Losing weight – it’s a hot topic in the media, in doctors’ offices and in our homes. And it’s part of a $60 billion health and fitness industry in this country. But what’s a long-term solution to maintaining a healthy weight?
The one-size-fits-all mentality doesn’t work with weight loss, according to Women's Health Nurse Practitioner Roslyn McKay, Marshfield Clinic Wittenberg Center. “Your normal weight is a range, not a number on a height and weight chart.” That’s why McKay uses the body mass index (BMI) tool to show her patients a reasonable weight range to maintain a healthy life.
BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that helps determine a healthy weight for your age and gender.
In her practice, McKay finds that patients are becoming more familiar with the BMI tool. “People also really like the information we provide in the Patient Wellness Summary, given to Marshfield Clinic patients at regular routine visits.” The summary charts out where a patient is with his or her weight over a period of time and provides details about vitals, medications, preventive services and certain lab information.
While losing weight may be a challenge for many women, even a 5 to 10 percent weight loss can bring significant health benefits, lowering the risk for:
Heart diseaseDiabetesHigh blood pressureOsteoarthritis
The biggest roadblock to dropping those pounds may be dedicating time each day for exercise. She advises women to stick to a regular schedule of exercise for one month, saying, “It takes about a month for a habit to be ingrained.”
Walking 10 minutes a day for those who are completely sedentary, then gradually working up to 30 minutes or more is a good starting point, she said. Those in good health can do a higher intensity workout that puts them in the middle-high range of a target heart rate zone (about 65 to 85 percent of max heart rate), a key factor in burning calories.
Your target heart rate is the level at which your heart is beating with moderate to high intensity. To determine that rate, subtract your age from 226 for women, 220 for men. Knowing your target heart rate helps ensure you are exercising at the proper pace and not over or under exerting yourself.
Regular exercise, coupled with portion control at meal time, will help achieve sustained weight loss. Concentrate on having more fruits and vegetables than meat on your plate. The USDA website MyPlate.gov offers a wealth of ideas on how to enjoy food while eating less.
“For most of us, weight gain did not happen overnight. A slow, steady weight loss of one pound a week is a reasonable goal,” McKay said. ?
