BMI vs Weight vs Waist Circumference

Source: http://www.shape.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-strategies/bmi-vs-weight-vs-waist-circumference

From stepping on a scale every day to keeping a close eye on the fit of your jeans, there are many ways to assess how healthy your weight and size are. And the discussion about whether body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference or something entirely different is best continues, most recently reignited when this season'sBiggest Loser winner Rachel Fredrickson won with an alarmingly low BMI of 18 at 105 pounds.

Clear up the confusion and learn the latest on the benefits and drawbacks of the three most popular measurements to determine which is best for you.

Body Mass Index

The BMI is a standardized formula to determine the ratio between height and weight. BMI has been shown to be a fairly reliable indicator of body fat for most adults, though not for the elderly or those with a lot of muscle tone. “Healthy” BMI is considered to be from 19 to 25.Calculate yours here. 

Best used for: "Body mass index is a quick way to categorize someone as underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese," says Mary Hartley, R.D., nutrition expert for DietsinReview.com.

Scale Weight

A lot of people have very complicated relationships with the scale. Weight fluctuates naturally by a few pounds all the time based on a variety of factors including stress, hydration, menstruation, and even time of day, so daily weigh-ins can often fuel frustration and self-criticism instead of empowerment. [Tweet this!]

Best used for: Weekly or monthly check-ins for overall health and disease risk.

Waist Circumference

It doesn't make sense to take a tape measure to your stomach more than every four to six weeks, and Hartley says every six months to one year is optimal. “Take measurements correctly, whether using a scale, measuring tape, calipers, or a sophisticated tech device,” she recommends. Your ideal waist size should be no more that half your height. For example, a five-foot-four-inch female should have a waist size of no more than 32 inches.

Best used for: Tracking changes during lifestyle modifications. Hitting the gym for some extra cardio and core work? Measurements every few months will be a great way to check your progress.

The Bottom Line

Knowing your numbers is an important first step in evaluating your health status and potential health risks, but ultimately there is no such thing as perfect numbers. Trust your body to find your own healthy set point with a balanced lifestyle of nutrition, physical activity (like strength training without weights), and positive relationships with others and yourself.

If taking measurements produces anxiety, negative judgments, or even depression, it’s obviously not beneficial. And “a continuous desire to obsessively check measurements may indicate a mental health problem,” Hartley says. You are worth so much more than the size of your jeans!

Dr Oz on Metabolism and Weight Loss

Portion Control: The Key to Weight Loss

Source: copyrightfreecontent.com

(NewsUSA) – The rigors of appearing on the reality TV show The Biggest Loser led Lisa Mosley to the emotional breakthrough that empowered her to lose almost 100 pounds. But it was portion control that kept her losing weight when she returned home from the set.

“I live on the motto “Moderation not deprivation,” she says. “As soon as I got home from the ranch, I started using a small plate instead of big dinner plates. It has been extremely successful for me.”

Mosley didn’t start gaining weight until she was about 20, when she began taking medication for a chronic anxiety disorder. The medication made her feel like a new person, but within six months she began to gain weight. Over the next 10 years she gained about 120 pounds.

By 2010, Lisa had suffered several personal setbacks. She had been laid off from her job, had lost her home and had no prospects to find work. The defining moment in her struggle to lose weight came when she discovered that her daughter had stopped eating and drinking because she didn’t want to be heavy like her mom.

That spurred Lisa to take action, including her willingness to bare her soul on The Biggest Loser.

When Lisa left the show, she had dropped 60 pounds. But she continued to lose weight, dropping another 37 pounds at home after she learned to control the size of her portions.

She recently became the national spokeswoman for Yum Yum Dishes, sets of hand-painted 4-ounce ceramic bowls. Tracy Adler, mother of two and former restaurant owner, created the bowls to help parents and kids control the size of their snacks.

“The idea for these dishes is what got me through this,” Mosley says. “A lot of times when I have entered into diets in the past, I went into it thinking I am never going to get a cookie, ice cream, or a piece of cake again. I was never successful with that,” she adds. “These dishes remind you that your life isn’t over and you are not going to be missing out.”

Today Mosley works as a fitness boot camp instructor and personal trainer. She weighs about 190 pounds, wears a size 12 and is happy with herself.

“I am literally a different person,” she says, “not just in how I feel physically but also how I feel mentally and emotionally.”

For more information, visit www.yumyumdishes.com.