What is a Healthy Weight?

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What is a Healthy Weight?

The following Daily Dish is part of a series for What is a Healthy Weight?

Despite what you see on TV or in magazines - bikini-clad models and superthin

celebrities - a healthy weight, as it is clinically defined, encompasses a wide

range of body types, including those more fuller-figured than most of the images

in the media.

The easiest way to determine your ideal weight is to calculate your body mass

index (BMI), a measurement of body composition based on height and weight. You

can calculate your BMI by dividing your weight (in pounds) by your height in

inches squared (in other words, height times height). For example, if you weigh

175 pounds and stand 5 feet 6 inches tall (66 inches), divide 175 by 66 times 66

(4356) to get 0.04. Take this number and multiply it times 705 and you'll arrive

at your own BMI; in this case, it's 28. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is

considered " normal " (associated with the fewest health risks). A BMI of 25 to

29.9 is classified as overweight, while 30 and above is obese.

The good news is even a small amount of weight loss can have a positive impact

on your health. Dr. Arthur Agatston, preventive cardiologist and author of The

South Beach DietT says, " Studies have demonstrated that a loss of just 5 to 15

percent of your body weight can result in improvements to your health, including

lower blood pressure. That's why I encourage thinking beyond the scale and

concentrating on positive health goals instead. "

So, rather than focusing on the size 8 jeans you wore in high school, turn your

attention toward improving your overall health by lowering your risk of such

weight-related conditions as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Reaching a

healthy weight means you'll have more energy and more confidence, but more

importantly, it may help you sidestep future health problems.