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In response to the endless excuses on why people are de-conditioned and overweight, I devote the last newsletter of each month to an image of a fit role model. Entitled “Fit Bod of the Month,” I post the photograph of one fit and healthy person … my definition of a “REAL” person (not to be confused with Dove’s interpretation of the word). Be ready to abandon those excuses!
January 2009
 One of the many factors contributing to the overweight / obesity epidemic is the lack of awareness of what healthy, fit bodies actually look like. Particularly in societies where majority of the population is overweight (as with the US), perceptions of what a truly fit body is has become obscured. This is particularly worrisome because there is a direct link between the body’s physical appearance and wellness. As Americans become bigger, our nation becomes sicker (more details next week).
Clearly, there is a trend by authors of books and magazine articles to proclaim that people simply need to be happy with their bodies, the way they are (whether extremely heavy or skinny). However, it’s essential to recognize that carrying excess body fat is not merely a question of aesthetics. It’s much more a question of health, longevity and quality of life. Acceptance of one’s self in a sub-healthy, over-fat state is potentially problematic. We should always strive to be our best, particularly in the arena of wellness. Excess body fat, particularly in the midsection, increases risks for a variety of health challenges including, but not limited to: diabetes, heart disease, and a variety of cancers.
 This issue is devoted to the introduction of a “fit person of the month.” The purpose is NOT to suggest that we should look like the role models. Instead, the intention is to help encourage you to avoid becoming complacent, and instead help you strive to become your healthiest and fittest. Fit role models help with visually understanding a goal or direction (it ties in with the “ship without a rudder” concept). Remember the saying, “if you can see it, and believe it, you can achieve it!”
As motivational speaker Les Brown always says -- "it's better to aim high and miss than to aim low and get it." Just as that pertains to financial, professional, and scholarly goals, so to does it pertain to health goals!
Note that the people pictured in any of my printed materials (newsletters or book) attained their figures/physiques purely through healthful lifestyle choices – regular, vigorous exercise and sensible, healthful eating … no pills (drugs), no lipo-surgeries, no diets.
Regarding clothing sizes, take note that garment manufacturers have been scaling down size measurements since the 1950s, particularly for women’s clothing. This has further exacerbated the confusion of what a fit body looks like. What was a size 12 in the 1980s is now a size 6 or even 4; what was a size 6 is now 0.
 As mentioned in the last issue, a good assessment for health is the tape measure. The two formulas I recommend are: 1) waist-to-hip ratio WHR; and 2) waist-relative-to-height measure. The WHR is the measure of the circumference of your waist (at the narrowest point, usually just above the navel) divided by the circumference of your hips (at the widest circumference of your buttocks). For optimal health 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.
With the waist-relative-to-height measure, the ideal is for your waistline measure (in inches) to be less than half of your 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.
Role model: Vy Thuy Pham
Age: 32 y.o.
Height: 5’ (60 inches)
Waist: 24.5”
Hips: 33”
Waist-to-hip ratio: 0.74 = excellent
Waist-relative-to-height: 60/2 = 30; waist is 5.5 inches less than 1/2 height = excellent
Body fat %: 20.7
Garment Size: 0
Occupation: Executive Administrative Assistant (finance)
 Preferred Approach to Fitness: Strength training followed by 30 minutes of cardio, 5 times per week. Though, for the past 2.5 years, strength training has been her sole activity for, as Vy said, “staying in shape, reducing stress, and clearing my mind.”
Primary motivation: In reverse order of importance: 1) to stay in shape; 2) because she loves food and eats out daily; in her own words, “working out helps me to enjoy the many cuisines the world has to offer while keeping my petite silhouette.”
The take-home message is that even if you work in a sedentary setting, and if you love to eat, it’s still feasible to maintain a healthy and fit figure. Nearly every single human being on earth, by design, has the capability to be fit, and thereby healthy. You have to first want it badly enough. Create passion for health, vitality and fitness. Then, place a priority on health and act on it. In so doing, you’ll always have it, regardless of occupation food desires… or genetics (upcoming role models will prove this).
“The important things you achieved were because you wanted to.”
“It’s not the goals you set but the passions you own that cause you to achieve.” (By Dr. Ron Ross)
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