I am 5 feet tall and according to Science Daily I should weigh no more than 125 pounds. That is something that I can understand. And next time I take the dog to the vet’s I will find out how much I weigh (come on admit it we all use the vet’s scale).

“It’s a very simple calculation that most of us can do in our heads,” he explained. For men and women, there is a baseline height and weight. For men, the baseline is 5-feet, 9-inches tall and a Maximum Weight Limit of 175 pounds, meaning that a 5-foot, 9-inch tall man should weigh no more than 175 pounds. For women, the baseline is 5-feet tall and a Maximum Weight Limit of 125 pounds.

“These are nice round numbers that people can easily remember: 5-feet, 9-inches tall, 175 pounds for man; and 5-feet tall, 125 pounds for a woman,” explained Fernandez.

From that starting point, you simply calculate how much taller or shorter you are, in inches. Then, if you are man, you add or subtract 5 pounds for every inch you are taller or shorter than 5 feet, 9 inches. So, if you are 5-feet, 11-inches tall, you are 2 inches taller than the baseline of 5 feet, 9 inches. You add 5 pounds for each of those 2 inches, 10 pounds, to the baseline Maximum Weight Limit of 175. So, your Maximum Weight Limit is 185 (175 pounds plus 10 pounds). Women add or subtract 4.5 pounds for each inch they differ from the baseline height of 5-feet tall.

– Science Daily 21 September 2009.

Is it any wonder that the levels of obesity in this country are so darn high? We keep stuffing too much, too bad food in our mouths and then ask why we look and feel like crap.

It’s not that hard people. Eat less, move more.

What really got me was the bagel. 20 years ago I would stop for double toasted bagel with a little butter and a slice of cheddar cheese on the way to work. The slice of cheese was the same size as a slice of that awful processed cheese I don’t use today. AND it covered the entire bagel!

Nowadays a bagel is the size of a life preserver. I would be much happier if they made the bagels smaller and cut the price in half. Yeah, right like that is going to happen.

See for yourself, look at the .pdfs of the slide shows. You will be shocked and amazed and a little bit sick.

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Print off the Serving Sizes card and keep it handy for when you are eating out so you know how much to bring home for left-overs.

More good news is that it may be easier than you think to make healthy changes to your diet without sacrificing your favorite foods and drinks. For instance, try these calorie-cutting tips:

• Substitute steamed veggies for heavy sides like mashed potatoes or creamed spinach.

• Choose brown rice instead of white.

• When eating out, simply ask your server to hold the cheese on your sandwich to save up to 130 calories.

• Forgoing the bun on a burger will save even more.

• At the office, reduce your calorie load by making your own snacks instead of hitting vending machines or office candy jars. You can create your own trail mix out of a handful of peanuts, almonds, walnuts and raisins and you instantly have a filling, low-cal snack that’s packed with protein and fiber. Or try a cup of blueberries for a tasty snack packed with antioxidants and a mere 56 calories.

• Happy hour can be another major calorie-consuming culprit. When grabbing drinks with friends, opt for a lower-calorie beer such as MGD 64, which, as its name suggests, has just 64 calories. Unlike other beers and cocktails that are loaded with calories, it lets you enjoy your time out while saving the extra 250 calories you would have downed from, say, a daiquiri.

By making small changes to your diet, you can successfully cut calories all year long without really giving up things you love.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, women who ate breakfast regularly tended to eat fewer calories overall during the day. A healthy breakfast fuels the body and replenishes blood sugar levels to rev up metabolism for maximum calorie burn from morning until night.
Skipping breakfast deprives the body of the fuel it needs and often leads to impulsive snacking later in the morning. According to a study conducted by the Weight Watchers Smart Ones brand in 2008, two-thirds of Americans believe eating breakfast will help them maintain their weight. Surprisingly, 25 percent of those same men and women admit skipping breakfast as their worst breakfast habit!  For such breakfast offenders, the 10:30 a.m. run to the office vending machine can be all too common and may mean unhealthy choices.

To break bad habits, food lovers can actually focus on the most appealing part of their morning meal — great taste. In the same Smart Ones brand survey, eight in 10 people ranked good taste as most important when considering what to eat for breakfast.

Devin Alexander, television host and author of “The Most Decadent Diet Ever,” offers simple solutions for maintaining a healthy eating regimen in the morning without sacrificing taste or resorting to the same old boring routine.  “There are a variety of low-fat, flavorful foods that help you start the day the right way, even if you’re too time crunched to cook,” says Alexander.

She recommends new choices from the Weight Watchers Smart Ones Morning Express breakfast line as a nutritious way to sneak breakfast in each day. The line boasts four convenient and delicious varieties, including the savory Breakfast Quesadilla and a Stuffed Breakfast Sandwich, which can be ready in the microwave in three minutes or less, contain 240 calories or less, and are made with lean proteins, low-fat cheeses, vegetables and egg whites for a healthy start to the day.

Alexander offers a few other tips for quick, delicious morning meals:

* Make a large container of oatmeal to last for the week and store it in the refrigerator. Each morning, reheat the oatmeal and flavor it with your favorite fresh fruit or fruit spread for a finished breakfast in minutes.

* Always leave a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter, so you never walk out the door hungry even if you’re in a rush.

* You can never buy too much yogurt. Try a variety of flavors for a quick, calcium-pick me-up.

Now, Devin brings her tips and advice to the masses on The Morning Express Breakfast Club (eatyourbest.com/breakfastclub), an online destination for healthy breakfast recipes, tips and advice to fuel the day with ideas that appeal to everyone from breakfast connoisseurs to women on the go.

The secret to eating right and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to make smart choices that are good for you, but also taste good, too. So listen to the advice your mother gave you and don’t skip the most important meal of the day.

Courtesy of ARAcontent