Maintaining a Healthy Body Weight
Maintaining a healthy body weight can be considered one of the cornerstones of healthy living. The risk for developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, joint pain, and certain cancers all increase if you are overweight. Considering the hundreds of decisions and messages about food that you face each day, it's no wonder that the problem of how to manage your weight exists. Owning the responsibility of reaching a healthy body weight is a great way to step up to the challenge of putting your health first. Click here for What is a healthy weight?
Setting realistic weight loss goals can be a challenge if you have a lot to lose. Yes, fad dieting may be attractive when you want to lose weight fast. However, using healthy food choices and regular exercise to lose 1-2 pounds a week is more likely to bring sustainable success. You may not need to lose as much as you think to reduce your risk of weight-related diseases. A 5-10% reduction in your current body weight is where the benefits begin. Click here to read more about Healthy Weight Management.
With the growing problem of obesity, much of the attention is being given to how to reduce your weight down to a healthy weight. However, "healthy weight" does not mean underweight. If your BMI is below the desirable level, you have different but still important reasons to be maintaining a healthy weight. Underweight has been associated with decreased immunity, poor memory, increased bone loss, decreased muscle strength, and lowered body temperature. For pre-menopausal women, being underweight can interfere with your menstrual cycle. If you are underweight and need assistance achieving a healthy body weight, discuss the situation with your healthcare provider. Click here for suggestions for healthy weight gain.