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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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NetWellness experts receive many questions about weight gain. It's important for all people to maintain a healthy weight, but it's a particularly important concern for women for several reasons.
1. Women have the greatest burden of overweight and obesity in the US.
2. It is more difficult for women to lose and maintain their weight compared to men because of their hormones and body make up.
3. Living at an unhealthy weight increases a woman's chances of getting heart disease which is the number one killer of women in the United States.
Gaining weight is a natural part of the life cycle for all women. Periods in which women tend to experience major weight gain include:
Weight gain in women is complex and caused by a variety of reasons including:
It is important to note that not all weight gain is unhealthy, such as building lean muscle. Some weight gain is healthy and expected, such as for growth and development (in children and pregnancy). Only when weight gain is attributed to excess fat weight is there concern. Therefore, being "over fat" is the problem, not necessarily "over weight."
Knowing your ideal healthy weight is the first step in setting your weight loss goal. The Healthy Body Calculator and BMI Calculator from the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute are tools that use formulas and tables which can help you figure out:
Each of these measurements can be used to guide you towards a healthy lifestyle.
The old mantra, "exercise and eat a healthy diet" is often the advice given for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. In fact, it is the only time tested and scientifically proven safe weight loss tactic.
The site MyPyramid.gov has tools that help you determine appropriate portion sizes based on your gender, age, and activity level. For example, a 19-30 year old woman compared with a 31-50 year old man has different requirements:
| Food Groups | Women 19-35 | Men 31-50 |
| Vegetables | 2.5 cups | 3 cups |
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Fruit |
2 cups | 2 cups |
| Dairy (low or fat free) | 3 oz | 3 oz |
| Protein (meat & beans) | 5.5 oz | 6 oz |
| Grains (50% whole) | 6 oz | 7 oz |
| Fat | 6 tsp | 6 tsp |
| Water | 8 - 8oz glasses | 8 - 8oz glasses |
Physical activity can be any kind of movement that uses energy. It can range from sports or housework to dancing or climbing the stairs at home. To gain any health benefit, activity should be moderate and add up to at least 30 minutes a day. This should be done most days and preferably every day in addition to your regular daily activities. Increasing the intensity of or time spent with physical activity can help control body weight.
For more information about exercise and weight gain, check out the NetWellness Exercise and Fitness topic where our experts are available to answer your questions. In addition, the Physical Activity topic found on the MyPyramid.gov site is an excellent resource for more information.
As mentioned before, it may be helpful to visit The United States Department of Agriculture's site MyPyramid.gov, which contains information about diet and exercise, as well as a calculator to help you design an eating plant that is tailored to your individual needs.
To help you keep track of your dietary intake and exercise, use the MyPyramid Tracker. It will keep track of your energy balance (calorie intake and usage) history, which you can view for up to one year.
Registered Dietitians (R.D.) are nutrition professionals who can provide you with more individualized help with your weight loss goals. The American Dietetic Association can help you find a nutrition professional in your area.
This article is a NetWellness exclusive. 
Last Reviewed: Jul 18, 2006
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Esa M Davis, MD, MPH Assistant Professor Department of Family Medicine University Hospitals School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University |
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Jane Korsberg, MS, RD, LD Instructor Department of Nutrition School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University |
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Please note: only your personal physician or other health professional you consult can best advise you on matters of your health based on your medical history, your family medical history, your medication history, and how information from any of these databases may apply to you. Neither University of Cincinnati (NetWellness) nor any party involved in creating, producing or delivering this web site shall be liable for any damages arising out of access to or use of this web site, or any errors or omissions in the content thereof. (More) |