If you are carrying extra kilos, losing weight and keeping it off can be a challenge. Embracing healthy lifestyle habits is the key to not only losing weight, but looking after your health as well.
A healthy weight for your height is one that does not increase your risk of health problems. Carrying too much weight (being overweight or obese), or carrying too little (being underweight) can increase your risk of a range of serious health problems.
The energy in food is measured in kilojoules or calories (1 calorie = 4.2 kilojoules). Foods vary in the amount of energy they provide. For example, vegetables tend to be low in energy and high in fiber and nutrients the body requires. Proteins and carbohydrates have roughly the same amount of energy per gram, but fats and alcohol are higher in energy.
Metabolism describes the chemical processes that occur inside the cells in your body in order for the body to function. Your basal metabolism is the amount of energy you need when you have not recently eaten and are resting. Age, sex and body composition (such as amount of muscle) change your basal metabolism, but it is likely to be more complicated than that. Genetics, hormonal fluctuations, sleep and stress may also have an effect on your basal metabolism.
Physical activity uses extra energy. The more vigorous the exercise (such as running), the more energy the body will use, although all activities, such as housework, walking to the shops - even standing still - contribute to the amount of energy your body uses every day.
With high-energy foods, you can take in large amounts of energy very quickly, while it takes much more time and effort to work off that energy.
Even eating small amounts of extra energy on a daily basis can eventually add up to carrying quite a lot of extra weight if you do it over a long period of time.
The fundamental unit of life; the simplest living unit that can exist, grow, and reproduce independently. The human body is composed of trillions of cells of many kinds.
Related to genes, the body's units of inheritance or origin.
The sum of all chemical changes that take place within an organism to maintain growth and development and convert food into energy and building blocks.
Substances in foods that are necessary for the body to function and grow. They include macronutrients, which provide energy and micronutrients, which are substances needed in small amounts such as vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
The word ‘stress’ can have a variety of meanings, but generally describes the physical and mental responses of the body to a demand placed upon it. Often used to describe conditions where the demand is high or unable to be resolved and creates anxiety and tension.
Lifestyle changes such as consuming less energy and being more physically active are the key steps to losing weight. They enable you to create a situation where your body uses more energy than you take in. This is called an energy deficit. Over time, this means that the body will burn the fat it has stored.
In most cases, it is recommended that you try to lose weight gradually. Dietary Guidelines for the management of being overweight or obese recommend aiming for an energy deficit of 2500 kilojoules per day, although this may vary, depending on individual needs. Your doctor or a dietitian can provide tailored advice for your situation.
Sudden and major lifestyle changes can be difficult to maintain long-term. This can mean that although you lose more weight initially, you may find yourself regaining it quickly when you are no longer able to restrict your diet or be as physically active.
However, in some cases, more intensive measures such as very low-energy diets, medications and bariatric surgery may be considered for people if they:
These measures are always recommended in conjunction with making long-term changes in the way you eat and how active you are. If you do not make these lifestyle changes:
Even though reducing the amount of energy you consume is very important for weight loss, it is also important that your body receives the nutrients it requires.
Dietary Guidelines provide advice on how to eat a healthy diet and this applies even when you are trying to lose weight. It is important to remember that depending on your size and how physically active you are, you may need more or less food than other people.
Habits that can help you eat healthily and lose weight include:
A healthy diet is important for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Very low-energy eating plans in which people consume a very low number of kilojoules per day are generally only considered for adults who:
Very low-energy eating plans generally involve substituting meals with meal replacements that contain important nutrients, but have low levels of energy. They are recommended to be followed for a limited time and only under medical supervision.
Very low-energy eating plans can have side effects including constipation, gallstones, gout, headaches, dizziness, tiredness, loss of hair and dry skin. They can also reduce the density of your bones which, over time, can lead to osteoporosis.
Restricting your food intake severely is very difficult to maintain and is strongly associated with binge eating. It can also lead to a reduction in your metabolism. As a result, once you go off the eating plan, you may find that you put on weight rapidly.
Fad diets or crash diets that severely restrict energy intake may also cause these types of problems.
Dietary supplements are widely used for weight loss, but in general there is little evidence available on how safe or effective they are. Some supplements such as ephedra have been shown to have serious side effects. Supplements and herbs can interfere with prescription medications, so it is important that your doctor knows about any supplements that you are taking.
Regularly measuring your weight and waist circumference is a good way of monitoring how you are going with your weight-loss efforts. It is important to remember that your daily weight will fluctuate, so it can be better to monitor your weight for a longer interval, such as weekly or twice weekly.
Physical activity is activity that gets you moving your major muscle groups; anything from walking and doing household chores through to running and cycling. Both your day-to-day activities, such as commuting to work or gardening, and structured activities such as having a game of tennis or going to the gym, can count towards your daily activity levels.
Evidence shows that physical activity on its own is not very effective at helping people to lose weight; however, when combined with healthy eating changes, it can assist with both weight loss and preventing weight regain. It offers many potential health benefits, even when it does not lead to weight loss.
Physical Activity Guidelines for people aged 18-64 make recommendations on how much physical activity people need to do in order to enjoy health benefits.
Firstly, the guidelines recognize that any level of physical activity is better than none. If you have any medical conditions that may make physical activity unsafe, your doctor can advise on what kinds of activities may be suitable for you. If you have been inactive for a while, slowly increasing your level of physical activity can help you to ease your way back into being more active.
The guidelines recommend that people carry out:
It is more effective to spread your activity over most or all days of the week, rather than getting all your physical activity in on one or two days of the week.
Muscle strengthening exercises are recommended to be incorporated into your routine two days a week. Although building lean muscle mass can increase your weight, it does not increase the amount of fat you carry and so does not increase your risk of health problems. It can also help to make you stronger, boost your metabolism and, over the long term, maintain a healthier weight.
You may find fitting in more physical activity easier if you:
Physical activity, combined with healthy eating, is very effective for managing your weight.
Sedentary time is time spent sitting. When you are sitting, your body uses less energy because major muscle groups, such as those in your legs, are not having to work as hard as when you are standing and being active.
Physical Activity Guidelines recommend limiting prolonged periods of sitting and getting up frequently to break up the time you spend sitting.
Psychological therapies are sometimes referred to as 'talking therapies'. They may be helpful if issues such as stress, depression or anxiety are contributing to unhealthy eating habits. Psychologists, counsellors or doctors may be able to provide advice on strategies that can help you to change your behaviors and maintain your new habits.
Prescription medications may be considered for adults who:
Use of these medications is usually only recommended for a limited period of time and must be closely monitored by your doctor. They are not a substitute for making changes in what you eat and being physically active, and they are not suitable for everyone. Your doctor can discuss whether they are suitable for you.
Orlistat can assist with weight loss by interfering with the action of enzymes in your digestive system that break down fat. This means that some of the fat in the food you eat passes through the body undigested.
Side effects with orlistat are common, particularly if you eat high-fat foods. They can include:
Phentermine works by reducing appetite and may also help to increase the amount of energy your body uses up. It is generally only prescribed for a short time (for example, three months) to assist with weight loss as you change your diet. It can cause a range of side effects such as high blood pressure (hypertension), difficulty sleeping (insomnia) and a racing heartbeat.
Bariatric surgery alters the digestive system in order to reduce the amount of food the stomach can hold and/or reduce the amount of energy and nutrients that can be absorbed in the small intestines.
Obesity surgery may be considered for adults who:
Following surgery, you will need to follow your doctor's instructions regarding regular check-ups, sticking to a strict eating plan, taking vitamin and mineral supplements and performing regular physical activity. In most cases, you will need to do this for the rest of your life.
The amounts of weight that people can lose with obesity surgery are often large (around 20-30% of your total body weight if you have a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or more). However this varies between people and some people do regain weight over time.
Techniques include:
Your surgeon can discuss the potential benefits and side effects of each technique and which one might be most suitable for you.
Also known as obesity surgery. Surgical techniques used to treat obesity and promote weight loss. Techniques include gastric banding and stapling surgery and bowel bypass surgery.
Ingredients in food that are not digestible. They pass through the digestive system relatively unchanged and help to keep the digestive system healthy.
The part of the digestive system from the stomach to the anus.
Substances in foods that are necessary for the body to function and grow. They include macronutrients, which provide energy and micronutrients, which are substances needed in small amounts such as vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
The word ‘stress’ can have a variety of meanings, but generally describes the physical and mental responses of the body to a demand placed upon it. Often used to describe conditions where the demand is high or unable to be resolved and creates anxiety and tension.
A professional specializing in mental development, diagnoses and management of mental health conditions.
Weight loss is a complex process. For most people, limiting the amount of energy that is consumed daily and ensuring an appropriate amount of physical activity is done will result in weight loss. If you have tried this and have not succeeded in controlling your weight, or if your have medical conditions that relate to your weight, then other measures such as medications or surgery may be appropriate. Whatever you do, make sure it is not a chore. Having fun is often the key to success.
Learning to cook healthy, tasty meals will enable you to maintain a healthy weight.