Many fat men pat their big stomachs with self-satisfied pride, seeing it as a symbol of success like their gold watch and pen. But few realise that the dent in the office chair is because they are too fat, and even fewer appreciate that they are clinically obese. And this means that their business lunches are affecting their health and they need to take some positive steps.
Check Your BMI
This shows you how much fat you are carrying on your bones. Take your weight in kilograms — divide it by your height in metres — then divide the result by your height in meters again.
Healthy Weight BMI = 20 — 24
Overweight BMI = 25 — 29
Obese BMI = 30 — 39
Morbidly Obese BMI = 40 +
Being overweight puts your health at risk since it contributes to the development of many problems that include:
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Indigestion
• Gallstones
• Some cancers
• Snoring and sleep apnoea
• Stress, anxiety and depression
It is an equation of balance — if you eat more calories than you use in daily activity the spare energy is stored as fat and weight increases. It’s as simple as that. Nowadays the average diet contains too many calories in the form of sugar and fat and we have also become more inactive. For example, many men spend their leisure time watching sports when in the past they would have been actively taking part. Work stress, long hours and tiredness can lead to a cycle of work — supper — television — and bed. To break the cycle, try exercising on your way home from office. You will arrive home feeling more relaxed and will sleep better.
Follow This Advice
* Eat a healthy breakfast
* Cut down on coffee and tea
* Snack on fruit
* Choose less fatty fried food
* Cut down on alcohol
* Take exercise
Recipe of the Week
Basic Soft Chicken Tacos
Serves 6
Ingredients
600 g skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 limes
12 medium-sized flour tortillas
salsa
guacamole
diced tomatoes
shredded lettuce
Method
Brush the olive oil all over the chicken strips and then sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Place a skillet or grill pan over high heat and lightly coat with oil. Cook the chicken about 2 to 4 minutes per side, until cooked through and place on cutting board to rest for about 5 minutes. Cut the limes in half, pierce the juice side with a fork and twist to release the juices over the cooked chicken. Cut the chicken into thin slices across the grain and then let cut each slice into bite-sized pieces for bringing to the table. Warm the flour tortillas by dipping first in water and then placing in a dry pan over low heat. Use tongs to lift out and wrap in a towel to keep warm. Assemble the tacos at the table with salsa, guacamole, diced tomatoes, and shredded lettuce.
Ask Alva
I am around 62 kilos in weight and my height is 158 cms. I am 34 years old. Although the other parts of my body are slim I have a slightly bulging tummy. Please advice ways and means to reduce abdominal fat. Rukhsana
You will be happy to know that you are not overweight, although your BMI (Body Mass Index) reading, by which body fat is measured, is at the top end of what we describe as the normal, healthy weight range. So although you may benefit from losing 5 kilos or so, it is probable that you need to take the correct kind of exercise to tone up your abdomen. I have an excellent set of exercises for toning the abdomen, but the information is too much to include in this response. But if you will email to [email protected] I will email you a free copy, and any reader may do the same. But they are quite hard to do properly, so do be prepared to persevere! Alva
For all your weight concerns and questions e-mail Alva Carpenter at:
Selected letters will be replied to in this column.