Article: How To Lose Weight Sensibly
and Keep It Off
Who should lose weight? Health experts
generally agree that adults who are overweight
and have weight-related medical problems
or a family history of such problems can
benefit from weight loss. Some weight-related
health problems include diabetes, heart
disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol
levels, or high blood sugar levels. Even
a small weight loss of
10 to 20 pounds can improve your health
by lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol
levels.
Your body weight is controlled by the
number of calories you eat and the number
of calories you use each day. So, to lose
weight you need to take in fewer calories
than you use. You can do this by becoming
more physically active or by eating less.
Following a weight loss program that
helps you to become more physically active
and decrease the amount of calories that
you eat is most likely to lead to successful
weight loss. A weight loss program should
also help you keep the weight off by making
changes in your physical activity and
eating habits that you will be able to
follow for the rest of your life.
To lose weight and keep it off, you should
follow a weight loss program that will
work for you. Three types of weight loss
programs commonly used include: do-it-yourself,
clinical and
non-clinical programs.
Any efforts to lose weight by you or
with a group of like-minded others through
support groups, worksite or community-based
programs fits in the "do-it-yourself"
category. Individuals using a do-it-yourself
program rely on their own judgment, group
support, and products such as diet books
for advice.
Clinical program may or may not be commercially
owned. Services
are provided in a health-care setting
such as a hospital, by licensed health
professionals such as physicians, nurses,
dietitians, and/or psychologists. In some
clinical programs, a health professional
works alone; in others, services are provided
by a group of health professionals. This
program may offer services such as nutrition
education, medical care,
behavior change therapy, and physical
activity.
Non-clinical programs may or may not
be commercially operated, such as through
a privately-owned weight loss chain. They
often use books and pamphlets that are
prepared by health-care providers. These
programs use counselors (who usually are
not health-care providers and may or may
not have training) to
provide services to you. Some programs
require participants to use the program's
food or supplements.
Other weight loss methods used to treat
severely overweight patients include low-calorie
diets, prescription weight loss drugs
and surgery. If you are considering a
weight loss program
and you have medical problems, or if you
are severely overweight, programs run
by trained health professionals may be
best for you. These professionals are
more likely to monitor you for possible
side effects of weight loss and to talk
to your doctor when necessary.
The key to successful weight loss is
making changes in your eating and physical
activity habits that you will be able
to maintain for the rest of your life.
The first step is to look at
your eating and physical activity habits,
thus uncovering behaviors such as television
watching, that lead you to overeat or
be inactive. Next you'll need to learn
how to change those
behaviors.
Johnny Layton, MS., Publisher of Health
and Fitness Facts newsletter. Subscribe
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Web site: http://www.1800healthfitness.com
