What is "Healthy Weight" and How To Get There

A healthy weight is one where your body composition positively contributes to your overall health, wellbeing, and quality of life. However, many people do not maintain a healthy weight. In fact, about 13% of the world’s adult population is obese, according to WHO. And this number is still on the rise.

WHY DO YOU NEED TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT?

Your weight is a crucial marker of your health. And many factors play a role in determining how much you weigh, including your genes and hormones. But having a healthy weight greatly benefits your overall health because it can help you prevent and control many diseases and health conditions.

According to various studies, being overweight (or obese) increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing issues, and even certain cancers. Achieving a healthy weight will reduce your risk for these health issues and allow you to have more energy to enjoy life.

DETERMINING YOUR WEIGHT STATUS

Healthy weight is different for each individual. You can determine whether you’re currently maintaining a healthy weight by checking any of the following:

• Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Waist Circumference
• Waist-to-Hip Ratio

Body Mass Index (BMI)

This is an easy way to determine if you’re maintaining a healthy weight. To know your BMI, use the formula below:

Your Weight (in pounds) x 703

Your height (in inches)²

OR

Your weight (in kilograms)

Your height (in meters)²

For example, say you weigh 185 pounds and are 65 inches tall, you can calculate your BMI as follows:

BMI = 185 x 703

65 x 65

=130,055/4225

=30.85

Although your BMI can give you an idea of your weight status, it has the downside of not being able to measure body fat. For instance, you may have a high BMI if you’re muscular. But this does not automatically mean that you have a high amount of (unhealthy) fat. BMI can also underestimate body fat composition in people who have lost muscle mass or older people.

Though you can’t rely entirely on your BMI, it can give you an idea about how healthy your current weight is.

Waist Circumference

Having a high amount of abdominal fat can put you at risk for many health conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, etc. An easy way to check how much abdominal fat you have is to measure your waist circumference.

To measure your waist circumference, you only need a measuring tape:

• Wrap the measuring tape around your waist (just above your hipbone) while standing.
• Ensure the tape is snug but not pressing into your skin.
• Breathe out and take the measurement.

The guideline for interpreting your waist circumference is as follows:

Waist-to-Hip Ratio.

This is another helpful tool that can help you understand how healthy your current weight is. This tool compares the width of your waist with the width of your hips. To determine your waist-to-hip ratio:

• Measure the tiniest part of your waist in inches.
• Measure the widest part of your hips in inches.
• Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement.

Generally, women tend to carry excess weight in their hips and buttocks while men carry it in their bellies. This is why the guidelines differ a little for different genders.

HOW TO ACHIEVE A HEALTHY WEIGHT

How much you weigh generally depends on how many calories you consume compared to how many calories your body uses. If you regularly consume more calories than what your body uses, your body will store the excess calories as fat which manifests as weight gain.

To lose weight healthily and sustainably, you should change two important things:

• Your diet or eating habits
• Your level of physical activity

DIETARY MODIFICATIONS

It is almost impossible to regularly overeat or consume excessive amounts of processed foods and lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Some beneficial adjustments you can make to your diet include:

What You Eat

• Choose whole-grain cereal and bread whenever possible, as they keep you fuller for longer.
• Reduce your sugar, fat, and salt consumption.
• Eat more healthy proteins and fiber. They help you stay fuller for longer and eat less per meal. Some healthy sources include beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, lean meat, fish, poultry, and yogurt.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables. You should include vegetables and fruits in each meal.
• Check the Nutrition Facts table on food labels to know how much nutrients, calories, fats, sugar, and salt the food contains.
• Reduce your consumption of highly processed foods as they are a major source of saturated fat, sugar, and salt. Examples of such foods include:
  • snacks like cookies, chips, donuts, etc.
  • Frozen meals like pizza, pasta dishes, etc.
  • Processed meats like deli meats, hotdogs, and burgers.
  • Fried foods like French fries.

What You Drink

You should also choose your drinks with caution to avoid excessive calorie intake.

• Reduce (or avoid, if possible) your intake of sugary drinks, fruit juice, and alcohol.
• Drink at least 2 liters of water throughout the day.
• Choose plain low-fat milk. Skimmed milk with 1% fat is a good option.

How Much You Eat

You can eat all healthy meals and still consume excessive calories if you don’t control your portion size. You should, therefore:

• Avoid supersized portions and second servings
• Use smaller plates, bowls, and cups.
• Ensure that your plate consists of:
  • 50% fruits and vegetables
  • 25% whole grains, and
  • 25% healthy protein

When You Eat

Timing your meals right plays a vital role in helping you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

• Do not skip breakfast, as surveys have shown that people that eat breakfast tend to maintain a healthy weight. Skipping breakfast will also leave you very hungry by lunchtime, thus increasing the chances of overeating.
• Eat 3 small meals and 1 or 2 healthy snacks throughout the day, but at regularly spaced intervals.

How You Eat

Eating the right way can help you reduce your calorie intake. Some helpful tips include:

• Avoid mindless eating, for instance, in front of the TV, at your work desk, or while driving. This is because mindless eating often results in overeating as you’re not paying enough attention to stop eating when you’re no longer hungry.
• Eat slowly while paying attention to the flavor and texture of the food. Various studies have shown that this helps you eat less per meal.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Staying physically active helps you burn calories from the food you consume. So, your body has fewer calories available to store as fat. In fact, the general recommendation for adults (18 years and older) is at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise every week.

The following tips can help you become more physically active:

• Engage in aerobic exercises like brisk walking for at least 2.5 hours every week. This will not only help you lose excess weight, but it will also help you keep the weight off for good.
• Engage in muscle strengthening exercises at least twice a week.
• Increase your day-to-day movements. For instance, you can get up from your desk and walk around from time to time or park farther away from entrances to allow you to take more steps.

SLOW AND STEADY

Working to achieve and maintain a healthy weight does not have to drastically alter your lifestyle. Furthermore, if a diet sounds too good to be true (for instance, lose 10 pounds in a week), it usually is. This is also true for plans that promise you weight loss without altering your diet or physical activity levels.

Instead, you should make small and realistic changes to your lifestyle, then slowly build on that. A healthy and sustainable weight loss goal is 1-2 pounds a week. This is not only easier to achieve, but it is also healthier for your heart compared to a higher drop.

According to research, this slow and steady approach will help you lose excess weight and increase your chances of keeping the weight off for good.

SLEEP

Sleep is essential in your overall health and specifically has a tremendous impact on your weight. Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

KEY TAKEAWAY

Your weight is one key indicator of your health status. According to research, excessive weight can increase your risk for various chronic diseases like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, among others. You can determine how healthy your weight is by calculating your Body Mass Index or waist-to-hip ratio or checking your waist circumference.

You should make the changes to your diet and physical activity levels as fun as possible. So, instead of thinking about “dieting,” think of it as making healthier lifestyle choices. You should also make it a way of life to reap the maximum benefits. This is why it’s crucial that you make small but sustainable lifestyle changes.