Weigh Less—Live Longer

A Healthier Lifestyle Can Help You to Live Longer

In health, as in so many things, the best offense is a good defense. One of the best ways to “defend” yourself from health problems such as cancer and heart disease is to maintain a desirable weight. Being overweight has long been considered a health hazard, a fact that is backed up by scientific research.

Being overweight seems to play a role in cancers of the breast, colon and endometrium (the lining of the uterus). Cancers of the prostate and rectum occur more often in obese men and cancers of the gall bladder, bile passages and ovaries occur more often in obese women.

Being overweight is also known to play a strong role in the development of hear disease, diabetes, gall bladder disease, high blood pressure and weakened immune response.

And now the definition of who exactly is “overweight’ is changing. According to government guidelines released in 1998, more than half of all Americans are overweight.

How can you tell if you’re at a healthy weight? Find you height and weight on the chart of “body mass index” or BMI on the back. The chart is designed to show who I at minimal risk of health problems (based solely on BMI), at low or moderate risk, and at high risk.

If you’re too heavy or just want to maintain a healthy weight, hre are some recommendations from the experts.

EAT MORE vegetables, fruit, fish, grains, legumes, lean meat, poultry (without skin), and low-fat or nonfat dairy products.

DRINK MORE water, skim milk, unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices.

EAT LESS fatty meats, candy, fried foods, pies, cookies and other baked goods, ice cream, cheese, high-fat dairy products.

DRINK LESS alcohol, sweetened soft drinks.

EXERCISE To lose weight, try to exercise 35-45 minutes, five times a week. To maintain your weight, 30 minutes, preferably every day, is recommended. But, if you can’t find a half-hour chunk of time daily, don’t despair. Breaking up the half-hour into smaller segments (two 15-minute blocks or even three 10-minute blocks) works.

Body Mass Index

BMI

Height (in)

58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76

Wgt. (lbs)
4'10" 4'11" 5'0" 5'1" 5'2" 5'3" 5'4" 5'5" 5'6" 5'7" 5'8" 5'9" 5'10" 5'11" 6'0" 6'1' 6'2" 6'3' 6'4'

100 21 20 20 19 18 18 17 17 16 16 15 15 14 14 14 13 13 13 12

105 22 21 21 20 19 19 18 18 17 16 16 16 15 15 14 14 14 13 13

110 23 22 22 21 20 20 19 18 18 17 17 16 16 15 15 15 14 14 13

115 24 23 23 22 21 20 20 19 19 18 18 17 17 16 16 15 15 14 14

120 25 24 23 23 22 21 21 20 19 19 18 18 17 17 16 16 15 15 15

125 26 25 24 24 23 22 22 21 20 20 19 18 18 17 17 17 16 16 15

130 27 26 25 25 24 23 22 22 21 20 20 19 19 18 18 17 17 16 16

135 28 27 26 26 25 24 23 23 22 21 21 20 19 19 18 18 17 17 16

140 29 28 27 27 26 25 24 23 23 22 21 21 20 20 19 19 18 18 17

145 30 29 28 27 27 26 25 24 23 23 22 21 21 20 20 19 19 18 18

150 31 30 29 28 27 27 26 25 24 24 23 22 22 21 20 20 19 19 18

155 32 31 30 29 28 28 27 26 25 24 24 23 22 22 21 20 20 19 19

160 34 32 31 30 29 28 28 27 26 25 24 24 23 22 22 21 21 20 20

165 35 33 32 31 30 29 28 28 27 26 25 24 24 23 22 22 21 21 20

170 36 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 27 26 25 24 24 23 22 22 21 21

175 37 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 27 26 25 24 24 23 23 22 21

180 38 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 27 26 25 24 24 23 23 22

185 39 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 27 26 25 24 24 23 23

190 40 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 27 26 25 24 24 23

195 41 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 27 26 25 24 24

200 42 40 39 38 37 36 34 33 32 31 30 30 29 28 27 26 26 25 24

205 43 41 40 39 38 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 29 28 27 26 26 25

210 44 43 41 40 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 29 28 27 26 26

215 45 44 42 41 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 28 27 26

220 46 45 43 42 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 28 27

225 47 46 44 43 41 40 39 38 36 35 34 33 32 31 31 30 29 28 27

230 48 47 45 44 42 41 40 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 30 29 28

235 49 48 46 44 43 42 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 29

240 50 49 47 45 44 43 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29

245 51 50 48 46 45 43 42 41 40 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 32 31 30

250 52 51 49 47 46 44 43 42 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30

255 53 52 50 48 47 45 44 43 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31

260 54 53 51 49 48 46 45 43 42 41 40 38 37 36 35 34 33 33 32

265 56 54 52 50 49 47 46 44 43 42 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32

270 57 55 53 51 49 48 46 45 44 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33

275 58 56 54 52 50 49

Shortcut Method for Calculating BMI
(if you are too short or too tall for table)
Example for a person who is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 149 lbs.

Step 1:
Multiply weight (in pounds) by 703
49 x 703 = 104747

Step 2:
Multiple height (in inches) by height (in inches)
65 x 65 = 4225

Step 3:
Divide the answer in Step 1 by the answer in Step 2
104,747 divided by 4225 = 24.8

This is your BMI (rounded off) = 25