BMI Bull

It's about time we got rid of the BMI as a measurement of healthy weight.  According to the BMI charts, Arnold Schwarznegger, not just now but in his Mr. Universe prime, is obese. This is because the BMI only takes height and weight into consideration and does not distinguish for muscle mass or even gender!  Considering BMI alone when trying to determine if you are a healthy weight is about as useful as judging your figure against those of the airbrushed celebrities on the cover of Shape magazine. In my practice health history consultations for my studies at IIN, I am also running across a lot of women that are either completely confused about what the ideal weight for their height is or they have a skeleton fetish. So, let's take a minute to go over what an ideal weight is because it seems most of us have no clue thanks to the barrage of senseless and conflicting messages we get from the media!
This method for calculating a healthy weight range is from Lynn Goldstein, MS, RD, CDN and one of IIN's graduates and lecturers: For a woman, start with 100 lbs and add 5 lbs for every inch over 5 ft.  This number + or - 10% is an ideal weight range. So, for a woman who is 5 ft 6 in, a healthy weight would be 130 +/- 10% which is anything from 117 to 143. Goldstein also explained that because a lot of people exercise and lift weights, you are more likely to see healthy, fit people on the upper end (I would certainly fall into this category) or slightly over this range than you are at the lower end or under. Of course, someone may be 5-10 lbs above the top # and still look and be healthy. This is a guide, not an exact science. A woman on the low-end would be what I call "actress-thin" or someone with very small bones. For a man, start with 106 and add 6 lbs for every inch over 5 ft. This # +/- 10% is the healthy range.  So a man who is 5'10 might weigh anything between 150 and 182 and be healthy.  Again, a really muscular man may be above the upper numbers and still look great. This guide, along with a calculation of body fat percentage (check your local gyms for accurate testing procedures) is the best way to determine if you are healthy.  It should be as easy as look in the mirror but I'm afraid it no longer is when we receive so many competing messages.

Recipe: Carrot and Parsnip Fries

This is a great side dish whether you are craving French fries and looking for a healthy substitute or if you just need a fun new way to prepare veggies. Last week I prepared these along with some sauteed spinach to accompany a nice piece of roasted wild salmon. Because carrots and parsnips are semi-sweet vegetables (they become more sweet-tasting when cooked) these should serve as your healthy carb portion (or starch as our mothers would say) rather than as a vegetable dish alongside another starch.

Serves 2-4
Pre-heat the oven to 400. Choose 2-4 carrots and 2-4 parsnips about the same size. Peel and cut into similar sized pieces, about the size of a thick french fry. Because carrots take longer to cook than parsnips, parboil or steam the carrots until they are slightly soft to the touch of a fork. This will make the carrots and parsnips cook evenly once they are in the oven. Place the semi-cooked carrots and the parsnips in a larger bowl. Drizzle with 2 tsp (1 tbsp if you are serving 4) of olive oil, add a splash of balsamic vinegar, a dash of salt and pepper and toss until each piece appears lightly coated. Place into a roasting pan and roast at 400 for 20-30 minutes until they reach the consistency you desire. I'm married to a Brit so I know some people like their fries soggier than others! These are so tasty and really bring out the fresh, natural flavors of these delicious vegetables.

Are you an eating enabler?

Food can be an addiction just like drugs or alcohol, and as with those addictions, overweight people often have enablers around them who are making it too easy to overeat and too hard to stop this destructive behavior. Think about whether or not you may be enabling someone else's weight problem or if perhaps someone is enabling your bad habits. Are you a mom? Have you ever forced your child to clean his plate even after he insisted he was full? I have seen parents serve children ridiculously large portions of pasta or mac and cheese and then complain when it does not disappear. Just because most of us adults have lost the ability to listen to our bodies does not mean we should not respect this enviable talent in our children. Or have you ever said to a clearly overweight friend embarking on a diet "You don't need to lose an ounce." Enabler! I'm not suggesting you say "It's about time; I can see you from outer-space," but an upbeat "Good for you, let me know how I can support you" is a much more appropriate and kinder response. Or perhaps you have been enabled by someone - a parent, a spouse or a friend who does not want you to lose weight because then he or she would have to eat nachos and ice cream and feel guilty alone. Anyone have that friend who only remembers to bake for you and invite you out for margaritas after you announce you are on a diet? Here is a tip (and I mean this): do not tell that person(s) next time you start a diet or try to make any positive change. Who needs enemies when you have friends like that, right? It doesn't take a psychologist to figure out why some people might want others to fail at losing weight. Just make sure you are not one of those people on either side of this equation. If you are taking care of yourself and feeling good, you will be happy for others who do the same. If you are listening to your own body and nourishing it properly, you should want to give this same gift to your children, spouse and/or other loved ones. If you do find yourself trying to steer a loved one off a positive path, take a good long look in the mirror and ask yourself why. Then call a health coach! To learn more about health coaching, visit my website www.inhabithealth.com.

Whatever you do, don't let the Government tell you what to eat!

I am not one of those afraid of big government types; you won't see me at a tea party rally or watching Glenn Beck any time soon, BUT I do have a serious problem with the USDA Food Pyramid Guidelines. If you click on the link to the USDA Food Pyramid, here is the URL that appears: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2005/2005DGPolicyDocument.pdf Note the last few words of this URL: "Policy Document." Now, any of us who have been following the healthcare debate should understand by now a little about how government policy is formulated and how much it is influenced by special interest groups and lobbyists. Well, the food pyramid is no different. This 2005 pyramid is a slight improvement over its predecessor (at least this one mentions whole grains and healthy fats), but it's still an utter disaster. The reason it's a nightmare is because its a policy document and it's chief purpose is to promote US agribusiness interests. For example, the wealthy American Dairy Association has wielded extraordinary influence over the USDA food pyramid; hence the 3 servings a day of dairy recommended despite the fact that 30-50% of Americans are lactose intolerant and there is no valid medical reason to have dairy in your diet as an adult (not even for calcium but that's a post for another day). In addition, American farmers produce tons of grains, hence why you see such a large amount of whole grains recommended. Yes, whole grain is good for you, but if you look closely, you'll see the USDA is including pasta, bread and processed crackers in this category, foods that constitute empty calories and make most people gain weight when consumed in the quantities recommended here.

I really like Michelle Obama and appreciate what she is trying to do for childhood obesity and I do think she gets it; however, I am less than optimistic that she will be able to speak the truth without coming up against some powerful interests that try to silence her. Remember the last time a powerful, popular black woman spoke out against consuming a particular type of unhealthy food? http://www.cnn.com/US/9802/26/oprah.verdict/

Healthy v. Healthful

I am required to conduct practice health histories for my studies at IIN (see bio) so I have been practicing on a lot of friends. Over and over, I am seeing the same trend. People tell me they "eat healthy," yet they have almost no fresh fruits and vegetables and very little fish, plant proteins, nuts or seeds on their daily menu. All of the foods I have just mentioned are not only full of vitamins and minerals, but some have also been shown (in various studies) to fight cancer, reduce the risk of heart disease and even turn back the clock on aging. Some otherwise very smart people are calling a diet full of packaged, processed and preserved foods "healthy" simply because they are low in fat and calories. This diet is actually what I refer to as the health-e diet, and the "e" stands for empty, as in empty calories. Cardboard is low in calories too, but is it good for you? Because honestly, if you are living off fat-free processed cereals, you might be as well off just eating the box (one study with rats actually suggested this - yikes!).

In order to be healthy, you must have a healthFUL (as in FULL of Health) diet that includes lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and at least some power grains (see my post on multi-tasking whole grains), fish (vegetarians - take your fish oil capsules!), plant proteins (chick peas, lentils, etc.) nuts and seeds. As best-selling author and food-expert Michael Pollan says, being healthy is a as simple as 7 words: "Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants." A "healthy diet" is not one full of boxes with labels that tell you it's healthy (i.e. special K with skim milk, lean cuisines for lunch and dinner and low-fat cookies, cheese and yogurt for snacks); it's a diet full of fresh, whole foods that are created by mother-nature, not a factory. This brings to mind another favorite Pollan-ism of mine , found in his new book "Food Rules," featured on Oprah recently, "If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't." So, next time you are thinking about what to eat, don't choose something that a food-manufacturer tells you is "healthy," choose something you know is healthFUL because it grew out of the ground. You really can't go wrong if you stick to that rule.