Monday, January 24, 2011

Hot Topic: Normal Weight Obesity

First I want to say “HI!” to some of my new readers! Second, the whole homemade facial thing definitely doesn’t compare to one at a spa but it’s still nice :)

And as for the whole dietetic internship application process? It’s coming to a close. Applications are due February 15th so that’s mega-stressful. I’m hoping to stay at Simmons but am applying to a few other schools as well – all community focused.

Hope that wraps up some questions ya’ll may have had!

So after a pretty indulgent weekend…………

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DSC01651  (PS- that’s a Carrot Cake martini!)

Oh and there was definitely some Oreo ice cream cake, Chinese food, and pizza. Yeah INDULGENT! What can I say, it was an extended birthday celebration for the boy :)

I compensated with some delicious oats with a diced pear and walnuts and a not so exciting rushed bowl of “mighty tasty hot cereal” with coffee and OJ.

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I’ve really got to start taking pictures of things other than breakfast haha.

In other news, I OFFICIALLY started P90X yesterday. The other times I was just randomly throwing in one of those workouts but I decided to actually start the program this time. It’s just far to cold out to go running. I mean hello it was like 7 degrees out today! Yeah my abs totally hurt right now, but it’s a good hurt ;)

I also wanted to bring to attention the topic of a recent article in Today’s Dietitian.  The article “When Thin is Fat” discusses a condition called Normal Weight Obesity (NWO).  Basically it means that a person may be at a normal weight, and therefore may appear to have a normal BMI but in reality they have increased body fat percentage causing weight-related health issues.  People with NWO typically have decreased muscle mass and decreased bone density and elderly are at an increased risk for this condition.  So if your BMI is at the higher end of normal, you may want to get your body fat percentage checked to rule out NWO.  Try bioelectric impedance or the Bod Pod which may be available at major hospitals.

Feel free to share some opinions!

7 comments:

  1. I bought a scale the other day that states our Muscle mass and bone density I am at a good rate but my mom got on and her BMI is 29 which is moderate. She has never worked out a day in her life I'm gonna try to get her to do some things soon! How can I motivate her to workout without being rude and saying she needs to "get healthy"...My mom is super thin about 122 lbs but does nothing active, i think she is a culprit of NWO...

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  2. Oh my gosh, good luck with the internships!! I personally am not a fan of BMI, because it doesnt take into account muscle. However, it can be a good tool for some people. NWO isn't something I'm too familiar with...can someone who is at a normal weight have enough fat to be considered obese? Interesting!

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  3. @thefitnessapple - Are you sure the scale stated your mom's BMI as 29? BMI is measured by height and weight, so for your mom to be a slim 122 lbs it doesn't make much sense for her BMI to be that high. She may benefit from some weight lifting to build some muscle mass!

    @Maryann - I just read about NWO in the latest issue of Today's Dietitian so I'm sure it is something new. Many people aren't aware of it yet!

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  4. I think that's hitting on the health goes beyond weight concept. I think people are catching on, but slowly. On Biggest Loser this season, the contestant with the highest % body fat was actually not all that big in comparison to other contestants. I thought that was a great point to make for the show. I have my issues with BL, but I'm glad they showed that. :)

    Good luck with the internship process! I remember how nervous I was on match day!! It will all work out, though :)

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  5. First of all... carrot cake martini?!!? Amazing.

    Secondly, I'm glad people are talking about being "skinny fat". It's a lot more prevalent that most people think. I would recommend trying to find a health professional with calipers over electrical impedance though. EI is pretty inaccurate and can change drastically based on our body's hydration level.

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  6. I hope this topic of NWO gains more attention in the public. Way too many people think thin always equals healthy...but that's not always the case.

    Good luck with the internships! (:

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  7. sounds like an interesting article, i'll have to look into it, thanks for sharing! no doubt there are thin "fat" people, that's why we shouldn't measure our health by our dress size or the scale.

    (p.s. that martini looks devine. :))

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