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Body Worries, Body Sense
Stop Obsessing and Find Out Your BMI
By Karen Unger, staff writer
Every time you look at yourself in the mirror, do you feel like you are in the fun house at the amusement park—your butt just keeps getting w-i-d-e-r and W-I-D-E-R no matter which way you turn?
Been dieting since you were nine? No joke—some research studies have shown that up to 80% of fourth-grade girls have been on diets already. Does the thought of shopping for clothes make you break out in hives? Would you rather have a cavity drilled than appear on the beach in just your bathing suit? OK, you have some major body worries—most girls do—and what you need is a huge dose of some body sense.
The Naked Truth
- Fat is what gives your body energy. You need to eat some if you want to stay alive.
- Your size is influenced by many factors. To some extent, your genes determine how well you fill out a pair of jeans. Your height, build, metabolism, and eating and exercise habits all affect how much you weigh.
- Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is your ratio of height to weight. You divide your weight (in pounds) by your height (in inches) squared and multiply the total by 703. Or use the BMI calculator below. Of course, no matter what the method, you need to be honest about your weight if you want a truthful result). A healthy BMI is between 19 and 24.9.
Got a High BMI?
A BMI over 24.9 can put you at risk for problems such as diabetes and heart disease. A BMI over 30 is one sign of obesity. But not every doctor agrees that your BMI is the best way to measure your ideal weight, so ask your doctor what she or he thinks. If your BMI is high and your doctor thinks you need to slim down, you either have to eat less, move more, or do both.
Move It
Move more by doing an aerobic exercise—at the very least, thirty minutes a day three times a week. Power walk at the mall. Baby-sit and play some run-around games—you'll tire the kids out so they nap, and you'll burn calories. Move those hips and lips to some karaoke. If you aren't into team sports, try an individual sport such as tae kwon do, karate, ice skating, running or race walking, or swimming.
Eat Smart, Eat Less
Eat a healthy, balanced diet each day. Include:
- 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables. That doesn't mean just drinking orange or tomato juice. Eating fruits and vegetables makes you feel much fuller than drinking a glass of juice—and provides more nutrition.
- 2-3 servings of nonfat or low-fat dairy products. Foods like milk, yogurt, and cheese give you protein and important vitamins.
- 2-3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, nuts, beans, or eggs.
- 6-11 servings of bread, cereal, rice, or pasta. Choose whole wheat and whole grain.
- A minimum of fats, oils, and sweets.
Critical: Portion Size
- A piece of fruit or baked potato should equal a baseball or a woman's fist.
- A portion of meat or chicken—three ounces—should equal a deck of cards and a three ounce portion of fish is about the size of a check book.
- The serving size for pasta, rice, pretzels, or other snacks should be one half cup, or a rounded handful.
- A bagel should be the size of a hockey puck, not a dinner plate.
Find a weight healthy for you, and learn to love your bod. Stop the wishful thinking (if only I looked like this model or that actress—it's not gonna happen) and live in the moment. Doing things that are positive makes you strong and helps you feel good about yourself. And if you totally cave and give in to a hamburger–french fries–milk shake craving, forgive yourself and just go back to your healthy eating habits as soon as possible.
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