Watch Your Weight

When is watching your weight necessary?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 50 percent of US Adults are overweight.

Maintaining a healthy weight is especially important if you have had:

• heart disease
• diabetes mellitus (type II diabetes)
• stroke
• high blood pressure
• cancer of the uterus, gallbladder, kidney, stomach, breast, or colon
• a high total cholesterol level

If your weight is not in the healthy range for your height and build, the best way to lose weight is to set a reasonable goal and lose it slowly and gradually. Develop a healthy pattern of eating and exercising that you can follow for the rest of your life.

Healthy tips for maintaining your weight:

Follow these tips for maintaining a healthy weight:

• Remember a calorie is a calorie. High-fat foods generally have more calories than foods that are high in carbohydrates or protein, but the truth is, the best way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories than you burn each day. While it's possible to eat a larger quantity of foods that are low in fat as long as they are also low in calories, be sure to check labels or read educational materials to make sure.
• Aerobic exercises and strengthening exercises burn calories by increasing heart rate.
• Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full. Take smaller portions. Never go back for seconds.
• Fruits and vegetables and other foods that are low in fat and calories can also help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer.