By Shelly Sandhu —
What is a healthy Weight? Let’s start with an understanding of energy in versus energy out. It’s not rocket science…if the energy you take in does not get used then you store it. What is a good amount of energy for you? That depends on your activity level, your metabolism, etc. It’s best to control calorie intake to manage your weight. What is a good calorie balance for you?
First, start with a food log or an application to track your food, such as, MyFitnessPal. This will allow you to understand the amount of calories you intake within a day, week, and month. Once you have a good understanding you can set your goal to a healthy weight. Use the equation for Body Mass Index (BMI) to calculate your body fat. You can simply type BMI into your browser and input your current weight and height.
Next, we look at your lifestyle. Does your lifestyle reflect the weight you want to be at? If it does not reflect the approximate weight you want to be at then what can you do to change your lifestyle? It’s very simple; make one goal that has nothing to do with weight. Trade one habit that you know is not helping your health and trade it for something healthier. An example of that is; when I come home I am famished and start to snack the minute I enter the house. Before I know it I have consumed more calories than dinner and then I still eat dinner. An easy fix to this habit is to have some veggies cut up in the refrigerator ready to snack on. Pick veggies like cucumbers, celery, and bell peppers so that they can sit cut up for a few days without going bad. Yea, it doesn’t taste as good as chips and salsa, which happens to be my go to, BUT it is a lot less calories and gives me more nutrients. Adopt new habits slowly by changing one thing at a time!
Once you’ve changed this habit then share with your friends and family, your support group, so that they know and understand your new lifestyle making it easier to sustain for a lifetime. Imagine what giving up that high caloric habit could do for your weight years into the future.
Some other tips to maintain a healthy weight are to eat veggies all the time. Mix them in your diet as much as possible. Make veggies a habit! The health benefits of veggies alone are worth the trade. Meal-prep as much as possible so that you have a healthy meal or snack ready to grab and go.