The most wonderful time of the year has now come and gone, and as usual in a flash. So what you’re left with are presents you don’t want, credit card debt, and weight gain. You have no idea what hit you as it was a month and a half of excess, letting yourself go.
The weight gain is evident and it persists. Attempting to resist the excess drink, turkey and mashed potatoes, cookies and pie are extremely challenging. Your intent was to control your intake, but as usual, you’ve surrendered to the celebrations.
Since the unpredictable roller coaster that is the holidays are over, it’s time to readjust back to normal, to become more concerned about your weight and health, which prolongs your long-term livelihood.
Because of times such as these, the majority of the population has become overweight, while a portion of the overweight has become obese.
Obese Is Different From Being Overweight
What most will do is merge these words together interpreting they mean the same thing, which is body fat. What the health practitioners will tell you however, is they both have different distinctions and definitions.
A common measurement of body fat is calculating one’s Body Mass Index or (BMI), and the resulting number is what specifically applies to you. What BMI takes into consideration is your weight and height.
This makes sense since those who are thin and tall, might weight the same as someone who’s short and overweight. What the BMI formula does is evens out the ration for all body types.
Know Your BMI Number
There’s a specific BMI range that’s considered normal for your body. Once you’ve calculated your BMI number, the proceeding number that’s on the chart is considered overweight for your body type.
What this brings forward is a higher risk of health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
The BMI number that’s higher than the overweight number is what’s considered the obesity range, which has increased health dangers.
As the BMI number rises, the health risks which are associated with the BMI number increases, ultimately resulting in one’s demise.
Calculating Your BMI
So what’s required is finding your own personal BMI number, and then understanding the risks that the ratio poses to your health and state of life.
There are a variety of ways to find your BMI, this easily by searching for the various free BMI Calculators online, as it’s a quick and simple formula based on your height and weight. Click Here
The Dangers Of Being Overweight
Weighing too much not only makes you feel sluggish, but it’s also extremely dangerous to your health. The simple solution and main challenge is to just correct your diet.
A poor diet is usually consuming too many carbohydrates and processed foods. So ask yourself if you’re willing to continue risking your health by:
• Drinking sugar laced designer coffees from that expensive trendy coffee shop. They load on the processed calories to dress up their drinks to justify the cost. Also avoid regular and especially diet soda
• Stop eating processed white bread and white flour bakery products. Try a sandwich with grain instead. This also includes white pasta, which should be substituted with spinach or whole pasta
• Avoid eating processed convenience foods, sugary breakfast cereals, danishes and donuts, etc. Instead, try steel cut oatmeal
This isn’t suggesting that you need to cut out all carbohydrates. But for the sake of your health, at the very least develop the willpower to cut down on those processed carbs which are high in calories.
Increase Physical Activity
The holidays are behind you, so it’s time for a new outlook on your life. The stark reality being that most don’t exercise enough. So now’s a better time than any to develop a practical action plan, this to start or increase your physical activity.
The key is to start as slow as possible. If you never exercise, then commit yourself to walking on a flat street surface for at least fifteen minutes, and begin doing so three mornings or evenings a week.
You’ll be surprise how fast your endurance builds up, and how much you enjoy doing this activity that you take for granted. Then sooner than later, you’ll work yourself up to 30 minutes a day of brisk walking.
If you already exercise on an intermittent basis, then make it a routine daily lifestyle habit. Do physical activity that you enjoy, such as walking, jogging, swimming, or biking. Do so 3 to 5 times a week, and soon you’ll feel great.
To Reach A Healthier Weight
Begin by setting a realistic weight loss goal, otherwise, it will become discouraging and you’ll soon give up. If you happen to be at the higher end of the BMI number that’s obese, then aim to just lose enough weight to reach the lower end of the “obese” scale.
If you’re overweight, then take aim to move towards the lower end of the overweight scale. Keep in mind that moving down just one category does is provides significant consequences to the state of your health, while improving the quality of your life.
Try This Simple Plan
This is the core of any weight loss diet plan on the market. Eat healthier and exercise more. The key becomes making slow incremental changes on both, this to avoid disappointment.
Start by going in the right direction. Understand the reasons why dropping even just a few pounds is important, and base your motivation and willpower on that belief.
Most weigh more than they should, and are finding that reducing this weight is well worth the effort. Don’t fail by instilling an easy practical approach, this by setting realistic goals, while putting your mindfulness into it.