Body Weight Management
Obesity is a major risk factor for several health related problems such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. When you are on your ideal weight, you are not only looking good but also free from those life-threatening health problems. Thus it is better you keep watching your weight (see also Blood Pressure & BMI check-up ).
Healthy food habits, healthy life style management that includes regular physical activities are keys for body weight management.
Here are some tips:
- Eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, dietary fibers, and fat-free and low-fat dairy products.
- Reduce the number of calories you eat. Excess calories mean unnecessary weight gain.
- Limit your intake of saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol as much as possible (see Foods That Harm Your Heart ).
- Use a minimal amount of fats and oils, usually no more than 2 to 3 servings a day depending on your caloric needs.
- Limit excess calories coming from over consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.
- If you are not able to do jogging, swimming and other kinds of aerobic exercises, be sure you are physically active and not idly sitting always (see also Avoid Sitting For Long Time ).
- Be sure you do moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, such as brisk walking (at least 20-minute walk, 3 times a day, 5 days a week i.e. 60-minute walk per day (300 minute per week).
- Some people indulge in overeating during stress. Try to minimize your stress.
- A big no to alcohol.
- Along with BMI, waist measurement is a good indicator of your actual health condition. Ideal waist measures 40 inches for men, 35 inches for women. If it’s larger than that, you are probably at risk of developing a chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease or obesity.
- Check with your doctor first before starting any kind of strenuous physical exercises for body weight management as not all kind of exercises are suitable for all kinds of people. See also Physical Activity Guidelines
