We all know that excessive weight gain leads to greater health problems, but what do we consider overweight? Especially when we are all different shapes, sizes and heights; and hail from different cultures.
An important thing to remember is that body fat does play an important role including:
· Keeping the body warm
· Assists in the absorption of Vitamins including Vitamin A, D, E and K.
· Forms the building blocks for hormones
· Protects us from injury
· Forms the structure of every cell in the body, particularly our brain
So, in no way am I advocating the pursuit of an unattainable over thin look!
A useful tool to measure our overall status is a BMI (Basal Metabolic Index) check. It’s calculated based on your weight and height. Generally speaking you want your BMI to fall between 19-25, which indicates the optimal reading for long term health.
To calculate your individual BMI: https://bmicalculatoraustralia.com/
Not all body types will fit into this model. The main examples of these are body builders who have a lot of muscle, and pregnant females. Children and teens have different ranges whilst they are growing rapidly, so need a different reference scale.
Factors contributing to weight gain:
· Moving less as we get older
· Eating richer foods
· Metabolic rate starts to slow after age 30
· Poor sleep: increased hunger, food cravings, eating larger portions and more snacking.
· Underactive thyroid function
Did you know that a modest weight loss of even 5kg can significantly improve long term health outcomes?
5 Tips to safely reduce weight and improve vitality:
1. Regular movement: brisk walks, swimming, skipping rope, cycling, dancing, tennis, spin class, Zumba, yoga, the possibilities are endless! If you find exercise a challenge, find a buddy who you can meet regularly to give you some accountability. Daily exercise helps keep those happy endorphin levels up, strengthens your immune system and promotes more energy.
2. Smaller serving sizes: If you spend most of the day sitting at a desk, then you need to eat less. Start using a bread and butter plate, rather than a huge dinner plate for meals. Eat slowly and chew well; you’ll still feel satisfied when you finish. And you’ll feel a lot lighter!
3. Save that 2nd helping: Do you really need that second serving of dinner, or could you keep it for lunch tomorrow? Wait 10 minutes before eating more; chances are you won’t really want it. You’ll sleep more soundly if your digestive tract isn’t overloaded.
4. Ensure 8 hours sleep each night: If you are well rested, then you will have more energy and make better meal choices; rather than reaching for sugar and caffeine to relieve the fatigue.
5. Include at least 5 non-starch vegetables in at least one meal each day. This helps you to feed all the beneficial gut microbes to develop stronger digestion and bowel regularity, as well as healthy weight and better mood.
Tried all these things and the weight’s not shifting? I can help. Let’s dig deeper to see what the underlying causes might be. Once we discover them, then we will make a great action plan for some lasting progress!