I was surfing through Google to find some additional exercise tips. Now that I am working out an hour and half almost every day, I just want to make sure that I am doing it properly. There have been some ocassions that I just feel so tired.
I found the Healthy Body Calculator by Joanne Larsen MD. I entered my stats. And viola. At 5'2" 128 lbs, I am overweight. My suggested weight is 99 - 121 lbs. I mean 99, what do I have for arms - toothpicks.
Regardless, this was a good revelation for me. I need to aim lower, lower. And I found out that because I have an apple shaped body (the light bulb goes on), I am at risk for certain diseases. It also gives me a nutritional guide and exercise guide that I should be targeting. You can take your test by visiting www.dietitian.com or visiting the right navigation bar. There should be a link there shortly.
Here are my full results:
Your Data
Measure: US
Age: 35 years
Gender: Female
Height: 5' 2"
Weight: 128 pounds
Pregnant: No
Breast feeding: No
Activity level:
(hours/day) 8 hours - Sleep
16 hours - Very Light / Sedentary
0 hours - Light
0 hours - Moderate
0 hours - Heavy
Calorie distribution: Fat 30 percent
Protein 10 percent
Carbohydrate 60 percent
Weight goal: Lose 2 pounds per week
Healthy Body Weight Range
Healthy body weight range is: 99 to 121 pounds
You are overweight
Explanation
This is a healthy weight for you based on your height, gender and pregnancy status.
The weight range does not consider your level of fitness. If you are an athlete, your weight goal based on your percent body fat would be a better indicator of what you should weigh.
Body Mass Index
Explanation
Body Mass Index calculates how much body fat you have.
Lean BMI means you have a low amount of body fat. If you are an athlete, this can be desirable. If you are not an athlete, a lean BMI can indicate that your weight may be too low which may lower your immunity. If your BMI and body weight are low, you should consider gaining weight by eating more food and exercising to increase your amount of muscle.
Healthy BMI means you have a healthy amount of body fat for your age.
Overfat means your amount of body fat is too high which puts you at risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, gall bladder disease and some cancers. You should consider losing weight by eating less food and exercising to decrease your amount of body fat.
If you are a trained athlete, your weight based on your measured percent body fat would be a better indicator of what you should weigh. If you entered a current percent body fat that is lean, you will not get a BMI calculation.
Waist to Hip Ratio
Ratio: 0.86 - Apple shape: increased health risk
Explanation
This tells you where most of your body fat is located.
Apple shape (a ratio of .80 or greater) means your body fat is located above your waist which indicates a higher health risk for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers.
Pear shape (a ratio of less than .80) means your body fat is located below your waist which indicates a lower health risk, but fat located in the lower half of the body may be harder to lose during weight loss.
Nutritional Facts
Your Nutrition Facts
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Calorie Daily Value 1,200 Calories from Fat 360
Total Fat 40 g
Saturated Fat 13 g
Cholesterol 300 mg
Sodium 2,400 mg
Potassium 3,500 mg
Total Carbohydrate 180 g
Dietary Fiber 25 g
Sugars 30 g
Protein 30 g
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vitamin A 5,000 IU Vitamin C 60 mg
Calcium 1,000 mg Iron 18 mg
Vitamin D 400 IU Vitamin E 30 IU
Thiamin 1.5 mg Riboflavin 1.7 mg
Niacin 20 mg Vitamin B-6 2.0 mg
Folate 400 mcg Vitamin B-12 6 mcg
Biotin 300 mcg Pantothenic Acid 10 mg
Phosphorus 1,000 mg Iodine 150 mcg
Magnesium 400 mg Zinc 15 mg
Copper 2 mg
Explanation
The calories, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate and protein are customized to your calorie distribution and are adjusted according to your weight goal (gain or lose) as you indicated on page 2. Note, the lowest calorie recommendation is 1,200 calories per day.
Food labels contain the amount of calories and nutrients per serving of food. To achieve your weight goal, subtract the calories and grams of fat on the labels of food you eat from the calories and grams of fat in Your Nutrition Facts as a maximum recommended daily amount. For foods not labeled, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, the calories and grams of fat are low as long as you don’t add fat or deep fry these nutritious foods.
The remaining nutrients are the Daily Values on US food labels. With the exception of pregnant women who need 30 mg of iron per day. This level can best be reached with an iron supplement. Talk to your doctor about this.
Healthy Exercise Suggestions
The Surgeon General has reported that moderate daily exercise could significantly reduce a number of diseases, including heart disease and cancer. Some activities that burn about 150 calories - the types of exercise defined as moderate - are noted below. Activities are ranked from 'less vigorous/more time' to 'more vigorous/less time'.
Washing and waxing a car for 45 to 60 minutes
Washing windows or floors for 45 to 60 minutes
Playing volleyball for 45 minutes
Playing touch football for 30 to 45 minutes
Gardening for 30 to 45 minutes
Wheeling oneself in a wheelchair for 30 to 40 minutes
Walking 1.5 miles in 35 minutes
Basketball (shooting baskets) for 30 minutes
Bicycling 3 miles in 30 minutes
Fast social dancing for 30 minutes
Pushing a stroller 1.5 miles in 30 minutes
Raking leaves for 30 minutes
Walking 2 miles in 30 minutes
Water aerobics for 30 minutes
Swimming laps for 20 minutes
Wheelchair basketball for 20 minutes
Basketball (playing a game) for 15 to 20 minutes
Bicycling 4 miles in 15 minutes
Running 1.5 miles in 15 minutes
Shoveling snow for 15 minutes
Climbing stairs for 15 minutes
