Lose Weight

It’s said that everything has its place and time. Now it looks like the “Thin at any price” crowd has had its 15 minutes of fame and is on the way out.

Earlier this Month (September 2006), organizers of the Pasarela Cibeles, or Madrid Fashion Week as many call it, banned 5 models for having a Body Mass Index (BMI) below 18. BMI is a height to weight ratio. The World Health Organization considers a normal BMI to be between 18.5 and 24.9. Anyone below this is considered to be underweight.

The Madrid show organizers decided not to allow models with a low BMI to participate in the show citing they wanted the models to project “an image of beauty and health” and shun the gaunt, emaciated look.

Now it appears that a British Cabinet member is calling on the London Fashion Show to follow the example set by the organizers of the Madrid Show.

British Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell stated in a statement, “I applaud the decision taken by Madrid to ban super-thin models, and urge the organizers of London Fashion Week to do the same.”

Jowell went on to say, “The fashion industry’s promotion of beauty as meaning stick thin is damaging to young girls’ self image and to their health.” She also stated that “Young girls aspire to look like the catwalk models when those models are unhealthily underweight it pressurizes girls to starve themselves to look the same.”

The British Fashion Council rejected Jowell’s call to ban super thin models, however they did cancel a photo call to prevent giving more publicity to the issue.

Part of this turn-a-round is believed to have started from the fallout of last year’s show. Women’s advocacy groups and medical associations protested that many models in last year’s show were skeleton thin and sickly looking.

It’s likely that we’ll see more minimum standards implemented at such shows and the public opinion on scrawny looking models swings toward the negative.

As most people know, being too thin is as dangerous, and more so than being overweight according to some medical researchers.

As British Minister Jowell stated above, young girls look on these models as role models. However, even many adult women strive to look like these models due to the implied and sometimes real pressure from society to look thin. This can lead to chemical dependency plus a host of other unhealthy habits in order to obtain a rail thin figure.

I don’t think it’s likely see the likes of Rosie O’Donnell walking down the runways anytime soon (thank Goodness), however we are likely to see more normal looking models on the runway’s, in clothing catalogs and on TV. I for one will be happy to see that day come. One of my pet peeves is to pick up a Big & Tall clothes catalog and see skinny guys modeling clothes that are suppose to fit my oversized body. According to my wife and other women I know, it’s even a larger (no pun intended) problem with Women’s clothes catalogs.

Strictly from a guy’s point of view, I won’t be sad to see the scrawny, Beetle Juice looking models gone. I believe I represent the average Joe when I say I prefer to see healthy looking women of average size for their height.

Although I don’t look for changes overnight, I bet you’ll likely see many of Hollywood’s leading ladies packing on a few pounds in the months and years to come. In my opinion, Hollywood and clothing retailers are the ones who’ve been shoving these toothpick thin models on us for years. I’m glad that the public perspective on what a “normal” person is supposed to look like is changing.

It’s changing too slow for me, but at least it’s changing. What more can a person ask for?

Donald Lawson is the Webmaster at The Biggest Loser Forums. A website dedicated to the weight loss community and those battling obesity. You can find informative articles, free weight loss tools and advice by going to The Biggest Loser Forums.Com. While there, sign up to become a Charter member on the Forums. Also, visit the 50 Weight Loss & Dieting Tips page for some great tips on losing wieght.

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Losing weight doesn’t have to be boring when you focus on bright, colourful meals. What does this mean? Simply by making sure your plate reflects a range of colours, you’ll naturally create more balanced and healthful menus. Not everyone has the rime or the patience to count calories, but assessing the colours on your plate is something anyone can do - and it only takes an instant!

Why Colour Is Important

Many fatty and caloric foods, such as dairy products and startchy carbs, are beige or brown. When there are too many of these drab colours on your plate, weight gain is almost certain.

That’s because these beige foods often are high in calories and can leave you feeling hungry later. A cup of beige or brown beans can be over 200 calories….but a cup of red or green vegetables is under a hundred! Add fresh greens, deep purple-reds and bright yellow-orange to a meal, and water the nutrient content go up, while calories go down! Plus, you’ll get more enjoyment from eating when there’s a variety of colours and flavours on your plate.

Although these ideas may sound whimsical, they’re grounded in scientific fact. Dr David Heber, renowned nutritional expert from UCLA’s Centre for Human Nutrition established the role of colour in his book, “What Color is Your Diet?” So, next time you visit the refrigerator, think colourfully. And remember to mix, not match!

Kim Beardsmore M.B.A. (H.R.M.), B.Sc. (Biochemistry) is an independent Herbalife distributor, weight loss coach and creator of the online weight loss & fitness magazine Weight Loss Health. For a free weight loss consultation, newsletter and resources to help you lose weight and keep it off forever, visit http://weight-loss-health.com.au Online Herbalife store at http://weightlosshealth.herbalcoach.com Herbalife home business opportunity http://free2liv.com

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If you are overweight, you probably know it already and your doctor has probably warned you about its dangers.

However, muscle weighs more than fat, and some people have larger, heavier bones than others. You can be heavy and perfectly healthy if a large percentage of your weight is in bone and muscle. However, if a high percentage of your weight is fat, you are at increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, strokes, some types of cancer and other health problems.

If you’re not sure where you stand, use these three simple measures to see whether you should be concerned about excess weight.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Waist-Hip ratio - to determine whether you’re an “apple” or a “pear”
My “Inch of Pinch” test

The BMI (Body Mass Index) is a standard calculation used by doctors and nutritionists to see if your weight is appropriate for your height. You can find charts and the easy formula to calculate your BMI using a Google search. If your BMI is 30 or more, your statistical risk of death from any cause is increased by 50 to 150 percent. But you need to know more about your body composition. Read on.

Your WAIST/HIP RATIO is calculated by dividing your waist size by your hip size. Use a measuring tape to measure your hips at the widest part of your buttocks. Then measure your waist where it is smallest, usually just above the belly button. Then divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. Record your result on your “Before and After” Chart. Women should have a ratio of 0.8 or less; men should be no higher than 1.0. If your ratio is higher than these ideals, you are an “apple” with excess fat in stored your abdomen.

Finally, here’s my “INCH OF PINCH” Test. Ordinary scales tell you your total weight and can help you keep track of weight changes, but they tell you nothing about the composition of your body. If you are exercising and building muscle, you may gain weight in a healthy way. You can buy special scales that estimate your body fat percentage, but they are expensive and not completely reliable. Your doctor may use fat calipers, or send you for an accurate body composition test where you are immersed in water, but you can make a simple calculation yourself using my “Inch of Pinch” test.

Using your thumb and forefinger, grasp the skin 3″ to the right or left of your navel. Pinch firmly but not so hard that it hurts. Then slide your hand away without changing the distance between your thumb and forefinger, and see how far apart they are. Ideally you will have pinched about 1/2″ inch of flesh. An inch or more in your “pinch” means that your excess body weight is more fat than muscle.

Read my Good Food Book FREE, with 100 healthful recipes.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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