percent body fat but unfortunately they don’t seem very accurate and are compromised by the hydration level of the individual being assessed.
However, another very accurate way of determining the body percent fat, besides calipers, is to weigh an individual on land and then underwater.
Unfortunately, this type of equipment usually is only available in larger university physical fitness centers. Healthy percentage body fat for men is about 15 to 19 percent and for women from 20 to 25 percent.
One of the obvious problems with dieting is in restricting calories or limiting various “bad” foods and so on, is that not only can it lead to lack of nutrients, but it also can be the fore-runner of development of eating disorders. There is an estimated 10 million people in the United States with eating disorders of various types.
One of the most worrisome is anorexia nervosa which plagues about one percent of the high school and college population (mostly females).
Bulimia nervosa affects another 3 percent of the same population and various other disordered eating patterns make up the rest. These eating patterns negatively affect entire families and the estimated mortality rates for anorexia and bulimia nervosa is between 15 to 20 percent.
A better way to embrace a health weight lifestyle is to eat for nutrition, not for a quick fix of something that tastes “good.” Consider the health benefits of each mouthful.
Go for organic fresh produce, clean lean meats, and whole grain products that are organic and well tolerated.
Exercise is also an important component to achieving a healthy weight and healthy body as well. It is not an unusual undertaking but a natural way of living. Consider native people all over the world. They are busy, active, eat fresh and local and are healthy and lean. This is the natural way of being that is available to us all.
The global health crisis known as “Globesity” is a new phenomenon brought about by the disconnect of people from their natural environment and way of being. I invite you to celebrate Healthy Weight Week and every week by eating to optimize your health and moving your body in functional exercise.
Much aloha!
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Jane Riley is a certified personal trainer, certified nutritional adviser and a certified behavior change specialist. She can be reached at janerileyfitness@gmail.com, (808) 212-8119 and www.janerileyfitness.com
