Let’s Talk About Healthy Weight
Hey everyone! Okay, before I get started, I thought I’d introduce myself first. I’m Yvonne, the registered dietician and certified diabetes educator here at Mindful Medicine. This is my first blog and to be honest, I didn’t even know how these things worked before this! So, I hope you bare with me on my bloggers journey. I thought I’d start off by talking about healthy weight, something that’s on many of our minds.
Let me start with a question: how many of us are guilty of stepping onto a weighing scale and judging our overall fitness? I know most of us have done this one time or another but here’s the thing, “Weight” is complex, and it is more complex than a number on your scale. It is extremely crucial not to struggle with the number that a machine spits back out to you. Remember, healthy people come in all shapes and sizes.
Okay, so then what is a healthy weight? Well, being at a healthy weight means that your current weight isn’t putting your present or future self at risk for diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high BP or even certain types of cancer. It’s essential to remember that healthy weight is multi-dimensional and is measured by various factors such as:
Body Mass Index (BMI: kg/m²)
Waist Circumference (WC)
Percentage of body fat (Fat %)
Remember we’re all built differently, your body weight is the indicator of your total weight including your bones, muscles, fats, water, and organs. Don’t focus on just one parameter, look at the bigger picture!
So I’ve spit out a lot of information, but really what does this all mean? Let me give you an example:
Let’s compare Male A and Male B.
Well, who do YOU think is the healthier male?
If you guessed Male B, then you’re right!
But let’s take a closer look at the numbers. Based on their weight and BMI, Male A weighs less and has a normal BMI, whereas Male B weighs more and his BMI indicates that he’s overweight! When looking further down the table, we can see that Male A has a larger WC (abdominal obesity) and higher fat % (chronic inflammation and insulin resistance). All these factors combined put Male A at higher risk for developing chronic disease than Male B!
Well, now what? What’s next for Male A? If your weight is assessed as unhealthy, well the next step is… as you’ve guessed… to lose some fat/weight. Here’s the deal though: one thing I see the most as a dietician is that everyone looks for a quick-fix. But patience is a virtue! Short-term weight-loss solutions (fad diets) have become extremely popular in media nowadays. Let me give some examples of these diets:
Ketogenic Diet (very low carb diet)
Raw Food Diet
Liquid/Smoothie Diets
Supplements
And a lot more! These fads that promise quick results fail to mention one thing, the risk of regaining the weight is REAL. Studies show that individuals that have tried two or more of these diets usually experience the “yo-yo effect”. What’s the yo-yo effect you ask? Well… think of a yo-yo, it goes up and down, up and down, up and… you get the point right? Individuals that suffer from obesity or are overweight, after yo-yo dieting, regain weight over a 5-year period and may be associated with increase cardiovascular risk!
Let me give you the key to healthy weight loss: Lifestyle/behavioral change, not to mention mindful eating. It’s shown that healthy lifestyle interventions lead to long-term health benefits such as preventing and managing chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, etc.)
Would you want a short-term solution or a long-term, life-lasting solution?
Adopting a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle is important! Mindful eating is a technique aimed to help you reconnect with your body’s internal hunger and fullness cues. It’s an approach that helps you establish a healthy eating behavior. Consume the amount of food your body actually needs and not more.
I know all this is so much easier said than done, but that’s why we’re here! Studies prove that supervised lifestyle interventions are way more likely to leave lasting behavioral changes. At Mindful Medicine we will endlessly support your healthy weight journey through our numerous programs (see our programs tab). If you’re wondering whether or not you’re at your optimal healthy weight OR if you’re concerned about your current lifestyle/health please contact us to book a free consultation with our physician Dr. Oza. She will provide you with a comprehensive assessment and support you through your behavioral change and lifestyle intervention. You can also see ME, the registered dietician regarding weight management or be qualified for our free OHIP covered chronic disease management program.
Let’s get started on our mindful eating journey!
Yvonne Yuan
Registered Dietitian & Certified Diabetes Educator
