Maintaining A Healthy Weight

Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Although there maybe no magic pill, wonder diet or secret exercise programme, maintaining a healthy weight is something we all need to work on to be healthy. Whether you choose to eat healthy or follow an exercise programme its important to incorporate healthy habits into every day.

There are only three non surgical ways to loose weight:
1. eating less
2. exercising more
3. a combination of both

Suppose you need 2,000 calories per day for normal functions such as breathing, circulation and digestion. Any activity above these functions requires additional calories. If you provide less energy from your diet your body uses reserves of extra fat to keep functioning. If you provide more energy from calories than you need your body will store it as fat for energy for some other time.

There are other factures to take into account but the basis will stay the same; if you eat more than you need you will gain weight and if you eat less than you need you will lose weight.

This is where diets come in and it doesn’t matter which one you follow, low fat, high protein, low carbohydrate they are all basically about consuming less calories per day. Any diet that results in fewer calories being consumed will result in weight loss, especially in the early stages in of diet. The problem with diets is that if the changes in diet and lifestyle are not for the long term then the weight loss maybe short lived.

To achieve success in a diet you need to be honest where your calories are coming from and where you can increase your activities levels. By becoming aware of this you can take control of your life and take the necessary steps needed.

Remember this number 3,500.

There are 3,500 calories per pound of body fat. For every 3,500 calories less eaten or more used through activity, you can expect to loss about 1 pound of fat. If you burn 250 calories more per day and consume 250 calories less per day, that will work out to 500 calories less per day. Over the course of a week 500x7 days =3,500 calories or 1 pound of fat lost. 3,500 calories x 4 weeks = 4 pounds of fat per month lost. Now you can see how this works out.

Most people can cut calories fairly easily without going on a diet. Becoming aware of how many calories you eat and where those calories come from are two easy steps.

· Reduce portion sizes. Portion sizes have increased over the years
· Use smaller plates
· Put food away after serving
· Use a take home bag at restaurants
· Avoid all you can eat buffets
· Avoid super sizing
· If you eat crisps, use the smaller bags not the big serving bags

Don’t forget snacks consumed throughout the day do add up over time. Biscuits eaten every day might add another 100 calories per day to your calorie intake. That’s 700 calories extra per week, 2,800 calories per month and 33,600 calories per year or 9.4 pounds extra.

On the other side of this there are positive small steps that you can do every day to increase calories burnt. Just by taking the stairs instead of the lift, parking further away from work or the shops and getting off the bus 1 stop early may seem insignificant at the time but over time they can really make a big difference.

Studies have shown that a weight loss of approx 8-10% is needed to decrease blood pressure, cardiovascular disease risk and improve weight related disease.

Set a realistic weight goal; don’t pick a weight that you haven’t been at for the last 10 years. Take small steps and keep reassign each time you achieve that goal.
Below are some other helpful tips from people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off:

· Eating a relatively low fats and calorie diet
· Constant monitoring or weight (scales), steps taken (pedometer) or body measurements
· Constant activity
· Eating breakfast