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According to the 2000 CDC census, over 60% of Americans are overweight or obese. The percentage of overweight or obese Americans has increased by 20% since the 1960's. America's expanding waist line has caused quite a rise in healthcare costs due to the fact that obesity leads to many chronic health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. By reducing your weight, not only will you feel better about your body, but you will also increase your chances of living a longer, healthier life.
During this time of year, most people indulge themselves in holiday foods and often gain some excess weight. This is the perfect time to make that New Year's resolution to begin a diet to take off those annoying pounds gained during the holiday feasts.
Let's start out with an assessment of your weight. There are several ways to analyze this. The first way is to check your ideal body weight and see how it compares to how much you actually weigh. If you are more than 20% above your ideal weight, you will be considered overweight. Another way is to calculate your body mass index (BMI). A healthy BMI falls between 18 and 24. A BMI between 25 and 30 is considered overweight and a BMI greater than 30 is considered obese. Your pharmacist will be able to calculate your BMI and ideal body weight for you, or you can visit http://www.wvda.org/calcs/. The higher the BMI, the more likely it is that you will have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Your percentage of body fat is also a good way to assess your risk for weight-related chronic illnesses. This may be done in a fitness center or in some doctor's offices.
A good goal to set for yourself if you are obese is to try to lose 5-10% of your body weight or 1-2 pounds/week. This is a realistic goal and studies show that people who lose this amount of weight will decrease their risks for heart disease and diabetes.
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