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One measure that is
often used by dietitians to figure
out whether a person is overweight or obese is BMI,
body mass index. BMI is calculated by dividing the weight
in pounds by height in inches squared by and multiply all
of that by 705. Here is a sample calculation of a person
who is 5'7" and 150 lbs.
- 150
- 5' 7" translates to 67 inches
- 67 inches X 67
(that's 67 squared)=4,489
- 150/4,489=0.0334
- 0.0334 x 705 = 23.55
- Overweight is BMI of 25-29.
Obese is BMI of 30.
Severely obese BMI of 40
Media on Diet
Controversy
Meanwhile, in the national media, there has been a lot
of exploration on the controversy of the diet. NBC's
Dateline news magazine show aired a segment where
their own reporter Josh Mankowitz did a story on his
own weight loss, saying he followed the Atkins diet
and lost weight. His fellow reporter Keith Morrison did
a follow up story commenting on how he kept weight
off by cutting out red meat and fat.
Jasper, Earlyn Koizumi, R.D. and Jane Umeda,
R.D., both from Kuakini Medical Center, noted that the Dr. Robert
Atkins diet (eating mostly meat, not eating carbohydrates) puts
individuals in ketosis and it may be harmful in depleting calcium
from bones. It could put users at risk
later in life for skeletal disorders. The Kuakini dietitians
also noted that the Dr. Dean Ornish diet (eating more
low-fat food) is more about improving cardiac health,
which is healthier but also more difficult to make this lifestyle
change.
Bernal-Masuda suggested: "The correct
answer
probably lies between the two extremes, as there
are major health concerns for both sides. A diet
moderate in carbohydrate (50 percent of calories), moderate
in protein (20 percent) and controlled in fat
(30 percent), may be more palatable and healthier on
a long term basis."
Exercise
It's a known fact that along with dieting, exercise helps
in maintaining a healthy weight. The Institute of Medicine recommends
one hour of exercise a day. "Exercise should be based depending
upon what you are used to. Most
days of the week, try to get some type of exercise for
20-30 minutes. It could be something as simple as
walking," adds Darnell. Jasper says: "If you walk
with a friend, it's also a great way for socialization."
Bernal-Masuda agrees beginners should do
something
they enjoy and just do it. "If you can only do 5 to 10
minutes initially, don't worry, as you can build up time gradually
over several weeks," said Bernal-Masuda. "Finding
a partner or a group of people to exercise with
can help keep you on track and keep your motivational
level up. For the contemplators, the time is now.
Remember that the journey to a thousand steps begins with the
first small step."
Some of the popular exercises are the kickboxing
Taebo, spinning classes, yoga, step aerobics and cross training
exercise using aerobic and strength training.
Benevides said she runs in the morning
before she has
to get the children ready for school. She brings her dog along
with her sometimes for motivation. She also bought
a bicycle for her four year old who can also tag along.
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