You first need to know whether you are overweight (unhealthy), underweight (unhealthy), or in your healthy weight range (very healthy! =).
FACT: There is a large range of healthy weights for people. You may be surprised at how much you can weigh and still be healthy. For example, if you're 5'4" you can be up to 145 lbs. without being overweight.
UNDERWEIGHT IS NOT HEALTHY.
You may not know that being underweight is just as unhealthy as being overweight. But it is. That's why it is so important to be in a healthy weight range.
OVERWEIGHT IS NOT HEALTHY.
If you are very overweight, you are more likely to become obese. The farther away you are from your "healthy weight" the higher the health problem risks are.
FACTORS IN WEIGHT:
Bones. Have you ever heard the term "big-boned?" If you have a large frame you generally will weigh more than someone with a small frame because bones are heavy.
Find out your size frame. Wrap your thumb and index (pointer) finger from one hand around your other hand's wrist. If the fingers overlap, you have a small frame. If the fingers touch, you have a medium frame. If the fingers do not touch, you have a large frame. Don't be upset if you have a large frame; it does not make you "fat" or overweight, this only determines the size of your bones.
Fat. Being "overweight" or "underweight" is not the problem. The problem lies in being "underfat" or "overfat." The healthiest fat range is from 17-25% body fat. Remember, some fat is necessary to live. It is broken down for energy and aids the body in other ways, too. But having too much of a fat percentage is unhealthy because the fat can not all be used.
Genetics. If many of your relatives are over- or underweight, it is likely or possible that you will be too. However, if you lead a healthy lifestyle you can beat the gene scene.
Height. If you are very tall, you generally will weigh more than someone who is very short.
Muscle. Though muscles take up less space than fat in your body, muscles weigh more.
IF YOU ARE UNDERFAT:
Try including more calories and more fat in your everyday eating. It may be helpful to keep a day-to-day diary of what you eat. If you are a strenuous exerciser, try doing more moderate exercising if possible (for example, if you run every day, try walking or jogging instead).
IF YOU ARE OVERFAT:
Try including less calories and less fat in your everyday eating. It may be helpful to keep a day-to-day diary of what you eat. If you are a couch potato, trying including moderate exercise every day. Take the stairs, do leg lifts while watching TV, along with including a 30-minute exercise session every day. To keep yourself interested in the exercises, use variety!
HOW TO KEEP VARIETY IN YOUR WORKOUTS:
Sunday - Move to some fast music (try "Jock Jams" or anything that makes you feel like dancing!)
Monday - Do Tae-Bo (I think it's a LOT funner than ordinary exercise tapes!)
Tuesday - Jog, Walk, or Run with headphones or a neighbor (Or take a cellphone and chat with your friend!)
Wednesday - Splish, splash, Marco Polo, and dive. Another good move is to kick underwater or move your legs like you are pedaling a bike underwater.
Thursday - Learn a new sport or challenge your little sis to a game of HORSE, AROUND THE WORLD, or KNOCKOUT.
Friday - Try to beat up a punching bag (It'll never know what hit him!)
Saturday - Help others while you exercise! Lend a helping hand to "Habitat for Humanity" and help build happy homes! Or run, walk, or bike in a 5K, 10K, or whateverK to raise money for a worthy cause.
Ummm - Teach yourself gymnastics! (Ooo but be careful! You may need someone to "spot" you on the tricky moves. Pretty soon you'll be able to balance on your head!)
Anotherday - Lift heavy weights or light dumbells, or visit the gym!
Whenday - Sculpt or make something like carpenters (This works your arms if you were wondering).
HOW TO TRIM YOUR LEGS:
Walking.
Do plies (plias?). The ballet move where you stand feet together and bend your knees.
HOW TO THIN YOUR TUMMY, WAIST, OR ABS:
Twist-crunches.
Twists.
Squeezing your tummy muscles in so that your tummy looks flat actually does help it.
HOW TO TONE YOUR ARMS:
Push-ups (if you can't do them, try doing them with your knees bent)
Pull-ups (if you can't go over the bar, try going as high up as you can and holding that position as long as you can
HOW TO TINY-IZE (buy me a thesaurus please! I'm making up words) YOUR BOTTOM:
Squeeze your butt muscles
Do the Buns of Steel tape, I guess, I don't know of any more butt exercises.
SUGGESTED ITEMS TO HELP:
Tae-Bo videos. I think they're MUCHHH more fun than regular aerobics videos; plus, Billy Blank tells you how to relax at the end of the video with special relaxing stretches.
The Smartloss books. My doctor co-wrote a book called It Can Break Your Heart. It is about obesity and overweightness and how to treat them. He also wrote a book called 60-Day Health Journal. This journal I REALLY reccomend. It is a workbook where everyday you fill in what you ate, the calories, the fat, and the exercise you did. In the back of the book is a calorie helper (it says how many calories some foods -- including many fast food restaurant cal stats. It also says how many calories are burned for every 15 minutes you walk). This journal motivated me to eat right, and helped me do it. These, along with my determination, medication, eatrightation (I warned you to get me a thesaurus!), and exercisation helped me to lose 20 pounds and go from 10 or 12 to a 4 or 6. I'm so proud because now I am so much healthier! |