But there is good news: losing just 10 pounds can lower your blood pressure, triglyceride levels and blood cholesterol. Losing weight is good for your overall health and has a even more positive affect if you are already overweight or have raised cholesterol, blood pressure or triglyceride.
Is your weight putting you at risk for heart disease?
To know if your weight is putting you at risk for heart disease you should measure your body mass index (or BMI) and your waist circumference. BMI is a measure of your weight, relative to your height. It also gives you an idea of total body fat.
- Overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 to 29.9.
- Obesity is defined as a BMI equal to or greater than 30.
People who carry too much weight around their stomach have a greater risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Use a tape measure your waist circumference which is about 2 inches above your belly button. (your waist is not always the same as your belt circumference).
- If you are Asian American you are at risk if your waist is above 37 inches for men and 31 for women.
- For women, your health is at risk if your waist is greater than 35 inches.
- For men, your health is at risk if your waist is greater than 40 inches.
If you are overweight, obese, or if your waist size puts you at risk, it is very important to develop a plan to lose weight in healthy way.
Losing weight
If you need to lose weight it is important to do so slowly and not try to lose more than 2 pounds per week. A slow and steady weight loss is the healthiest way for your heart and will help you learn to keep your weight down over the long term.
The only way to do it is use up more calories than you eat! One pound equals 3,500 calories. To lose 1 pound a week, you will need to eat 500 calories a day more than you currently do. A combination of reducing the calories you eat and getting more physical activity the best plan.
Losing 1 pound a week will add up to about 8-12 pounds over the next 2 - 3 months. That might not sound like much, but it is enough to reduce your blood pressure, triglyceride and cholestrol and help control your blood sugar levels.
Getting Started
A healthy weight and waist size will help you control your triglyceride levels, cholesterol and blood pressure. It will also reduce your risk developing diabetes and if you already have diabetes, it will help you keep it under control. Here are five lifestyle changes that will you lose weight:
Controlling your hunger with filling foods that are low in calorie
Foods such as salads, soups, fruit, vegetable and whole grain can fill you up without adding a lot of calorie. They satisfy hunger and help you lose weight. Add these foods to your meals and keep them handy for when you need a snack.
Being more physically active
Regular physical activity is important for keeping your heart healthy. Increasing your activity will help your lose weight and strengthen your heart at the same time plus people that exercise regulary report feeling more positive and sleeping better.
Making trade-offs to reduce how much fat and sugar you eatFoods high in fat and sugar are usually high in calories too. But that doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite foods. Learn to make trade-offs using the nutrition label as your guide.
Keeping portions smaller than your fist
You'll less when there's less food on your plate. Smaller portions help prevent over-eating. Some people find it helpful to serve their food on smaller.
Keeping track of what you eat
Studies show that people who track their foods and drinks in a journal or one of the many mobile apps or web tools are able to more easily meet their food goals, lose more weight and are more likely to keep it off. Seeing what you eat and drink most can really help you find new ways to make small changes that can make a big impact on your diet. Once you start tracking, you'll learn it's not always the ones you think!.
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