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Weight Management

Take a well-informed and healthy approach to weight management using our experts’ advice.

Diet Myths

Low-carb? Gluten-free? What works and what is just hype? Our nutrition experts guide you through the confusing claims.

How to Combat Your Food Cravings

Ignoring food cravings is hard, but you can learn healthy ways to cope and keep them in check.

Losing Weight the Healthy Way

Find out how to lose weight and keep it off in a healthy way, without following any special diets.

    Weight Management Topics

    • Diet and Weight Loss
    • Healthy Weight

    BMI Calculator

    CALCULATE YOUR BMI

    Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. The higher the BMI, the greater the risk of some diseases.

    CALCULATE YOUR BMI

    Ask an Expert

    Karen Handy

    Karen Handy, M.P.H.

    Palo Alto Medical Foundation

    My body seems to have found its favorite weight and its hard to budge it from there. Do people have a normal weight for their body, despite media pressure to be thinner or heavier?

    Our society certainly sends a mixed message when it comes to our weight: the media bombards us with images that equate being beautiful and glamorous with being thin - and yet we are bombarded even more with ads... continue reading  about  My body seems to have found its favorite weight and its hard to budge it from there. Do people have a normal weight for their body, despite media pressure to be thinner or heavier?

    Deborah Kurzrock

    Deborah Kurzrock, R.D.

    Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

    I'm a very active pre-menopausal 50-year-old who eats right and works out four to six times a week. Why in the world can I not lose my belly cellulite and build more muscle? I'm ready to quit everything and just get fat and eat junk food!

    Don't give up! As many women approach menopause they find themselves experiencing unexplained weight gain, especially around the waist and hip areas, despite their best efforts to watch what they eat and to inc... continue reading  about  I'm a very active pre-menopausal 50-year-old who eats right and works out four to six times a week. Why in the world can I not lose my belly cellulite and build more muscle? I'm ready to quit everything and just get fat and eat junk food!

    Karen Handy

    Karen Handy, M.P.H.

    Palo Alto Medical Foundation

    I exercise hard in the early evening and eat dinner after that. Each night at around 9:30, I'm ravenous. What is a good snack that will actually satiate the hunger without calorically unraveling the hard work of my work out?

    Snacks with high fiber and water content, that also include some protein and just a bit of heart-healthy fat, will help you feel the most full and satisfied. That same fiber and water content will also keep you... continue reading  about  I exercise hard in the early evening and eat dinner after that. Each night at around 9:30, I'm ravenous. What is a good snack that will actually satiate the hunger without calorically unraveling the hard work of my work out?

    Deborah Kurzrock

    Deborah Kurzrock, R.D.

    Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

    To reduce belly fat, I have read about diets that include using plant-based protein shakes or smoothies that are supposed to “melt away” belly fat. Is there any truth to this?

    I wish I could say there was a magic formula to "melt away" any kind of fat, but it is not as simple as that advertisement. Nothing can selectively “melt away” belly fat. In a similar ad that I read... continue reading  about  To reduce belly fat, I have read about diets that include using plant-based protein shakes or smoothies that are supposed to “melt away” belly fat. Is there any truth to this?

    Deborah Kurzrock

    Deborah Kurzrock, R.D.

    Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

    What are goji berries and what are their health benefits? Can they promote weight loss?

    The goji berry is also called the wolfberry. It is a bright orange-red berry that comes from a shrub that is native to China. In Asia, goji berries have been eaten for generations in the hopes of extending the ... continue reading  about  What are goji berries and what are their health benefits? Can they promote weight loss?

    Larry K. Fan

    Larry K. Fan, M.D.

    California Pacific Medical Center

    If I get liposuction to get rid of my belly fat, will I reduce the health risks associated with being "apple" shaped?

    Liposuction is a great way to contour and reshape the body (including the belly) by removing unwanted fat. Unfortunately, liposuction is not a treatment for weight loss, nor does it appear to influence the risk... continue reading  about  If I get liposuction to get rid of my belly fat, will I reduce the health risks associated with being "apple" shaped?

    Junaid H. Khan

    Junaid H. Khan, M.D., FACC, FACS

    Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Campus

    My goal next year is to improve my overall health. Can you tell me if I should focus more on lowering my weight (as I'm a few pounds heavier than I should be), or concentrate more on exercising?

    That is an excellent question. A study in the AHA journal Circulation, by Dr. Duck-Chul Lee from South Carolina, addressed this question. The title says it all: "Physical Fitness Trumps Body Weight in Reducing ... continue reading  about  My goal next year is to improve my overall health. Can you tell me if I should focus more on lowering my weight (as I'm a few pounds heavier than I should be), or concentrate more on exercising?

    Astrin Damayanti

    Astrin Damayanti, R.D.

    Sutter Gould Medical Foundation

    Is type 2 diabetes always associated with being overweight, or do you see it in people at healthy weights as well?

    Being overweight is a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes and many people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. But type 2 diabetes can develop in people who are thin because genetics also ... continue reading  about  Is type 2 diabetes always associated with being overweight, or do you see it in people at healthy weights as well?

    Deborah Kurzrock

    Deborah Kurzrock, R.D.

    Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

    I've been hearing more and more about the nutritional benefits of chia seeds -- that they can help regulate blood sugar and promote weight loss. Any truth to this?

    Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. They have a nutlike flavor. It is a cousin of the seeds (Salvia columbariae) once used to grow green hair a... continue reading  about  I've been hearing more and more about the nutritional benefits of chia seeds -- that they can help regulate blood sugar and promote weight loss. Any truth to this?

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