Everything you wanted to know about Weight Management
Out blog will help you out to answer these questions quickly:
1. What is a safe rate to lose weight?
2. To lose weight at this rate, how many calories should a man eat in a day?
3. And for a woman?
4. What should you do if you go over that limit?
5. How long should I stay on a diet?
6. How do I calculate my BMI?
7. What is a healthy BMI?
8. Name three things that can help you lose weight?
9. Why should I measure my waist?
10. Why is this important?
The importance of losing weight
There are always many health reasons to lose weight as it reduces your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and many cancers as well as easing arthritis in later life. However, at the moment it is more important because obesity is one of the major risk factors for having a poor outcome from a covid19 infection.
So now would be a great time to get rid of the excess weight you have been thinking about losing. A safe rate to lose weight is 0.5- 1kg (1-2lb a week and you do this by reducing the number of calories you eat by 600 a day.
This means the average man should eat 1900 Kcal a day and the average woman 1400 kcal a day if they want to lose weight. But if you want to be absolutely certain how many calories you need to reduce by, for your height and weight, you can visit the NHS website (www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/start-the-nhs-weight-loss-plan/) .
If you eat more than your target on one day you simply reduce the amount you eat for the following few P.T.O days to compensate. You have to make realistic changes to your diet and physical activity so that they become part of your regular routine which will last long term.
How long should I stay on the diet?
You should stay on your diet till you reach a healthy body mass index (BMI . A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. Your BMI is calculated by taking your weight in kg and dividing it by the square of your height in metres. You can visit the NHS BMI calculator, put in your height and weight and it will do the calculations for you.
There are certain limitations to BMI because it does not tell the difference between excess fat, muscle or bone and doesn't take into account age, gender or body mass which means:
Very muscular adults may be classed as overweight even though their body fat is low
Adults who lose muscle as they get older may fall into the "healthy weight" range even though they may be carrying excess fat.
Your waist size is also important because it is sugar.
Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables because they are low in calories and high in fibre.
Get more active as it can help burn off calories Drink plenty of water because it is easy to confuse thirst with hunger.
Eat high fibre foods as they make you feel full.
Read food labels to help you choose healthier options.
Use a smaller plate because it can help you eat smaller portions. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it is full so eat slowly and stop before you feel full.
Do not ban foods as it only makes you crave them more.
Your waist size is also important because it is a good way to check you are not carrying too much fat around your stomach which can raise your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. To measure your waist:
-Wrap a tape measure around your waist midway between these points
-Find the bottom of you ribs and the top of your hips
-Breathe out naturally before taking the measurement.
You should try to lose weight if your waist is 94cm (37ins or more for men and 80cm (31.5 ins for women. You are at very high risk if your waist is 102cm (40ins for men and 88cm (34ins for women.
12 tips to help you lose weight
- Read food labels to help you choose healthier options.
- Drink plenty of water because it is easy to confuse thirst with hunger.
- Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables because they are low in calories and high in fibre.
- Do not skip breakfast because you could miss out on essential nutrients and end up snacking more throughout the day.
- Eat regular meals as it helps burn calories at a faster rate. It also reduces the temptation to snack on foods high in sugar.
- Get more active as it can help burn off calories.
- Eat high fibre foods as they make you feel full.
- Use a smaller plate because it can help you eat smaller portions. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it is full so eat slowly and stop before you feel full.
- Do not ban foods as it only makes you crave them more.
- Do not stock junk food to avoid temptation.
- Cut down on alcohol as a standard glass of wine contains as many calories as a piece of chocolate.
- Plan your meals for the week making sure you stick to your calorie allowance.
