FitSugar -- Healthy, happy you.

Breastfeeding Is Good for Your Baby's Future

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:30:00 -0800

When I was born, breastfeeding wasn't so common. Many new moms weren't encouraged to do so, and they often felt more than a little shy about the practice (even in this day and age many people get offended when they see a mom breastfeeding in public). Too bad that back then they didn't know the health benefits of breastfeeding.

Not only does breast milk offer excellent nutrition and help protect babies from infections, but a new study shows that babies who were nursed as infants have a lower body-mass index (BMI) and a higher level of HDL cholesterol (the good kind).

What's so great about that? Lower BMI and high HDL help to protect against cardiovascular disease. This study discovered that those who were breastfed as infants were 55 percent more likely to have high levels of HDL cholesterol than those who were bottle-fed.

Also, adults in the study who were breastfed had an average BMI of 26.1. Those who were bottle-fed had an average BMI of 26.9. If your BMI is higher than 25, you are considered overweight and at risk for heart problems. Although there wasn't a huge difference in the BMI numbers, even a slight reduction in BMI can greatly reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease.

Well now I'm even happier that I chose to breastfeed my girls.

Source

Yogurt, Good for Your Tummy and Your BMI

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:30:00 -0700

I love yogurt. I am not lying when I say I eat it every single day. Mainly I eat yogurt because of the intestinal benefits and feel good ingredients, but now there is yet another reason to stock up on the stuff.

New research has found that women who ate three or more servings of yogurt over a two week period on average had a 15% lower body mass index (BMI) than women who didn't consume any yogurt.

Three servings of yogurt over 14 days? That's nothing. If this sounds good to you then try to incorporate yogurt into your diet.

Source

BMI Has Gone Awry

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:30:00 -0700

There are many ways to quantify a body. We weigh them. We measure their height and circumference. We determine the body fat composition. We use the Body Mass Index, aka BMI and this generic formula has been catching some flack lately.

This measurement is an unfortunately simplistic approach to measuring health. BMI is a mathematical formula that scales a person's weight to their height. The index also includes a range for optimal weights. The numbers below this range are considered underweight and the figures above the optimal range are considered overweight and obese. You might type in your stats, learn your BMI, and be appalled at your number.

If this has happened to you, you are not alone. Jezebel feels the same way and found a photo collection of women to help us all understand visually why BMI has gone awry. Kate Harding has put together a photo collection of women (you need to check it out!). Their stats are listed: weight, height and BMI. You will be surprised by the women that are considered overweight and obese. So take heart if you feel at odds with your BMI, there are other women out there who look like you and me!

Just 4 Things 4 Your Health

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 15:45:00 -0700

There are 4 simple things that have been proven to significantly reduce your risk of developing heart disease.

They are:

Eating at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day
Exercising at least 30 minutes every day
Maintaining a healthy weight (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9)
Not smoking

These four things are basic components of having a healthy lifestyle and are easy to do. In fact, starting these habits at any time can help improve your overall health. To hear more on this topic I highly recommend you listen to the Fitness Rocks podcast of an interview between Dr. Monte, the host of Fitness Rocks and Dr. Dana King. Dr. King authored a long-term study on the benefits of getting healthy in the middle years. But there is no reason to wait for the middle years to get healthy.

Would You Hire an Overweight Personal Trainer?

FitSugar — Tue, 08 May 2007 09:30:00 -0700

I read an article in the Washington Post recently that touches upon the issue of overweight trainers and its implications, inside and outside the gym. It seems that overweight trainers are faced with major criticism and have a harder time getting hired at gyms. The whole thing got me thinking about my gym and the fact that I have seen several overweight employees there. The visual skepticism of their ability as a trainer has definitely crossed my mind, good or bad, I have yet to decide. I am curious how you guys feel about it -- Would you hire an overweight personal trainer?

Would You Hire an Overweight Personal Trainer?

Yes!

No!

Undecided.

Other. Tell us Below!

People with an Optimal Weight Get Insurance Breaks: Good Idea or Not?

FitSugar — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 08:30:00 -0800

It is being reported that Phoenix Cos. Inc, an insurance company in Connecticut, is about to start offering discounts up to 20 percent on life insurance policies to customers whose BMI is verified by a doctor to be 19-25. The way it's going to work is that customers who qualify will start seeing reduced rates after five years if their BMI remains in the 19-to-25 range. Customers will see their premiums drop by 5 percent for every five years that they keep a healthy BMI ratio, up to a maximum of 20 percent after 20 years. Check out the Fit Calculator to see if you may qualify for an insurance discount.Interesting concept if you ask me. What do you think -- A good idea or not?

People with an Optimal Weight Get Insurance Breaks: Good Idea or Not?

A good idea. Money is a powerful incentive and if it gets people to lose wieght then it's a great idea.

A bad idea. Might as well give people with optimal BMIs first class airplane tickets too.

Not sure. There are good and bad points.

Other. Tell us Below!

Which is Better: BMI or Body Fat Percentage?

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 07:30:00 -0800

Many people are confused when it comes to looking at their Body Mass Index (BMI) versus their body fat percentage, since they do not always agree. So which should you go by?

First of all, body fat percentage is an estimate of the fraction of the total body mass that is fat mass, as opposed to lean body mass (muscle, bone, organ tissue, blood, and everything else that makes you work). This index is often used as a means to monitor progress during a diet or as a measure of physical fitness for certain sports. BMI is just a simple measure of the weight of a person scaled according to height.

That being said, body fat percentage is a much more accurate way to measure excess body weight than BMI since it differentiates between the weight of muscle and fat, while BMI just lumps it all into one figure.

So why are there so many BMI calculators on the internet? This is simply because measuring body fat percentage requires a few things: Special equipment, the physical presence of the person wishing to have their fat evaluated and the physical presence of someone who knows how to work the equipment. BMI is just a loose guideline for anyone curious about where they sit, but it is not a one size fits all answer. Curious about your body fat percentage? Then talk to a fitness professional at your gym or even your doctor. Curious about your BMI? Then check out [sorry, shameless plug] the Fit Calculator.

To read what the body fat percentages mean,

Waist Measurement and Heart Disease

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 02:30:00 -0800

Did you know that your waist measurement is a great diagnostic tool for measuring your risk for heart disease?

Well, according to the Mayo Clinic men with waist measurements of 40 inches and women with measurement of 35 inches, accompanied by a BMI - Body Mass Index of 25 or less, have a greater risk for heart disease.

Why, you might ask, is your waist size relevant to the health of your heart? It is due to your omentum -
the fat organ attached to your stomach and liver. The omentum's only job is to store fat and make it easily accessible to the body and brain. The problem is that the omentum is very good at its job and it makes belly fat all too easy to access (as opposed to fat on your thighs or booty). The fat enters your bloodstream where it creates an inflammatory process and irritates your arteries and puts you at risk for blocked arteries.

So it is much better to have a pear shaped body and be thick in your hips than to have a round shaped apple body.

Tyra Banks and Her New BMI

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 03:30:00 -0800

Models have been in the news a lot lately. From fashion models starving themselves to ex-model Tyra Banks and her weight gain.

Regardless of what you think of her...I know some folks got turned off by her Geraldo journalistic expose, dressing up in a fat suit to prove how mean Americans are to the overweight. Seems a little ironic now. Tyra is taking this moment of criticism to demystify the manufactured beauty of print media. I find it more than refreshing to see a beautiful woman, clad in only a swim suit, point out her cellulite on untouched photographs. Watch the clip from her recent show until the end if you can (it is 8 minutes long...sorry, but it is NOT boring) for her emotional conclusion. She may seem a little self obsessed, but haven't we all been that way about our cellulite, or thighs, or belly at some point in our lives. We were lucky enough to do it in the privacy of our own homes.

FYI: Being 5'10" and weighing 160, Tyra's BMI is 23. That is in the optimal zone. If you are curious about your BMI, check out your sugar stats with the Fit Calculator.

Obesity: Not a Good Career Move

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 03:34:17 -0800

Those extra pounds may be bringing you down in more ways than you may know.

It is being reported that a 10% increase in your body mass index (BMI), can cut a man's real earnings by 3.3 percent and a woman's by 1.8 percent. This new research comes from nine European countries showing the negative impact of weight on wages is stronger in the "oil belt" nations which include Spain, Greece, Italy and Portugal. However, in the so-called "beer belt" countries (I didn't even know there was a "beer belt") of Austria, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium and Finland gaining weight does not have a significant effect on salary.

The real question is whether these findings are due to discrimination against overweight and obese people or to health problems or depression that may limit their productivity.

What's your BMI? Check out the Fit Calculator to find out.

Banning Obese People From Adopting, a Good Idea?

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 10:22:18 -0800

I recently told you about new restrictions China has put in place barring obese couples from adopting children from their country. What do you think?

Banning Obese People From Adopting, a Good Idea?

That is appalling. Once they stop getting rid of females, I may listen

Makes sense. Adopted children go through so much, the last thing they need is to deal with early deaths of their adopted parents

Other. Tell me below

FIT Calculator: BMI

FitSugar — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 16:30:00 -0800

Ever heard of BMI? No not the music organization. BMI stands for Body Mass Index and it is a simple measurement of body fat based on height and weight.

Basically it’s a quick way to check in on your health and body in terms of weight. Just want to remind you that a healthy attitude about your body is just as important as physical fitness. I don't want to cause any unhealthy anxiety about having the perfect body. This is simply a tool.

I also want to let you know that there are limitations to the index. It may overestimate body fat in athletes and others who have a muscular build since muscle weighs more than fat. Plus, it can underestimate body fat in older persons and others who have lost muscle mass.

So check out Fit's Calculator to find out your BMI. That's not all! With the new SugarStats you can also find your Target Heart Rate, see if you're drinking enough water and find out how many calories you can eat to maintain your current weight.

Brazilian Model dies from Anorexia; Don't let it be you

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 03:00:00 -0800

Ana Carolina Reston, 21 reportedly died on Tuesday (11/14/06) from a generalized infection caused by anorexia, an eating disorder in which sufferers obsessively deprive themselves of food in pursuit of an ultra-slim look. In pursuit of the high model life, many girls and women find themselves to be suffering from anorexia.

Fit wants you to know that if you feel you might be suffering from an eating disorder, please contact the Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders (ANAD) hotline: 847-831-3438 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, Central Time).

Fit's Tip: Thin is not in. In September, Madrid made a bold statement during fashion week, when they banned models below a certain weight from its top fashion show. Models with a body-mass-index (BMI), which takes into account height and weight, of less than 18 were banned. A BMI below 17.5 is one of the criteria, from The World Health Organization, for the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa. A BMI nearing 15 is usually used as an indicator for starvation.
Ana had a BMI of 13.5.

...being healthy and happy will never be out of fashion.