Main ContentSize Does Matter
Session 3: Sizing Up Your Weight and Trimming Down Your WaistlineHow is body size measured?
There are two ways to measure a healthy size:
Body mass index (BMI) is determined using weight and height. A healthy BMI is in a range of 18.5-24.9, while a BMI of 25-29.9 is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.
Waist circumference is the measurement of your waist size in inches. This helps determine where the storage of excess fat is held in your body. Having extra fat in the stomach area greatly increases the risk of developing health problems compared to fat stores in other areas of the body. A normal waist size is less than 40 inches for men and less than 35 inches for women.
How does weight loss decrease your type 2 diabetes risk?
Your weight is affected by the amount of calories you eat and drink as well as your amount of physical activity. A healthy diet and exercise together can decrease the chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
Studies have shown that people with prediabetes who lose 5% to 7% of their body weight through a healthy eating pattern and at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week (e.g., 30 minutes, 5 days per week) can cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than 50%.
Tips for losing weight
MyPlate method
All food and beverage choices matter – focus on variety, amount, and nutrition. Include the five food groups of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy to get the nutrients you need with appropriate portion sizes for your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level. Use Nutrition Facts labels and ingredient lists to find food and beverages with lower amounts of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. A good rule of thumb is to make a colorful plate!
Exercise
Remember the guidelines of physical activity with a goal to reach or go beyond 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week or 75 minutes of high intensity physical activity per week with two sessions of strength training. You can make this a enjoyable task by joining an extracurricular group and including friends and family.
Set realistic goals
Over the long term, it's best to aim for losing 1 to 2 pounds a week. Generally to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day. When setting goals, think about both process and outcome goals. "Walk every day for 30 minutes" is an example of a process goal. "Lose 10 pounds" is an example of an outcome goal.
Helpful educational materials and videos
References