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Published by , 2015-07-29 15:06:31

HAF-150463.07 ManageWeight_No ads

HAF-150463.07 ManageWeight_No ads

HEALTHY CHANGESManaging Your
Weight

EXERCISE TIP:
How to make—and
stick to—a fitness
plan. p. 12

718665
HAF

Did You Know...?

2/3 of Americans To maintain a
healthy weight,
are overweight or obese.
exercise
Losing 5-10%
150
of your body weight
minutes
can reduce your risk of a week.
weight-related health
Keep reading to learn
conditions like diabetes. more about managing
your weight.

PAGE 4
6

7
12
15
LOSINGSTWAEYIIGNHHGETAALCTTIHVYEEATTIHHENEAGLBTAHSIYCSWEIGHT

PTrOeVpDarISeAIYTfo’rS Whether you need
to lose weight
or just want to
maintain a healthy
weight, this guide
will give you tools
to talk to your
doctor about how
to best manage
your health.

Start by sharing the following with your doctor:

What’s new in your life? New house or job? Sleep
troubles? Stress? It can all affect your health—
so be open with your doctor.

Do you think you need to lose weight, or are you
happy with your current weight?

What changes, if any, have you made to
lose weight?

How many days a week are you physically active?

Look for this symbol Ask Your
throughout the Doctor

brochure for questions
to ask your doctor.

Cover: drbimages /iStockphoto

HEALTHY WEIGHT

Everyone’s healthy weight is different. A
healthy weight depends on your height, age
and how much body fat and muscle you have.
To figure it out, your doctor may take two
measurements:

BMI (body mass index)—This is a calculation
based on your height and weight that estimates
how much body fat you have. Keep in mind that
your BMI doesn’t tell the whole story about
your health. For example, an athlete may have a
higher BMI because of extra muscle—not fat.

Waist circumference—This is a measurement
of the distance around your waist. It’s a way
to tell your doctor how much fat you carry in
your abdomen.

These two numbers can help your doctor
suggest a healthy weight for you. See the
chart on the next page to find your current
and target numbers.

My doctor told
me to just take it

a day at a time.
So I’m focusing
on making small
changes that I
know will add up in
the end. I’ve started
eating more fresh
vegetables and
walking during my

lunch hour.”

4

Weight Guidelines Ask Your

With your doctor’s help, record your Doctor
weight, BMI and waist circumference

below. Then use the guidelines to set your goals.

BMI MEASUREMENTS:
Underweight Less than 18.5

Healthy weight 18.5 to 24.9
Overweight 25 to 29.9

Obese 30 and higher

HEALTHY WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE:
Women less than 35 inches
Men less than 40 inches

YOUR NUMBERS CURRENT GOAL
Weight

BMI
Waist
Circumference

T A K E N O T E If most of your fat is around
your waist, rather than your

hips, your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes

goes up. If your waist size is higher than the

recommended numbers above, talk to your doctor

about a weight-loss plan.

5

THE BASICS

Your body gets its energy from food in the form
of calories. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins
are types of nutrients that have calories and are
the main sources of energy for your body.

All of the calories you eat are either used for
physical energy or stored as fat. Gaining, losing
or maintaining weight depends on the same
thing: how many calories you eat compared
to how many you burn. When you eat more
calories than you burn, you will gain weight.
The extra calories are stored as body fat.

If you eat fewer calories than your body uses,
then you lose weight. At this point, your body
will start to burn stored fat. You can do this by
eating less, moving more or both.

T A K E N O T E If you need to lose weight, aim
for no more than 2 lbs. a week.

If you try to lose more than this, you’ll probably lose

water and lean muscle instead of fat. Make “slow

and steady” your goal for healthy weight loss.

HEALTHY EATING

There’s more than one way to eat healthy,
and it doesn’t mean you have to follow a
strict diet or eating plan. In general, a healthy
eating plan…
n m eans getting the right number of calories

for your body, while taking in enough
nutrients from each food group.
n is realistic and something you’ll
stick to in your daily life.
n doesn’t have to be complicated.
One way to make sure you’re eating a
healthy diet is to follow the USDA’s MyPlate
recommendations. With this plan, fruits and
vegetables make up half of your plate, while
grains (mostly whole), lean protein and low-fat
dairy should make up the rest of your meal (see
below). To learn how much you need from each
food group and get a personalized plan, visit
www.choosemyplate.gov.

Talk to your doctor about an eating plan that’s
right for your goals (losing, maintaining, etc.).
The most important thing is to choose a plan
that you can—and want to—follow.

Continued on next page. 7

HEALTHY EATING cont.

PORTION SIZES

Pay attention to portion sizes to help control the
amount of food you eat. Here’s how:

n M easure everything. If a serving size is 1
cup, measure that out, and put the rest away.

n Start small. At meals, don’t fill your plate
right away. Eat small amounts, and then go
back for seconds if you’re still hungry.

n B uy or make your own snack packs. Having
premeasured snacks can make eating
healthy on-the-go easier.

n L earn tricks to remember portion sizes.
For example:

- A serving of meat is about the size
of a deck of cards.

- A serving of pasta, rice or potato is about
the size of a tennis ball.

- A serving of cheese is about the size of a
pair of dice.

Ask Your Can you recommend a healthy
Doctor eating plan for me?

When choosing an eating plan, what things
should I look for?

8

Healthy Food Tips

n Eat fruits and veggies at every meal to help you
feel full.

n M ake at least half your carbs whole-grain—
you’ll get fiber and feel full more quickly.

n Avoid or limit alcohol—it’s high in calories. Stick
to one drink a day for women and two for men.

n V ary your veggies so you don’t get bored.
Try eating a combination of colors for a better
mix of vitamins.

n C hoose low-fat or fat-free dairy products.

n U se spices instead of sauces or salt.

n U se a no-calorie sweetener
instead of sugar.

n T rim the fat from meat or
poultry, or buy lean cuts.
And grill, bake or broil
instead of frying.

n E at breakfast, so you don’t
overeat later.

n D rink water
instead of soda.

HEALTHY EATING cont.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Making changes to your eating isn’t easy, so be
gentle with yourself. It’s okay if you mess up
one day—just plan to do better the next day.
And remember, you don’t have to make all of
these changes at once. Start small and build
from there. Try these tips:

Manage stress.
WHY? Stress can cause you to overeat.

HOW? Make sleep a priority—getting
7 to 9 hours of sleep a night helps your body
recharge, which will help you handle stress
better. Stick to a sleep schedule, even on the
weekends. And help yourself relax with
10 minutes of deep breathing a day.

Tackle emotional eating.
WHY? Feeling angry,
sad or bored can make
you want to eat.

HOW? Keep a food
journal so you can
track how you’re
feeling when
you go to grab a
snack. If it’s not hunger
you’re feeling, then do
something else, like call
a friend, take a walk or
write in a journal.

10

Keep healthy snacks on hand.

WHY? When you get hungry
away from home, you’re
likely to reach for a fast (and
unhealthy) fix.

HOW? Plan ahead for hunger. Keep healthy
snacks in the car. And pack a snack bag for
work or all-day outings: Try unsalted nuts, baby
carrots, apples, bananas, whole-grain crackers
and low-fat cheese.

Eat out the healthy way.

WHY? Don’t ban dining out, but don’t let it
become a food free-for-all. Make smart choices
and practice portion control.

HOW? Share a meal, make a meal out of an
appetizer, or get a to-go container and box up
half of your meal before you start eating. Ask
for sauces on the side, and order food baked or
grilled instead of fried. And start with a salad or
broth-based soup to fill you up.

Read food labels.

WHY? Healthy eating starts with knowing
what you’re eating.

HOW? Get in the habit of reading the nutrition
labels on foods so you know what you’re eating.
Pay attention to calories, fat, carbohydrates
and sugar. You can also find the serving size on
the label. To learn more about nutrition labels,
visit www.choosemyplate.gov/downloads/
nutritionfactslabel.pdf.

11

STAYING ACTIVE

You probably know that exercise also plays a
role in managing your weight. It can help you
lose weight too. In general, exercise:
n b urns calories
n r educes stress
n lowers your risk of some health conditions

like cholesterol or diabetes
n improves your mood and boosts energy
n helps you sleep better
n improves your strength and the overall

health of your body

Exercise includes aerobic activity,
like walking or jogging, and strength
training, like lifting weights or doing
push-ups. Both burn calories. And
strength training also builds muscle.
More muscle helps your body
burn more calories—even
when you’re sitting still.

Anyone can exercise—no
matter your age or body
type. You just have to
find the right exercise
for you, and your
doctor can
help.

12

EXERCISE INTENSITY

You may have heard about light-, moderate-
or high-intensity exercises. These terms
refer to how hard your body is working while
you’re active.

Light-intensity activities are those you do in
your daily life—like shopping or cooking. For
most people, doing these things doesn’t raise
your heart rate.

Moderate intensity means your breathing has
changed and your heart rate has gone up, but
you can still carry on a normal conversation.
Activities like walking, doing water aerobics or
pushing a lawn mower are moderate intensity.

High intensity means you’re breathing even
faster and your heart rate is higher, and you
can only carry on a conversation with short
sentences. Activities like jogging, bike-riding
and swimming laps are high intensity.

If you haven’t exercised much in a while,
start with moderate-intensity activities. Then
when you’re ready, you can add more high-
intensity workouts. Both are good for your body
and health—as long as you’re safe and don’t
overdo it.

T A K E N O T E How much exercise is enough?
Anything is better than nothing,

but for weight management, it’s best if you do at

least 30 minutes of aerobic activity on most days.

You’ll need more if you’re trying to lose weight. For

strength training, aim for two to three 20- to 30-

minute sessions a week.

STAYING ACTIVE cont.

TIPS FOR GETTING ENOUGH EXERCISE

Vary your activity—Try walking, jogging,
cycling, dancing, swimming, playing a sport or
anything else that keeps you moving each day.

Set weekly goals, and then start slowly—
Gradually exercise longer and harder. And
make your goals specific and realistic so you
don’t get discouraged. (Example: Add 10
minutes to your workout weekly.)

Squeeze it in—Break up your daily exercise
into three 10- to 20-minute blocks.

Schedule it—Put exercise on your calendar,
like a meeting. You’ll be less likely to skip it.

Turn TV into a healthy habit—Use a workout
video or exercise on a treadmill or mini-
trampoline while you watch your favorite show.

Buddy up—Stick to it by working out
with your partner or a pal. You can
help encourage each other to stay
on track.

Move around more in your
daily life—Take the stairs
instead of the elevator,
park farther from the
door, or do active
chores like
mopping or
gardening.

14

LOSING WEIGHT

If your doctor recommends you lose weight,
try not to feel offended or embarrassed. Being
overweight doesn’t mean you’re lazy—it can be
a result of a lot of things like your upbringing,
not knowing what to eat, your family history or
a medical problem. But having extra weight can
increase your risk for certain health conditions
and make conditions you already have worse,
including:

n type 2 diabetes n heart disease or stroke
n high cholesterol n osteoarthritis
n high blood pressure n sleep apnea

If you’re overweight, losing just 5 to 7 percent
of your body weight can improve your
health and reduce your risk of some of these
conditions. This means if you weigh 200 lbs.,
you could benefit from losing just 10 lbs.!

Continued on next page.

I’ve tried so many
diets, but I just

can’t stick to them.
My doctor told me
to give up on diets

and to focus on
changing how I eat
in my everyday life.

It’s hard, but I’m
making progress.”

LOSING WEIGHT cont.

A SUCCESSFUL PLAN

When you’re ready to lose weight, make a
commitment to yourself and write down your
goals. It helps to have both short- and long-
term goals. Ask your doctor to recommend a
weight-loss program or online resources to
help you stay on track. Choose a program or
method that combines healthy eating with
exercise. Avoid fad diets that promise quick
results—these don’t work in the long run.

If you’ve tried to lose weight and haven’t been
successful, talk to your doctor about your
options. Weight-loss medicines or weight-
loss surgery may be right for you. No matter
which method you choose, healthy eating and
exercise will still play an important role.

Remember, you lose weight the same way
you gain it—one pound at a time. You didn’t
become overweight overnight, so you won’t
lose it that way either. Once you start a
program, plan to check in with your doctor
every few months to make sure it’s working for
you. If it isn’t, then your doctor can recommend
other options.

TAKE NOTE

Starting a weight-loss plan
or medicine is a big step.
If you feel overwhelmed by a
lot of information, the time commitment
or even the costs, remember that you’re making an
investment in your health and your future.

16

Ask Your Can you recommend a
Doctor weight-loss program for me?

What if I tried to lose weight before and
haven’t been successful?

Trusted Resources

ChooseMyTPrlautested Resources

www.choosemyplate.gov

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
www.nhlbi.nih.gov

Weight-control Information Network (WIN)
www.win.niddk.nih.gov

17

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