Normal Weight Obesity

(as heard on Calvary 88.5 FM 1/29/10)

A recent study conducted by the Mayo Clinic suggests that just because a person might be in a normal weight range, it doesn’t mean that they do not have the same health risks as those that are considered obese. This trend has been termed “normal weight obesity” and refers to a person within an acceptable weight range who has a high body fat percentage (a high percentage of body fat is considered higher than 20% for men and higher than 30% for women).

Much of America’s obesity ratings have been based on Body Mass Index (BMI) which is a calculation between a person’s height and weight; click here for a BMI calculator.

A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. But now, researchers have found that even those people with healthy BMIs might still have an excessive amount of fat in their bodies whether you can see it or not. The problem with this is that those people found to be of normal weight but with high body fat also had, like people who are obese, an increased risk of developing heart disease or a metabolic disorder like diabetes.

So how can you find out your very own body fat percentage? There are three main ways to test:

1. Hydrostatic Weighing is the most accurate test to find your body fat %, but it is also the most expensive and hard to do test. This test involves suspending a person in water while they sit on a scale in a tub of water…not very practical for the normal person, right?
2. The Skin Fold Test is a good measurement in which an instrument called calipers is used. Though someone uncomfortable because the trainer or doctor is literally pinching your fat and measuring it, it is a relatively accurate measurement of body fat, plus calipers are inexpensive and portable.
3. Bioelectrical Impedance is a non-invasive and popular way to measure body fat, though it is not as accurate as the first to methods. You typically stand on a scale or hold a device in your hands that sends and electrical current through your body. The analyzer measures the body’s resistance to the electrical flow and spits out the percentage of fat.

The skin fold test and bioelectrical impedance tests are commonly used at gyms during an initial health assessment. These assessments are usually free…so sign up for one today. If you do not have a gym measurement, ask your Dr. during your next visit or call your local friendly personal trainer to sign up for an assessment J.

To read more of the specifics of the normal weight obesity study, click here.

To be or not to be sore after a workout...

(as heard on Calvary 88.5 FM 1/28/10)

Client question: How sore should I be after a workout? Is it good to be sore the next day?

I have had clients in the past that have been extremely sore (hard to sit down and get back up out of their chair) sore when they start to work out. This soreness is called delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS. This is typically caused by tiny tears in the muscle fibers from overloading the muscles during your workouts. You might experience soreness 24 to 48 hours after a workout in which you did a new exercise or increased the weight that you lifted.

If you are a seasoned exercise buff, you may still experience soreness the day or two after a workout in which you did something different (a different move, more reps, etc.) or when you go up in weight as you get stronger.

Although many people view muscle soreness as an indicator of how hard they worked during their last workout, it is not always the best measure. Varying your work outs, increasing your weight, lifting to fatigue and working in your target heart rate zone are all great ways to make sure you are getting a good workout...with or without soreness.

To prevent soreness or to alliveiate sore, tight muscles try the following:

• Stretch all major muscle groups after your workout
• Apply heat to the sore area...heat...hot water, heating pads and such rush blood to the warm area to help heal muscles
• Move it...doing light cardio exercise will increase blood flow and your muscles should relax a bit