Weight Management
If you’ve tried a diet and “failed,” consider yourself successful. DIETS DON’T WORK! Drastically cutting calories, eliminating entire food groups, and/or depriving yourself of foods you actually like is not a recipe for long-term success. The good news is that you can permanently change destructive eating habits and break the “diet mentality” for good.
One way to assess your weight is body mass index (BMI). BMI is one screening tool to determine if your weight is a health risk.
Before you begin a program, decide if you are ready to make the lifestyle changes needed to lose weight. While many are looking for a quick fix, evidence shows that people who lose 1-2 pounds a week are more successful at keeping the weight off for good. To lose weight, choose more vegetables and whole foods while cutting back on added sugar and refined grains (such as white flour, white rice and white bread). Focusing on the quality of your food can help achieve slow and gradual weight loss.
Losing weight and keeping it off can be hard. Think about successes that you had before and how you were able to achieve them. Even small weight changes can have a big impact on your health. Losing 5-10% of your total body weight can improve blood sugar and blood pressure, and reduce your risk for chronic diseases.