Maintaining a Healthy Weight

 

Maintaining a healthy weight can be tough, especially as you grow older. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important for your heart and well-being.

About 70% of American adults are overweight. More than 1/3 of American adults are obese.

Being overweight puts you at higher risk for serious health problems. The more extra weight, the more risk. Even losing a few pounds can improve your health, every pound lost is one step closer to a healthy weight.

Heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes are known complications of obesity. Recent studies are suggesting that obesity itself can lead to heart failure, even if you do not have common markers for heart disease.

 

Can You Be “Fat, but Fit?”

Being very overweight puts you at risk for heart disease even if you seem otherwise healthy—that is, even if you don’t have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, says Johns Hopkins cardiologist Chiadi Ndumele, M.D. New research shows that it’s unwise to be lulled into a false sense of security about your heart health if you don’t have the more obvious signs of problems. “Obesity itself can be causing silent damage to your heart muscle,” he says.

 

How Obesity Contributes to Heart Disease

• Cholesterol levels – Obesity can cause your bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels to spike, it can also lower good cholesterol (HDL). HDL is important for removing bad cholesterol to help reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Blood pressure – Obesity can cause your blood pressure to rise. More blood is required to supply oxygen and nutrients. Obese individuals will also require more pressure to move the blood around.
• Diabetes – Obese people are at much higher risk of Type 2 diabetes. According to the American Heart Association at least 68% of people aged 65 or older with diabetes also have heart disease. Diabetics are 2-4 times more likely to develop heart disease.

When your Weight is in a Healthy Range

• Your body is able to circulate blood more efficiently.
• Fluid levels are more easily managed.
• The risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, and many other health issues is great reduced.
• You will feel better and have more energy.

Losing weight is not easy, but there is no doubt it is worth it. Everyone knows that to lose weight you take in less calories than you burn. Maintaining the weight loss requires you to continue healthy eating balance with physical activity.

Quick weight loss products and fad diets do not work. You may lose the weight initially but keeping it off will be a challenge. These fads do not teach you how to maintain a healthy weight over time.

Keeping the Weight Off

Now that you lost the weight it is easy to relax and fall back into some unhealthy habits. Do not let all your hard work go to waste. Effort to maintain your weight loss must be made.

• Know your triggers, roadblocks, and favorite excuses. We all have them!
• Do not kid yourself. This is a long-term effort. After significant weight loss the first couple of years may be the hardest. Stick it out and you are more likely to make permanent healthy lifestyle habits.
• Look for support groups online or in person. Create a network of friends, family and health professionals that will offer support with your new lifestyle.
• Plan a reward system for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and your weight at 6-month, 1 yr., 2 yrs., etc.
• Hold yourself accountable for the decisions you make. Remember a wrong decision does not have to lead to a lifetime of bad decisions. If you fall off the horse, get right back on and start again.
• And remember, you cannot do it by diet alone, exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Only 1 hour of physical activity a day or 5 hours a week will help to keep the weight from creeping back. 

Lapsing and Relapsing

A lapse is a small slip into old habits. These usually happen when we are having a hard day or too busy to pay attention to what we are putting in our mouth. 1 day of overeating or skipping your exercise only means you messed up 1 day. Tomorrow you are back on track and that 1 day is just a blip your new healthy lifestyle.

A relapse is going back to your old habits for days or weeks at a time. You see the number on the scale going back up. Stop and remember how much worse you felt when you were overweight, how you were limited on activities with friends and family. You have not failed unless you choose to not try again.

After getting back on a healthy path, look back and try to see what triggered you off your plan. Stressful situations time are the most common reasons for overeating or skipping a workout.

If stress is one of your triggers, try taking a walk or calling a friend instead of reaching for that unhealthy snack. If you have to eat something, try something healthier like a handful of nuts, low fat yogurt or a protein drink. All will satisfy a crave and help you stay on the right path.

If you are struggling to find time to fit physical activity into your day. Schedule with a friend to meet up at a local park or trail for a walk and talk or go window shopping in your town or local mall. It does not matter where or with who you exercise with, all that matters is that you move!

Dr. Bobish and Team

Talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program. Ask about making healthy food choices and activities that are safe for you. Ask how minor changes can make big improvements.

Dr. Bobish and her team is here to support you and are committed to keeping you healthy and heart smart! Request an appointment at 989-448-7002