Anti-Aging Strategies

How much body fat is OK? How do we know? We've learned that actuarial tables allow for an increase in weight as we age. But because muscle is denser than fat, any weight gain could hide an even greater increase in body fat that many of us (and our hearts) end up lugging around.

Should you aim to maintain the weight you had at the end of high school, or should you accept an extra 10 pounds? Your high school weight (assuming you were fit then) is a reasonable target from a health standpoint but may not always be realistic. You didn't sit at a desk all day back thennot voluntarily, at least. These 10 extra pounds are not too dire, but you should remember that they are a realistic compromise, and not necessarily the ideal.

There are several methods for determining just how much of us is fat. The three most common techniques are caliper, electrical impedance, and underwater immersion. Consensus is that although immersion may be the most accurate, the complex gear required to perform this scientific form of baptism can be prohibitively expensive. Not only must there be a large enough tank into which subjects are lowered, but also