Healthy Weight Control

by Mary Green

Losing weight is a losing proposition for many Americans. Rising obesity rates means people have become obsessed with dieting and weight loss, but in truth the majority of aging baby boomers are losing the battle of the bulge. Why, you ask? As we age, our metabolism slows down and we lose muscle mass. Add to that the fact that the typical overweight person doesn't get much (if any) exercise and that boils down to more fat storage and less energy utilization.

The best recipe for weight loss is a topic of great importance to Americans who are concerned about their weight. Approximately two thirds of Americans are overweight. Our lifestyles have become less active as we have become more tech savvy because so many of our work and leisure activities are mind intensive instead of physically intensive. How can this alarming and dangerous trend be reversed?

Experimenting with different diets can be a dangerous pastime as people, in their attempts to reach their ideal weight goals, are lured into purchasing products that are unproven, untested or unreliable. Doctors warn of the lurking health risks for the obese patient- a long list of scary ones: diabetes, bilary calculosis, infertility, atherosclerosis, cancer, hypertension not to mention depression and anxiety as overweight people face varying levels of discrimination and ridicule.

Weight loss tips that work can be easily incorporated into your daily routine. There are so many diets advertised that it gets a bit confusing, especially when reviewing the (sometimes outrageous) claims they make. Everyone claims their diet is the best, easiest and quickest- but of course that’s impossible. There is no quick fix cure for obesity. It takes awareness, planning, willpower, and determination to conquer that bathroom scale. Choosing the right plan should be based on your personal tastes and preferences. Just make sure the diet you choose is legitimate, healthy and realistic.

If you have looked at some different weight loss plans and just can’t see yourself having the self-discipline to “stick to it”, maybe your best diet is not a diet at all. Maybe you just need to take a look at your daily food choices and consider a few simple modifications. There are some simple lifestyle changes you can make on your own that will make a difference in the upward direction your scale has taken and bring those numbers down instead.

1. Toss your white sugar. Use Stevia in your morning coffee or tea. Stevia is a natural, plant-based sweetener that offers zero calories and sweetness without chemicals.

2. Avoid fast food restaurants. Fast food is high in calories, fat, and sodium but low in nutrition. Bring a salad to work for lunch or pack a tuna, chicken or turkey sandwich, a piece of fruit and some sweet baby carrots or celery sticks. I like broccoli florets dipped in ranch.

3. Not a gym person? Take 10 minutes of your lunch break and walk. Make walks a part of your evening routine with your family or your dog. Or your family AND your dog.

4. Walk when you shop. Park further out in the parking lot and make the walk into the store more like a hike.

5. Drink more water. Staying hydrated will actually help decrease urges to snack, and water helps flush out excess fat. Don't like water? Use a flavoring mix like Crystal Light to add flavor. Fruit Punch is my favorite.

6. Do your workouts in the evenings. Then when you go to bed, your metabolism is higher while you sleep, helping you lose weight faster.

7. Cursed with a sweet tooth? Carry a baggie full of cherries, grapes or fresh pineapple with you and have it handy when that sugar craving hits. Your blood sugar won't take such a hard hit with these natural sugars.

8. Avoid elevators and escalators. Use the stairs whenever possible.

9. The 4 hour rule: supper should be the lightest meal of the day, eaten at least 4 hours before bedtime so you never go to bed on a full stomach.

10. Eat a rainbow. Vegetables and fruit are important contributors of low fat content, high nutritional value and fiber- giving you increased energy and metabolism-boosting weight loss power.

These 10 things will make a difference to your efforts at dropping those unwanted pounds. Just a 10% drop in weight decreases your risk for obesity-related disease. If you feel you need a more structured diet plan, it might help to talk to your doctor and see what he/she recommends. The main thing to realize is that no matter what diet plan you decide on, make sure it provides a solid nutritional base and an achievable exercise plan. That way you will be more likely to stick with it and make it work for you.

To be quite honest, there are plenty of quality diet and fitness products out there. The Amazon links below are targeted toward this specific problem, but in the spirit of honesty if you click and buy through my link I will make a small commission. I like to be up front about the commercial aspect of my Hubs, but I only promote quality sites offering great products. I hope they make a difference in your quality of life.

This is a question people ask over and over, and in order to be able to set a goal it's important to know what to shoot for. If you're more than 50 pounds overweight, set a smaller goal for each month until you reach your target weight. A pound a week is do-able, whereas 50 pounds...mmm, maybe not. Looking at a large weight loss number makes it seem impossible to acheive and you could stall your progress by overwhelming your psyche. There is an easy formula used by doctors, dieticians and fitness professionals to determine your optimal weight for health and fitness.

In order to determine your healthiest body weight, you should know your BMI, or Body Mass Index. This is a number based on your height, bone structure and age that is scientifically proven to be your healthiest target weight. A healthy Body Mass Index for adults is anywhere within the range 18.5 to 26.5. Use this handy calculator to find out where you fall:

BMI For Adults Widget

BMI For Adults.
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