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Fitness Formula

January is the month for belt tightening, and beginning those health enhancing resolutions.  Many of you will make sure your gym membership is paid up and get back to working out on a regular basis with the goal of dropping a few pound and checking your body mass index to see how many you need to lose.  But did you know that BMI is not the only thing to consider when embarking on a fitness program?  I have compiled the following information for anyone interested in improving her fitness level.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

• Ratio of height to weight.  Divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared.

• Multiply the resulting quotient by 705.  A BMI of 25 to 30 is considered overweight. 

• A BMI of more than 30 is considered obese.

Weight vs. Body Fat

• BMI doesn't tell the whole story...you need to know how much of your weight is body fat.

• Overweight doesn't necessarily mean fat – it could be muscle weight. 

• If you can pinch more than an inch above your navel you may be considered over fat. 

Body Circumference

• This is the best way to determine whether or not you are at your ideal body weight/mass and for tracking body changes.  Periodically measure the circumference of your upper arm, waist, chest, hips, and thighs. Record these readings and recheck every four to six weeks.

Finding the Number of Calories Needed to Lose Weight

• Take your healthy body weight and multiply it by 10.  This number is the amount of calories you need on a daily basis to maintain your heartbeat, breathe, and regulate other basal metabolic functions.

• Select an activity factor that corresponds to your activity level.  Multiply that factor by your healthy body weight.

• Add the numbers from both of the above to arrive at the number of calories you need to eat to lose weight.

Sedentary 3   Moderately Active 4   Active 5   Very Active 7   Extremely Active 10 

Healthful Diet:

Your diet should be as low in fat as possible (no more than 20% of total daily calories) to lose weight. Carbohydrates help burn fat so your best weight loss diet is high in carbs; i.e., vegetables, fruits, breads, cereals, grains, and pastas.  In addition, carbs provide you with fuel for energy. As for protein, choose fish, skinless chicken, turkey, and lean red meat such as sirloin or round cuts.  Avoid fried and sautéed foods and eat more steamed, broiled, grilled, baked, and boiled foods. Drink plenty of fluids – especially filtered water. And don't skip meals. 

At Feel Better Therapies the focus is on helping clients regain or maintain body balance, through nutritional counselling and relaxation therapies. If you would like help with your  fitness or wellness goals, just call our office for an appointment. 

Please note:  Many companies now have insurance coverage for nutrition counselling, while others have fitness allowances that can be used to reimburse employees for the cost of their consultations.   Before making an appointment, please familiarize yourself with the details of your coverage. You may be pleasantly surprised at the amount of coverage you have.

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