How do you measure success?

Hi! It's Laura.

I was very excited this morning to get on the scale and see that I lost 2.6 lbs (don’t hold your breath waiting for my weight loss goal or my current weight).

Intellectually and professionally, I know I should not be excited over 2.6 lbs. Success is never measured on the scale (so the experts say). I should be interested in what it has done for my blood pressure, cholesterol, stamina, waist to hip ratio, etc. But let's face it, there is no better feeling than getting on the scale and seeing it move down (unless of course you are the rare person who needs to gain weight and just know WE ALL HATE YOU).

There are so many ways to measure your body inside and out. Although a drop in the scale number is a huge morale booster, the other things that are happening are even more important to your physical wellbeing.

Your body is composed of relative portions of fat and fat-free tissue and knowing the ratios will help you define your overall health. You should know you numbers!

“Body Mass Index” (BMI) is the simplest measure using your height & weight. BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches.

Example: A female weight 150lbs who is 5'5" would have a BMI of 23.  Normal range for BMI is 18.5-24.9

And although BMI is the simplest measure, it also does not differentiate between fat weight from fat-free weight.

“Waist to Hip Ratio” is a comparison of the size of your waist to the size of your hips and is the best representation of the distribution of body weight. This is the bigger indicator of disease as individuals who carry more weight in their middle are more prone to heart disease and other health risks related to obesity.

Example: A male has a waist circumference of 32 inches and a hip circumference of 35 his WHR is .91.

Health risks are significantly higher for men when the WHR is over .95 and for women over .86.

“Skin Fold” is another way to measure body composition. This is usually done by a professional (your trainer or your doctor). While this is one way of identifying percent of body fat, it is still a guesstimate.

The list of tests, to measure your body, is endless. You can calculate how much  breath you take in, how much you exhale, blood pressure, cholesterol, stamina, stretch, step and/or cycle. But in the end when the scale moves in the desired direction, BMI’s, and WHR are the furthest thing from your mind!

With that said, you should know where you stand with your health and get a physical at least yearly. An ounce of prevention.... (damn, Ben Franklin again!).

Play hard & safe weekend!

Laura