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Stop Aging - Start Training - True Measure of Success
(Excerpted from Stop Aging, Start Training.)
One of the biggest mistakes in the world of health is determining one’s success – or lack of it – by simply observing total weight, as measured by the scale. The scale does not distinguish between fat weight and lean weight (which includes the weight of muscles, bones, organs, and water). Therefore, the scale, by itself, does virtually nothing in determining success.
An ideal method to knowing your health status, in terms of body fatness, is by having your body fat % measured. However, for accuracy, you’d need professional assistance and access to specialized, expensive equipment. A secondary, simpler approach to determining health and tracking success is through the use of a tape measure. There are two formulas I recommend: 1) waist-to-hip ratio; and 2) waist-relative-to-height measure.
Waist-to-hip ratio: measure the circumference of your waist (at the narrowest point, usually just above the navel). Then measure your hips at the widest circumference of your buttocks. Next, simply divide your waist circumference by the circumference of your hips. For women, the ratio should be below 0.86, ideally closer to 0.7. For men, it should be below 0.95, preferably closer to 9.0.
A ratio of 0.7 for women and 0.9 for men correlate strongly with good health and improved fertility. The further above these markers, the greater the risk for health challenges. It’s not just the amount of fat you need to be concerned about; it’s the distribution that matters as well.
[Since one formula is rarely sufficient to account for all potential inter-individual variations in body proportions, a second method is important for a clearer perspective.]
Waist-relative-to-height measure: The waistline measure (in inches) should always be less than half of height. For women, the waist should be from 3 to 5 inches less than half your height while for men, the waist should be 1 to 3 inches less than height:
Women: (height / 2) - 3 to 6 inches, depending on height.
Men: (height / 2) - 1 to 3 inches, depending on height.
With tape measuring, avoid pulling too tightly, particularly on areas that may be softer. For greater accuracy, consider purchasing the Gulick tape measure, which has a spring-loaded mechanism that allows for accurate and consistent measurements.
By tracking your tape measurements, you will have a clearer, truer and more honest perspective on your health status.
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