| Being overweight or underweight can cause serious health risks. By maintaining a healthy body weight, your risk for certain diseases, including diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease, may decrease. A healthy body weight is a key to a healthy life.
Several ways exist to determine a healthy weight for your body. The easiest and least technical is looking in the mirror and assessing your body fat (especially where it is located) and muscle tone. A more technical measurement is Body Mass Index, or BMI, which compares your weight to your height. Your doctor can also help you determine a healthy body weight.
Susan Kalish, M.D., a geriatrician at Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, recommends the following ways to maintain a healthy body weight:
- Eat an assortment of foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, fish and poultry.
- Evaluate what and how often you eat.
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat sensible portions.
- If you need to lose or gain weight, do so gradually.
- Be dedicated about losing, gaining or maintaining weight based on your individual situation.
Also, says Dr. Kalish, seek the advice of a registered dietitian or physician when you need trustworthy, accurate, timely and practical information on maintaining a healthy body weight or other nutrition issues.
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