I came across a website that the government put together called www.health.gov.  At first glance, it doesn’t look like there’s much there, but after exploring a bit, they actually have some useful information.  One of the most helpful pages I came across was called “Aim…Build…Choose… for Good Health.” Aim for fitness, build a healthy base, and choose sensibly. 

The first one is aim for fitness, and it’s broken down into two different components. Aim for a healthy weight, and be physically active each day.  I think aiming for a healthy weight is probably one of the most important aspects when you decide that you want to lose weight.  For example, if you’re aiming to look like one of the girls on America’s Next Top Model, it’s not very healthy or realistic! Aiming for a “healthy” weight will be much easier to attain than aiming to be a size 0.

So, how do you evaluate your weight? There are two main things you’ll want to take into consideration. First is your BMI which stands for body mass index. There are several websites that will calculate your BMI for you. All it asks for is your weight in pounds, and your height in feet and inches. You can find the calculator here.

Off I went to calculate my BMI. With a height of 5’4”, and a weight of 138 pounds, I found that my BMI is 23.7. But now what does that mean? A BMI from 18.5 up to 25 indicates a healthy weight. A BMI from 25 to 30 refers to being overweight, and if your BMI is over 30, it refers to those who are considered obese. Just a year ago my body mass index was 31.8, which just shows what a differences a year can make!

The next component involves measuring around your waist, just above your hip bones. Yes, you need to get out a measuring tape! I know, it’s scary. If your waist is greater than 35 inches if you’re a woman, or 40 inches if you’re a man, you’re at greater health risks. I wish I had the measurement of my waist just a year ago, but I don’t. I was too afraid of the measuring tape to even bother getting a measurement. Of course after I lost weight, it’s a different story! The measuring tape is now my friend Now my waist measures 30 inches right above my hip bones, and with that number, I know that chances are, I’m pretty healthy.

Aiming to be healthy is a much better goal than aiming to be skinny, and will be much easier to attain, especially when you know what a healthy weight is. I know that it’s all easier said than done, but when you know what is considered a healthy weight, you can aim for it, and you’ll probably have a better chance of getting there.