PERRY BUCHANAN: It’s important to know your numbers

Numbers have always intrigued me. As we celebrate our 13th anniversary at PT Gym and I reflect on the years, I realize how our lives are affected daily by numbers. We may miscalculate or lie about numbers, but numbers never lie. In business, numbers are important to determine the health of the business, what’s doing well, and what needs attention.

In our personal lives, we rely on numbers every day when we balance our check book or calculate how many miles per gallon we’re getting in our car. If we have a financial goal, we need to know how many hours we need to work or how many widgets we need to produce to reach our goal.

When it comes to health and overall fitness levels there are some important numbers you need to be aware of as well. To get a better picture of your total health, you need to see your doctor for a complete blood profile. Explaining every number in your blood work is far beyond the scope of this article, but I do want to cover what I feel are the top five numbers to track.

1. WEIGHT: Weight is probably the number most of us are aware of and the easiest to measure. Over one-third of Americans are considered obese and twice that are considered overweight. Obesity is responsible for a multitude of health problems.

Based on your weight and height you can calculate what’s known as your body mass index (BMI). Your BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared. There are plenty of charts you can find on the web, so you don’t have to do the math.

A BMI between 19 and 24 is considered optimal. For some, especially weight-trained athletes, the BMI may not be a meaningful fitness measurement. For those, body fat percentage is a better indicator. Step on the scale at least monthly. Studies show that those who track their weight are more successful at keeping it down.

2. WAIST SIZE: Waist size is one of the best ways to determine how your weight is affecting your heart health. If you carry a large percent of your body fat around your waistline, your risk of dying prematurely is nearly doubled.

Fat cells aren’t just storage for extra calories. When body fat is packed into your abdomen, the fat cells sends out a toxic stream of chemicals impacting the whole body. Divide the narrowest part of your waist by the widest part of your hips. A waist-to-hip ratio of less than 0.90 inches for men and 0.85 inches for women is desired. Generally speaking, a waist size over 35 inches for women and over 40 inches for men indicates increased health risks. The ideal waist size is half or less of your height in inches.

3. BLOOD PRESSURE: Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. The top number, the systolic pressure, indicates the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood. High blood pressure (hypertension) is linked to many medical problems including heart disease, chronic kidney disease and stroke. A reading of 140/90 mm Hg or more is considered high, and warrants seeing your doctor. A reading of 120/80 is generally considered a normal, healthy blood pressure. Current recommendations for a more ideal number are 115/75.

4. CHOLESTEROL: High cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. More important than your total cholesterol number, are the numbers for your LDLs and HDLs. Your HDL, the healthy cholesterol, needs to be 50 or more. Your LDL, the unhealthy cholesterol, should be under 100. Cholesterol at these levels is associated with healthy, youthful arteries.

5. FASTING BLOOD SUGAR: Testing your fasting blood sugar with a simple blood test or finger stick test measures your risk for diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic disease that can lead to blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, and other serious health complications. A fasting blood sugar number above 100 is considered pre-diabetic. If you are diagnosed as pre-diabetic, treatment measures should be discussed with your physician.

Monitoring your weight, blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar are crucial first steps in controlling disease and improving the quality of your health.

As reliant on numbers that we have to be, numbers are only a means to measure what’s really important. By not knowing your numbers, you’re just guessing. Knowing your numbers, but not using the information to make changes means you’re just obsessing.

It’s important to take the action steps needed to help you reach those ideal health numbers. Based on your current numbers, develop a comprehensive plan. You’re never too old to start. Age, too, is just another number!

Perry Buchanan, owner of PT Gym, is certified as a Health Fitness Specialist through the American College of Sports Medicine, and Fitness Nutrition Specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.