How Much Should You Weigh?

[I am blessed to have been asked to join the staff of the Fat2Fit Club blog (Fat2Fit Club) as one of their resident experts. This post first appeared on their wonderful site.]

Those of you who know me know that I DO NOT consider weight to be a valid measure of health. However, many people are curious about what their “ideal” weight might be. We are inundated with pictures of rail-thin models, both male and female, who probably have to run around in the shower just to get wet. These images can make us think that abnormally low weights are healthy, which they often are not. The truth is that we each have a very unique ideal weight, and that it may change as as our lifestyle changes. My belief is that how we FEEL is far more important than how much we WEIGH. Most people begin to feel more energy and have a more positive outlook as a result of losing weight. Increasing exercise levels can often accomplish those things even if weight loss does not occur.

I’ve shared a formula below that provides a guideline … NOT an absolute. Again, please don’t get hung up on numbers. Merely use this formula to help you set your own goals related to weight loss. For instance, my “ideal” weight as a 5’6″ woman with a large frame is 140 lbs, a weight which many people would consider “heavy.” Because of my physical make-up, I can fit into a size 4 at a weight of 140. Obviously, everyone’s physical structure is unique, so use the formula that follows merely as a suggestion. I confess that I find it runs a bit thin, so please do not be alarmed at the number it delivers as your "ideal" weight. Take it with a grain of salt and focus on improving your overall health.

Body weight is dependent on a lot of different factors. Believe it or not, bone density, liver size and brain size can affect weight. (So, the next time someone says you’re overweight, just tell them you have a big brain.) The numbers are not as important as the physical and emotional effects your weight has on your outlook and attitude.

A very simple formula for calculating your ideal weight is:

Men: Add 6 pounds for every inch of height over 5 feet to a base weight of:

Small Frame: 110 lbs
Medium Frame: 115 lbs
Large Frame: 120 lbs

Women: Add 5 pounds for every inch of height over 5 feet to a base weight of:

Small Frame: 100 lbs
Medium Frame: 105 lbs
Large Frame: 110 lbs

*I modified the formula to include the following:

Women: Add 5 lbs of body weight if you have a C cup bra size; add 7 lbs if you have a D cup.

Ok … what do you think? Is this formula crazy? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

In my next post, I’ll share a formula for how to determine how much food is needed to maintain whatever “ideal” weight you choose for yourself.

Have a glorious day!

Pamela Reilly, Naturopath, CNHP, CNC, CPH
Good Works Wellness
http://goodworkswellness.com

If those of you in Indianapolis would like personal support in your fitness and weight loss journey, feel free to check out my Smart & Fit Program which starts in September: Smart & Fit Program

The best thing about blogs, they just keep going

Sorry for the random title. I used this title as a celebration of the fact that I met my blogging goal two whole weeks in a row. Woo hoo! (Lame, I know, but bear with me.) This will be a short post. Longer posts with much more in-depth information will follow.

To keep this blog going and grabbing your attention, I would like to ask you to share what topics interest you. Do you have health issues you'd like to see covered? Do you battle with bad eating habits? Are hormonal imbalances driving you crazy? Are you ready to conquer your thyroid gland? What information can I share that will bless and benefit you? Please let me know!

I have a long list of potential topics lined up, but want you meet your needs. Please share your thoughts! Thanks so much! Have a glorious day!

Diabetes & the Art of Motorcycle Riding

For some reason, the fact I have diabetes AND two X chromosomes causes people to respond with shock and amazement when they find out I own and ride a motorcycle. The reasons for this are a mystery to me, but the phenomenon is universal enough that I felt compelled to share some information about why there's no reason to be shocked that a female with diabetes rides a motorcycle and lives to tell about it. I'd also like to share some tips that will hopefully help others with diabetes step out of the box, buy a bike and start living in the fast lane!

Much of the information in this post is related to information shared in my post: How Motorcycle Riding Improves Health. Please read that if you need to prove to someone that riding a bike makes you healthier!


I see absolutely no reason why a diabetic should not ride motorcycle. However, folks with diabetes who want to travel on two wheels need to understand that they must ride responsibly and exercise caution. This includes ensuring they maintain blood sugars at normal levels. People with diabetes obviously need to check their sugar before riding. I recommend eating a snack including one or two servings of carbohydrates and at least one serving of protein prior to riding (without taking any additional insulin) to help prevent unexpected low glucose levels. A rider with diabetes should always travel with a fast-acting source of glucose such as fruit juice, glucose tablets, a banana, etc. It's that simple. Diabetics should never be without a source of glucose, anyway, so packing a snack is plain ol' common sense. It is also wise to carry a form of protein, such as nuts or a nut butter, to help maintain sugars at a stable level.

The most important factor to remember is that riding a motorcycle requires greater physical exertion than driving a car. Because of that, diabetics who ride may discover they need far less insulin or medication and/or need to eat more when they ride. I find I'm able to turn my insulin pump completely off on the days I ride long distances. This is a wonderful additional perk to riding! The increased physical exertion, which borders on a mild form of exercise, also increases insulin sensitivity for 8-12 hours, further adding to the health benefits of riding a motorcycle. I've learned to eat some carbs and protein before I ride and to turn down the basal rate on my pump (or turn it off entirely) to avoid an unexpected low while I'm on the road. I've also learned that if I kill the bike when starting from a stop light, I need to pull over and check my sugar immediately. That simple indicator that my reflexes may not be at 100% is worth paying attention to!


The amount of insulin I use on the days I ride long distances is often 1/2-1/4 what I use on a normal day. This means that riding a motorcycle boosts my mood, increases life satisfaction, is more fun than words can describe, and improves my health! It just doesn't get any better than that. Regardless of how many wheels you choose to travel on, be smart, travel safe, and live abundantly!

Simply Raw & Holograms ... Who Knew?

Hi, all! I have a couple quick announcements. For those who are familiar with the movie, "Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days," it is on sale right now for HALF OFF! You can view the information at:

Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days

For those who aren't familiar with the movie, it follows 6 diabetics as they follow the raw foods lifestyle for 30 days. The healing they experience is truly miraculous. Each of them gets off of all medications, has their blood sugars return to normal levels, and have many other health issues disappear in just 30 days of eating raw, living foods. My own story confirms that the raw foods lifestyle brings miraculous healing. I have dropped from using more than 70 units of insulin per day to using anywhere from 8-15. Because I've had diabetes for more than 45 years, my own healing will take more than 30 days, but that's ok! Since starting the raw foods lifestyle almost two years ago, I have experienced a multitude of other health benefits and miraculous healing. I now offer raw food coaching as part of my Naturopathic wellness practice due to my desire to share this healing potential with anyone and everyone.

The movie lasts about an hour and a half and is incredibly inspirational. I recommend that everyone share it with anyone who has diabetes or who has a family history. It is a life-changing experience!

And ... I also wanted to share information about a product that has brought wonderful benefits to my life. Please know I am sharing this information because I know many of you suffer from fatigue, poor sleep, or constant pain, conditions which this product can help with!

I recently began using holographic chips to gain energy. Although I was very skeptical at first, I am now a firm believer! The company, Cie Aura, is relatively new but bases their science on years of research. I've been using the chips called "Pure Energy" which claim to increase energy levels. I've found them to be amazingly effective. I've also used the "Pure Rest" chips to gain a good night's sleep, and the "Pure Relief" chips to get pain relief when needed. Every chip has worked incredibly well. I have also shared relevant chips with friends and family who had a need. The chips have worked every time.

The chips claim to have energetic frequencies stored in them which target the needed health issue. Holograms have the capacity to store the energy or information equivalent to that contained in 10 CDs, so the energetic potential of these chips is huge. As I said, I was skeptical when I heard about them, but am a firm believer now. After doing much research, I've come to appreciate the science that supports the effectiveness of these chips. You can learn more about them at: http://bit.ly/bdKd8C.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like to receive additional information about either of these products. God bless you in your healing journey!

The Wonders of Goldenseal

Hello! This post has moved to: http://goodworkswellness.com/the-wonders-of-goldenseal/. Please visit it there to see the complete article.


Many people have heard of the herb Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) but have little idea of the multitude of uses for this versatile herb. Goldenseal has been used throughout history as a medicinal herb, partly because of its amazing ability to stimulate the body’s own immunity. The bushy plant typically grows wild in rich soils. The Goldenseal plant has bright yellow flowers that produce a beautiful red oil when infused. Goldenseal is now an endangered species due to excessive wild harvesting. It should therefore only be purchased from companies who grow it and who do not wildcraft it ...

Thyroid Hormones & Bone Marrow Biopsies

Sorry, all. I know I'm long overdue to post a blog that actually contains educational information about a natural health topic. This one does, but is being written primarily to allow me to vent a bit. Thanks for supporting me through this. I want to stress that I am very committed to treating myself and any health issues I may have using completely natural methods. Because of the natural supplements I have used for many years, my thyroid gland (which "died" in 1994) is regenerating and has begun producing hormones again. Unfortunately, my thyroid gland has not yet regenerated to the point that I can function without taking prescription thyroid hormones. Luckily, there are natural medications available via prescription. The most popular natural thyroid med, Armour Thyroid, disappeared off store shelves about four months ago, leaving approximately two million US thyroid patients unable to get this necessary medication.

The thyroid gland produces several different hormones, the most important being the T3 and T4 hormones. Mainstream thyroid medications such as Synthroid only contain the T4 hormone. Although most people's bodies easily convert T4 to T3, a large number of patients' bodies are unable to convert the T4 to T3. Mine is one of those bodies. The beauty of Armour Thyroid, which is made from desiccated thyroid glands of bovine origin, is that it provides the patient with both thyroid hormones. At my lowest point in my thyroid journey, I was on Synthroid but was almost bedridden due to crippling exhaustion. My neurological symptoms were so extreme that I was incorrectly diagnosed with MS three times. I had ballooned up to almost 200 pounds and was unable to function normally. All of these issues were caused because my body had too much T4 and almost zero T3. I had to go to four doctors before finding one willing to prescribe Armour. My symptoms disappeared after one month on Armour.


Then Armour disappeared.

I am blessed to live near a compounding pharmacy that can custom compound a medication very similar to Armour. I've now been on that med for about four months. The problem I'm experiencing is that the dose of Armour I was on when Armour disappeared was not the correct dose, so my current Endocrinologist and I are basically starting from scratch in figuring out what dosages I need of the T4 and T3 hormones. Among other issues, one of the side effects of having low thyroid levels for over 6 months is that my metabolism and my body's ability to digest and absorb protein have been negatively impacted. This has caused the iron level in my blood to be almost zero, a level deemed "impressive" by my doctor. Lucky me. In addition, my body is not producing normal amounts of several types of red blood cells, which naturally affects the oxygen content of my blood. I am counteracting this using an oxygenating product called Cell Food. I am also taking high doses of Hawthorne Berry to ensure my heart and circulatory system are working at the highest efficiency possible. I hate to think how badly I would feel if I did not eat an all-organic, whole food diet and if I were not using supplements to support my body.


I had another Endocrinology appointment today. My ferritin (a form of iron) levels are so low my doctor wanted to do a bone marrow biopsy to rule out much more severe issues. I refused. I went down that road twelve years ago during another phase of extreme thyroid issues. I appreciate my doctor's concern, but know that my blood count issues are all related to my current thyroid insufficiency. She didn't agree, but she hasn't received the same training or done the same research I have. I'm ok with that. Although my symptoms have been indicating that my thyroid levels are currently way too high, she found that my reflexes are all extremely slow, which is indicative of low hormone levels. My speech is also a bit slurred, also indicative of low levels.


She commented that she can't believe I'm working or even able to get out of bed with blood counts as low as mine. Lucky me, again. I didn't mention that I'm carrying a full practice load, still working as a consultant at a health food store, and still have four children, two dogs and a husband. LOL. Needless to say, getting out of bed is a challenge. Being tired is easily dealt with. The achiness, constant headache, bitchiness (forgive my use of the word ... it's the only one that works), brain fog, slurred speech, dizziness and skipped heart beats are a bit tougher to deal with, but I'm forging ahead. If I had my druthers, I'd probably spend all day every day wrapped in a quilt sleeping and watching old movies. That's just not an option for me. I've been pulling myself up by my bootstraps and doing what needs to be done every day. On my "off" days, I'm a bit of a slug. A really, really lazy slug.


My doc and I worked together to devise a plan which I'm confident will work. Instead of taking T3 and T4 combined in one capsule, she's going to phone in scripts for separate doses of T3 and T4. That will enable us to easily change the level of each. I will get blood work much more frequently so that we can keep much closer track of where my levels are.

My TSH level, which should never be above 4.5, is still in the high 70s. (That earned me another "impressive," LOL.) I'm confident all of my numbers will soon return to normal. Until then, I'm honestly thankful that God is allowing me to experience this. I know that what I'm going through is preparing me to help others with greater compassion, knowledge and wisdom. I'm looking forward to ending this lesson. :)

Thanks for letting me vent a bit. Take time today to give thanks for your health and live in a way that protects it!