LIFESTYLE: FOUR THINGS YOU MUST KNOW BEFORE YOU START A WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM

Hey people! I hope you had a good weekend. I had a very crazy schedule but I was able to pull through. So yay!! I had a good weekend. November 18^th was World Diabetes Day, and so this post couldn’t come up at a better time. As a Nutritionist I can't afford to let this event slide without writing a post on it! This pretty much got me inspired to write this post on weight loss which is my first health/lifestyle article on this blog.

Weight loss never gets old, because it is closely linked with obesity which is a known risk factor for many diseases including Diabetes and Cardiovascular diseases. This topic is constantly researched due to changes in lifestyle, eating habits and trends. Obesity cuts across sexes, age, race and region which is the reason why I decided to do this post.

Going on a weight loss program can be tasking and it gets more difficult down the road if you are not prepared. Besides, loosing excess body fat, there is the need to stay healthy and fit. You should be able to establish the need for weight reduction before you start.

Below are four things you need to know before you start your weight loss program. They can also serve as a guide for you to make sure you are not overdoing it.

1.     BODY MASS INDEX:

Before you start your weight loss program, you need to know your Body Mass Index (BMI). Body Mass Index is a measure of your body weight in relation to the height. It is a weight-for-height standard that is most closely related to body fat content. BMI is calculated as;

Body weight (kg)

Height (m²)

This index provides a benchmark classification that groups individuals into Underweight, Normal, Overweight, Obese. The range of values for classification is;

·       Underweight: < 18.5

·       Normal: 18.5-24.9

·       Overweight: 24.9-29.5

·       Obese: 29.5-40

Your goal before going into a weight loss program should be to achieve a body weight that falls within the normal category.

2.     IDEAL BODY WEIGHT:

An ideal body weight is one that places you within a body weight associated with optimum health and longetivity.

Height (cm)-100= Ideal weight (kg)

Before going on a weight loss program, you should know your ideal body weight lest you overdo it and fall in the underweight category. With the ideal body weight calculation, you can set your weight loss target.

3.     WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE: 

The waist circumference is a practical tool used by most Clinicians to evaluate abdominal fat before and during weight loss treatment.

Waist circumference values higher than 40inches/102cm for men and 35inches/88cm for women indicate high risk factors for diseases. Normal values for men is 78-94cm/30-37inches and 64-80cm/25-31inches for women.

You should know you waist circumference before starting your weight loss program and this index should serve as a guide for you during the course of your program.

4.     HEALTHY EATING: 

You ought to know what it means to eat healthily. Patients who indulge in low caloric diets to achieve weight loss have shown increased risk of developing gall stones. Weight loss is not just about losing weight but also eating healthily to attain a body weight that is associated with optimum health. If you loose weight using a crash diet program, you will gain it as fast as you lost it because crash programs are not sustainable in the long run.

Effective weight loss includes diet therapy, physical exercise and stress management. It is noteworthy to add that weight loss is a gradual process. Loosing 500g-1kg body fat a week is an ideal weight reduction. To achieve weight loss, a 500kcal per day reduction of one’s recommended dietary intake is adequate.

I hope you found this post helpful, please share!

  

   Stay Beautiful,

    Junie