Happy Halloween! My treat for you this Halloween is not edible. My guess is you have enough edible treats around your house ! My treat for you is a 3 minute task that will give you some helpful information on your risk for cardiovascular disease. All you need is a flexible measuring tape and a calculator (if you’re really good at doing math in your head, you don’t even need the calculator!).

Using the measuring tape, measure around your waist one inch above your navel. Measure again around the widest part of your hips. Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. The number that you get is your “Waist/Hip ratio”. Women who have a Waist/Hip ratio of .8 or under are statistically at less risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes.

Women with “apple-shaped” bodies (with more weight around the waist) face more cardiovascular health risks than those with “pear-shaped” bodies who carry more weight around the hips. That’s because abdominal fat is more likely than fat stored in other spots to lead to changes in hormone levels and to cause inflammation (which in turn leads to clogged arteries). We can’t change our genetic make-up which is greatly responsible for where our fat stores are held. We can, however, be in complete control of HOW MUCH fat we store.

There are many factors that can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It’s important to exercise, eat a well-balanced diet and get regular check-ups with your doctor in order to stay as healthy as possible and be aware of minor risk factors before they become major ones. One thing you can do right at home is keep an eye on your waist/hip ratio by checking it every so often. And of course, I’d like you to visit this blog often to learn tips and tricks to getting and staying lean!!

So, check your waist/hip ratio today and have a Happy Halloween!

Committed to your success,

Becky

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