Weight Loss
Weight loss in the context of medicine or health or physical fitness, is a reduction of the total body weight, due to a mean loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissues and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon and other connective tissue. There are many ways to lose weight, but it is not always easy to keep the weight off. The key to successful weight loss is making changes in your eating and physical activity habits that you can keep up for the rest of your life.
Can I benefit from weight loss?
Some weight-related health problems includes :-
1) heart disease
2) diabetes
3) high cholesterol
4) high blood pressure
5) stroke
6) some forms of cancer
Health experts agree that you may gain health benefits from even a small weight loss if you are obese based on your body mass index (BMI), you are overweight based on your BMI and have weight-related health problems or a family history of such problems, or you have a waist that measures more than 40 inches if you are a man or more than 35 inches if you are a woman.
A weight loss of 5 to 15 percent of body weight may improve your health and quality of life, and prevent these health problems. For a person who weighs 200 pounds, that means losing 10 to 30 pounds.
Types of weight loss :-
Control your intake
Calories needed to maintain your weight :-
- about 1,600 calories a day for inactive women
- about 2,200 calories a day for inactive men and active women
- about 2,800 calories a day for active men.
Your body weight is controlled by the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you use each day. To lose weight you need to take in fewer calories than you use. You can do this by creating and following a plan for healthy eating.
Exercise
It is virtually impossible to lose weight and keep it off without exercising regularly. Start out by taking a brisk walks or riding a bike. Work your way up from 10 minutes to 30-40 minutes a day, most days a week, and you could reap health benefits and weight loss results in a matter of weeks. Plus, exercise boosts your metabolism, making it even easier to lose weight.
Non-clinical program
A non-clinical program may follow a program on your own by using a counselor, book, website, or weight-loss product. You can also join others in a support group, work site program, or community-based program. Non-clinical weight-loss programs usually requires you to use the program’s foods or supplements.
Clinical program
A clinical program provides services in a health care setting, such as a hospital or clinic. One or more licensed health professionals, such as medical doctors, nurses, registered dietitians, and/or psychologists, provide care. Clinical programs may offer services such as nutrition education, physical activity, and behavior change therapy. Some programs offer prescription weight-loss drugs and pills or gastrointestinal surgery.