Health Question

[Night_Jasmine]

I know this doesn't belong here but like Tymeless, I feel more comfortable asking this here.

I've been doing a bit of research today and can't find a straight answer. Does anyone know about height/weight ratios?

 

[namron711]

I know this doesn't belong here but like Tymeless, I feel more comfortable asking this here.

I've been doing a bit of research today and can't find a straight answer. Does anyone know about height/weight ratios?

Regarding what???

 

[Night_Jasmine]

Where a female that's 30 years old, medium boned, and 5'5" tall should be as far as weight.

 

[namron711]

Where a female that's 30 years old, medium boned, and 5'5" tall should be as far as weight.

Should meaning fit with little or no fat?
Guessing 120-130

 

[Night_Jasmine]

Yeah, I've seen that there. Then there's other places that say 105 or a little higher. I don't understand why it can't be one specific set of guides for this.

Frustrating!!!!

 

[namron711]

Yeah, I've seen that there. Then there's other places that say 105 or a little higher. I don't understand why it can't be one specific set of guides for this.

Frustrating!!!!

Why are you so frustrated?

 

[Night_Jasmine]

Combination of things. It'd be nice to know where I need to be and work with that. Then there's the mess of diets available out there and it's somewhat confusing.

That and trying to organize the research with a throbbing headache isn't easy. lol. You'd think I would know better by now.

 

[namron711]

Combination of things. It'd be nice to know where I need to be and work with that. Then there's the mess of diets available out there and it's somewhat confusing.

That and trying to organize the research with a throbbing headache isn't easy. lol. You'd think I would know better by now.

Stop fretting.
Stress is dangerous.

Exercise at least 20 minutes a day.
Eat small portions 3 to 5 times a day of balanced nutrients.
More fruits and vegetables then meats.
DRINK 8 GLASSES OF WATER EVERYDAY!
Try to increase your fiber intake.
Suger is bad.
Sex is good.

Hope this helps.

 

[Night_Jasmine]

I think so. Although fretting seems to be a thing I can't shake.

Thanks for your help.

 

[secrets2729]

My tips

Night_Jasmine, This is what my mother always told me:
A woman should weight 100 lbs at five feet and add 5 lbs for every inch above 5 feet. So 5'5" would be about 125.

Realize too that you need to have a realistic view of your body. If you're big boned (like me) you will weigh more. If you tend to carry a lot of muscle (like me) you'll weigh more. I'm 5'5" too and will never get down to 125. I'd look horrid if I did.

I have been following the Biggest Loser plan as explained in the Biggest Loser cookbook. 3 servings of protein (milk and dairy counts) a day, 2 of fiber, whole grains, etc., 4 of fruit and veggies - that's two servings of each - and eat more veggies than fruit.
Start with a big breakfast that's healthy and full of grains and your carbs for the day. You'll have energy for the a.m. and not get hungry till lunch. Also carbs should be eaten earlier in the day (breakfast & lunch) so you have time to burn them off. Dinner should be a lean protein and lots of veggies. If you must have an after-dinner snack, just make it healthy. It won't kill you to have some goodies once in awhile, just make sure you pay attention to serving sizes and don't let too much in your house at once, then you won't have it to tempt you.

As far as exercise, if you are looking to burn fat, keep track of your heart rate rather than calories. Keeping your heart rate within the fat burning range - probably 115-135 for you, as it is for me - for an extended period of time is going to help you more than maxing your heart rate.

Sorry this is so long, but it has worked for me so far this year. Once you get into a healthy eating habit, it is sooo much easier. Fattening foods will actually feel disgusting in your mouth when you eat them.

Sex is great exercise too. And take vitamins! And yes, lots of water.

Anyway, I'm not an expert, but I've been yo-yo dieting for years and this is what has really worked for me and hopefully will be a life change rather than just a diet. if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

 

[playwithlezli]

I know this doesn't belong here but like Tymeless, I feel more comfortable asking this here.

I've been doing a bit of research today and can't find a straight answer. Does anyone know about height/weight ratios?

Not sure how many "straight" answers you might find on the GLBT board

But seriously, you sound like you are looking for information on the BMI-Body Mass Index. So, I would start by googling that. If you are significantly overweight I would also consider joining a reputable gym that can do a fitness evaluation, these generally include measuring the portion of your body that is fat (as a percentage) and can help you design a reasonable fitness program, with attainable goals.

Fad and gimmicky diets and fitness programs may give you quick results but they are not long lasting and do not teach you how to manage your own weight, fitness and life.

Good luck with the research

 

[Night_Jasmine]

Biggest loser diet? I've heard about it but seen nothing that doesn't charge me to read the website.

As far as exercise, I have a bad ankle and some other health issues that limit what I can do. I was thinking something low impact at first, I don't know. I had one person suggest yoga and Tai Chi to start with but no idea on that.

I don't mind being curvy. Chances are, I won't hit 125, and I'm good with that. I just want to be at a healthy weight and at a point where I won't cringe when clothes shopping and looking in a mirror.

 

[Etoile]

Damn, Lezli beat me to mentioning BMI! That's definitely what you want to research.

 

[playwithlezli]

Damn, Lezli beat me to mentioning BMI! That's definitely what you want to research.

Beat me hehehhe

 

[Tymeless]

each persons diet is gonna be diffrent for everyone. The new thing is the south beach diet and it seems to be pretty balanced but make sure you get the book by doctor agaston, as opposed to one by a nutrionist. the plan behind the south beach diet is to cleanse your system for 2 weeks then slowly reintroduce stuff while teaching you to control your diet on your own without depriving yourself.

 

[Tara40]

Just be Smart

Night_Jasmine
When going on any diet
just remember to go about it in a healthy way
its not how fast you lose it its how you lose it.
any diet with the right foods and exercise in your case like you said low impact
should be ok Just start slow and work with your doctor
to get the right kind of work out program.

Tara

 

[Night_Jasmine]

I've checked the South Beach but the meals behind it are so expensive. Dieting on a shoestring budget is a pain in the butt.

 

[HeavenCanWait]

Do you have Weight Watchers meetings where you are?

I have lost 28lbs in 8 weeks on weight watchers, and I expect it to stay off, because it's taught me to change my lifestyle, rather than being just a crash diet. I've still got a along way to go mind, but I'm sure this is the way to do it.

Matthew xx

 

[playwithlezli]

Do you have Weight Watchers meetings where you are?

I have lost 28lbs in 8 weeks on weight watchers, and I expect it to stay off, because it's taught me to change my lifestyle, rather than being just a crash diet. I've still got a along way to go mind, but I'm sure this is the way to do it.

Matthew xx

Totally agree-40 lbs here

 

[secrets2729]

WW is great. I never went to the meetings, but I have a few of their cookbooks and tried to follow the program with what info I had a few years ago. Trouble was I went on vacation and after that the motivation was gone! I'm sort of mixing recipes from Biggest Loser and WW now. WW magazine is terrific too.

And a lot of it really is common sense. It is more important to do it in a healthy way, because it has to be a habit that you fall into, not just a diet. That's what I'm trying to learn right now.

Yoga's awesome, and helps with stress too. BL has a low-impact workout on their DVD, but I wouldn't recommend it because most of the workouts are higher high impact. What about a stationary bike or elliptical or simply walking (on a flat, relatively soft surface, of course)? Just a 20 minute walk each day can work wonders, and you can take it as easy as you need to and increase your distance little by little.

I've found that our family can actually eat cheaper when we eat healthier. I think the reason is that we aren't buying chips, any kind of soda, even diet, chocolate, cookies or the products needed to make them... just lean meat, veggies, some starches, whole grains, etc... we also buy some frozen meals for nights we're in a hurry, you just have to check the nutrition facts and watch out for excess sodium.
Also keep in mind that nutrition facts are for a 2000 calorie a day; women typically have lower caloric needs. To determine how many calories you should take in to lose weight, multiply your current weight by seven.
Preparation time for fresher, healthier foods isn't too bad either; it takes a lot less time and energy to pop some fish fillets in the oven, steam some veggies and eat them than to prepare, say, a lasagna full of greasy meat and cheese or wait for potatoes to bake.
The biggest issue, I think, is planning. When you buy fresh veggies, you have to know when you're going to use them and then actually use them so you don't waste them.

Sorry, everyone, I type too much...
And definitely work with your doctor as Tara suggested.

 

[playwithlezli]

Hey secrets you are so right.

What we do here, is sit down every Monday night with our calendar, we make a menu plan (based on what we have in pantry, freezer etc)(or what we have spotted on sale in flyer) and figure out who is cooking what night, who does dishes, cleans the bathroom etc. From the menu plan comes the shopping list. Of course this is all around our social schedule! Then we go shopping, do the recycling, adn we are pretty much sailing easy the rest of the week cuz we just look at the calendar the night before, make sure everything is still on track, put the beans on to soak etc.

We use very few prepared sauces which really cuts the calories and fat.

Our diet is primarily vegetarian with the occasional chicken or turkey, but we grew those on our own so they were free range and as organic as we can make them.

We usually cook extra dinner then pack our lunches that night.

Our food bills are about half of what other families pay and we have lots of good food. And we have so much control over the quality of the food, like you we just dont keep junk in the house.

 

[Night_Jasmine]

WW is expensive to get started, at least to me. I had thought of using part of my income tax refund on the stationary bike idea. My mom, bless her heart, is coming up with recipes that might help and won't be costly. I can cook, but if I don't have a recipe - it's a disaster in the making nine times out of ten.

 

[BEACHBONS]

check your BMI

www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

 

[secrets2729]

I thought WW was expensive to start too, which is why I didn't do the meetings.
But, I've always been able to find WW cookbooks at the library and if you have friends or family who have done the program, they will have the info that you really need. The meetings are basically just for support from what I understand. Really, any plan that encourages you to eat healthy and not just diet temporarily is good.

If you don't have a recipe, go simple. Get some low or sodium-free seasoning (like Mrs. Dash) take a fish fillet and rub it with the seasoning, pan fry it just in sprayed oil (like Pam, use sparingly), steam some broccoli and there's dinner. It doesn't have to be complicated to get started. Do the same with a small chicken breast or very very lean beef. You can always stir-fry it all together and have it over minute rice with low-sodium soy sauce.

Depending on your current shape and how your ankle would hold out, an elliptical might be a good idea to check into. Low impact and burns soooo many more calories soooo much faster than a bike. If you've never used one before, balance can be tricky and it might be hard at first. I started out going 5 minutes at a time and eventually worked up to an hour.

playwithlezli, I'm totally impressed - growing your own chickens and turkey! I'm far too lazy to deal with that kind of stuff!!

 

[Eilan]

I've checked the South Beach but the meals behind it are so expensive. Dieting on a shoestring budget is a pain in the butt.

You don't have to use the recipes in the book(s). If you shop from the list of foods that are allowed in each Phase, you should be able to come up with something that would fit your budget.