Food and Fitness for a Healthy Weight

You have probably heard the term "calorie" used a lot. When talking about food, a calorie is a unit of energy that the food supplies to your body. But when talking about physical activity, a calorie is a measure of the energy that your body uses in performing the activity.

Calorie balance is like a scale. To remain in balance and maintain your body weight, the calories you get from foods must be balanced by the calories you use in normal body functions and physical activity. If you eat more calories than you use, you gain weight. If you "burn up" more calories than you eat, you lose weight.

To find out if you're at a healthy weight for your height, find your Body Mass Index (BMI). Below are the BMI categories for adults:

• Underweight = less than 18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obese = BMI of 30 or greater