Self Care

FONT SIZE

T T T

Obesity

 

There is no perfect or ideal weight. Good health comes in a variety of sizes and shapes. A combination of many factors adds up to a healthy weight, including how much weight is the fat is stored, and any medical problems that would benefit from more or less weight. Obesity or having extra body fat increases the risk of developing non-insulin-dependent diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and some cancers, as well as other health problems.

The following chart will help determine your healthy weight range.

Suggested weights for adults

Height in inches	Weight for 19—34 yrs in pounds	Weight for 35+ yrs in Pounds
5’ 0”	97—128	108—138
5’ 1”	101—132	111—143
5’ 2”	104—137	115—148
5’ 3”	107—141	119—152
5’ 4”	111—146	122—157
5’ 5”	114—150	126—162
5’ 6”	118—155	130—167
5’ 7”	121—160	134—172
5’ 8”	125—164	138—178
5’ 9”	129—169	142—183
5’ 10”	132—174	146—188
5’ 11”	136—179	151—194
6’ 0”	140—184	155—199
6’ 1”	144—189	159—205
6’ 2”	148—195	164—210
6’ 3”	152—200	168—216
6’ 4”	156—205	173—222
6’ 5”	160—211	177—228
6’ 6”	164—216	183—234

Causes of Obesity

There are many complex risk factors for obesity, including environment, genetics, physical inactivity, and eating too many calories and fats. Just as there are no simple explanations for how weight problems start, there are no simple solutions. Weight loss requires a combination of fewer calories taken in, more calories used up, and behavior changes.

Dangers of Fad Diets

If there were a simple solution to take off extra pounds, no one would have a weight problem. And although most people recognize that fad diets aren’t the answer, the short-term reward of rapid weight loss is hard to resist.

Most people, however, don’t know how risky these diets may be. Very low- calorie diets or diets that restrict certain foods can be dangerous and should never be used without medical supervision. There is growing concern that long- term use of very low-calorie diets may actually make lasting success more difficult to maintain. When the body is threatened by a drastic reduction in calories, it responds by conserving energy output—slowing down the rate at which calories are burned. Increasing calories back to a normal level results in a rapid weight gain.

Changes in body composition after cycles of losses/gains can be dramatic enough that, even when a stable weight is achieved, the body is “fatter” and has a lower metabolic rate. Instead of enduring a “diet” you can hardly wait to go off focus on developing better eating and exercise habits.

Your Calorie Needs

Remember that eating and exercise aren’t the only factors that affect your weight, but they are the ones you can control. Metabolism and body composition help determine the number of calories your body burns at rest, and these tendencies are often inherited.

The number of calories you need depends on how many calories your body burns up. People burn calories at different rates, depending on many factors, including activity, body size, genetics, age, health, and gender.

Calories also describe how much energy a food supplies. People need over 50 nutrients from foods, including those that supply calories—such as carbohydrates, proteins and fat—and those that help with other body functions, such as vitamins, minerals, and water. Quality calorie choices meet nutrient needs without adding extra, unneeded, calories.

Your calorie needs

Typical Calorie Needs for Maintaining Weight	Calories/Day
Women	1,800—2,100
Men	2,100—2,400

Recommended Calorie Ranges for Losing Weight	Calories/Day
Women	1,200—1,500
Men	1,500—1,800

Controlling Portions

As important as it is to choose quality calories over empty ones, it’s also important to eat a reasonable amount. Even the most nutritious and low-calorie foods can add to a weight problem if eaten in large enough quantities. Practicing portion control can help ensure that you’re not getting too much of a good thing.

Calculating Your Fat Limits

Since fat is the most concentrated source of calories in a diet, it is a good target for extra calorie-cutting. It is encouraging to note that a lower-fat diet, combined with exercise has shown effective results in Studies with calorie reductions of only 50 to 200 calories per day.

Losing at a Healthy Rate

To lose weight you need to bum an extra 500 calories for each pound you would to lose, since this is the approximate number of calories in 1 pound of body fat. To lose 1 pound per week, you need 500 fewer calories per day than the calories required to maintain your weight, It’s best to get the 500 fewer calories from cutting your usual calories and increasing your activity level. Try eating 250 calories less per day and adding 250 calories in activity to lose that pound of fat.

Eating habits are developed throughout life in response to family and social patterns. That’s why it’s important to remember that the habits of a lifetime are not changed overnight. Fortunately, changes in these eating habits don’t need to be dramatic to work. A good starting point is to identify and include healthy foods you enjoy.

Calculating your fat limits :

To limit your fat calories to less than 30 percent :

If your planned daily calorie intake is:	Your daily fat intake should be less than:
1,200 calories	40 grams
1,500 calories	50 grams
1,800 calories	60 grams

You can use the following formula also :

(Calorie intake x 0.3) / 9 = your maximum grams of fat per day

Example :

1,800 calories x 0.3 = 540 / 9 = 60 grams of fat per day