- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
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Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.
A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants.
Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Question
Fat but fit: Can I still be healthy?
I'm overweight, but I work out regularly. Can I still be considered healthy?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
You can be overweight and still be relatively fit. But it depends on whether the extra weight you carry is muscle or fat. If the extra pounds are muscle, your risk of disease is lower than if this weight is fat. If your extra weight is fat, you are at increased risk of diabetes, cancer and stroke — even if you exercise.
This doesn't mean you're not benefiting from exercise if you're overweight or obese. You are. Regular exercise can help reduce the risk of certain diseases and may help you live longer, even if you're overweight or obese.
However, your weight is also important to your health. For example, if you're overweight or obese, you can reduce your risk of heart disease if you exercise — but you're still at increased risk of diabetes. Also, carrying extra pounds into your 40s and 50s may put you at increased risk of developing diabetes and heart disease later in life — even if you have no other risk factors for these diseases.
Still, it's important to remember that the number on the scale isn't the whole key to your fitness. Even thin people are at increased risk of heart disease if they're not active. The exercise you're doing helps improve your overall health. So keep it up.
Regular physical activity is an essential component to maintaining muscle and a healthy weight. Health experts recommend at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity activity five or more days a week. To lose weight, increase the duration and intensity of your exercise, eat a healthy diet and cut back on your portions.
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