One of the most important ways to improve your chances for

long-term health is to keep your weight in a “healthy” range.

It is now well known that excess weight is correlated with a

number of health problems such as cardiovascular disease, some

types of cancer, sleep apnea, adult-onset asthma, diabetes, and

many other medical problems.

When discussing weight, three key questions should be posed.

How much do you weigh in relation to your height? What is your

waist size? And, how much weight have you gained since your

early 20s? Your answers to these questions may strongly

influence your risk for a number of health concerns.

So, what is a healthy weight? It is not always easy to

determine. For example, someone who is tall can carry more

weight than someone who is in the shorter side. One measure

that takes into account varying body heights is the body mass

index (BMI). Calculating your BMI is fairly easy. Begin by

dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches. Divide

that number by your height in inches. Then, multiply that number

by 703. Unless you are an extremely muscular body bulder, if

your BMI is between 25 and 30 you are considered overweight. If

your BMI is over 30, you are considered obese. Further, many

people who have a BMI between 23 and 25 are not at their

healthiest weight.

There is a good chance that you now weight more than you did in

your 20s. However, you should realize that gaining weight as we

age is not inevitable. It is also not without risk. If you have

gained more than five pounds since your 20s, you have a greater

risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, high blood

pressure, type 2 diabetes, and gallstones. If you have gained

more significant amounts of weight, you have an even higher

risk for these diseases. These facts point to one of the major

problems of the BMI. If you were relatively thin when you were

younger, you may be able to gain a good deal of weight and

still have a BMI that is considered relatively healthy.

There are a number of possible reasons for your weight gain.

These include eating larger amounts of higher caloric food and

living a relatively inactive lifestyle. But your genes may play

a role. And, don’t discount cultural factors, such as feeling

compelled to eat all the food that has been placed on your

plate.

Consider where you store your excess fat. If it tends to

gravitate to your waist and chest, you may be labeled an

“apple.” Or, if it is clustered around the hips and thighs, you

are a “pear.” Fat that accumulates around the waist and chest

increases the risk of high cholesterol, high blood sugar and

heart disease. However, it is probably most useful to test your

waist measurement. If your waist has been expanding, it is time

to evaluate your diet and level of exercise.

If you have determined that you need to lose weight, I would

advise a three-pronged strategy. Start by prioritizing

exercise. There is no real way around it; if you want to lose

weight and maintain the weight loss, you need to participate in

regular exercise. Exercise burns calories that might be

converted into fat, and it builds muscle. An inactive 50-year

old person who has gained 10 pounds has often lost five pounds

of muscle and gained 15 pounds of fat. With this increase in

weight will come a deceleration in the resting metabolism; the

body needs less energy for basic needs and increasing amounts

of food become fat stores. Thus, as more muscle is converted to

fat, it is easier to gain weight.

I highly recommend a daily walk of at least 30 minutes. If you

have the time and inclination, walk even more. To keep yourself

motivated, walk with a friend or listen to books on tape. If you

have a treadmill, watch a video or DVD. In addition to regular

walking, include more activity in your everyday life. Park at

the far end of the lot. Take the stairs instead of the

elevator. Also, consider trying other forms of exercise such as

tennis and swimming.

While beginning your exercise program, you will need to take a

closer look at your diet. I generally recommend a

Mediterranean-type of diet with lots of fruits, vegetables and

whole grains and smaller amounts of meat, poultry and fish.

Most fat should be obtained from olive oil or other vegetable

oils as well as small amount of nuts.

And, you need to practice what I have termed “defensive

eating.” It is best to stop eating before you are stuffed. Of

course, you don’t want to walk around with constant hunger

pains. But, you should stop eating before feeling overly full.

And, do not eat everything that is put before you. So, if your

waiter serves a basket piled high with various breads, do not

feel that you must eat every last morsel. Replace the butter

with olive oil. Since they are likely to have far more calories

than you think, always be careful of desserts. Close your meal

with a bowl of fresh fruit.

Defensive eating entails eating more slowly and gaining greater

awareness of what you are eating. Try keeping a journal that

tracks your food consumption. It may be quite revealing. Have a

snack or appetizer before a meal. It will quell your hunger.

And, to reduce temptation, eliminate foods you should not be

eating from your home.

As I wrote in my book, Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy, “Weight

control isn’t impossible, not does it need to mean deprivation

or a boring, repetitious diet. With conscious effort and

creativity, most people can successfully control their weight

for the long term with an enjoyable but reasonable diet and

daily exercise. A longer, healthier life is definitely worth

the effort.”

Walter C. Willett, M.D./DrPH

Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Chair, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health

Author, Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School

Guide to Healthy Eating