Top 5 Tips to help shed pounds

By Lincoln Parks

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), more than 64% of US adults are either overweight or obese. This is based on results from the 1999-2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) representing a 14% increase in the obesity rate from NHANES III in 1988-94, and a 36% increase from NHANES II in 1976 -80. These numbers tell us that obesity is on a steady increase.

Unfortunately, obesity is a disease responsible for several deaths. It is a major health concern in communities across the US. Without proper education and knowledge of healthy eating habits and exercise, we are going to continue to see the average Body Mass Index (BMI) increase.

What exactly is BMI and how can I easily calculate that?

Mass Index is a measure of someone’s weight in relation to their height. To calculate one’s BMI, multiply their weight in pounds and divide that by the square of their height in inches. An overweight BMI is greater than 25 while an obese BMI is greater than 30. It is important to note that someone may very well be obese, but look lean.

After obtaining the BMI following the calculations above, the next question would be to ask about some of the methods that could be used to decrease the BMI value. Here are the top 5 ways that RecYard Fitness recommends you shed the pounds.

1  Eat right and limit portions – Reducing portion size and eating more frequently throughout the day is one key to weight loss. Most people are accustomed to eating three times a day, or skipping breakfast, and then making up for it at lunch or dinner with heaping mounds of food. You can’t lose the pounds this way. You must limit your caloric intake to about 1000 – 1200 calories per day in order for the average female to lose between 1 to 2 pounds per week, and 1200-1600 calories per day for men. Visit the National Heart, Lung, and Blood institute for sample meal plans in that range.

2 Set realistic goals – Initially, many people tend to set very aggressive and unrealistic fitness goals. They would stay up all night watching infomercials on how someone lost 50lbs in two weeks and expect the same results. That realistically will not happen to the average person. You must pace yourself to lose 1 or 2 pounds every week, and become consistent. Set smaller goals that you can realistically attain, then reward yourself with something other than food.
3 Keep a journal – Another effective way to continue to shed the pounds is to keep a journal of what you put in your mouth on a daily basis. Trust me on this. If you buy a journal and record every minute detail of everything that you eat on a daily basis, you would either be disgusted in yourself or love how your body looks with your new found discipline.

4 Load up your music player – A great way to keep consistent at the gym or at home is to load up your music player with all your favorite music. This will allow you to focus on your workout and tune out the noise. Once your favorite tunes start playing, your body will feel that groove and keep the workout going.

5 Find the right trainer – Finding the best personal trainer or DVD/CD that suits your lifestyle is very important as you continue to push yourself on a daily basis. If you decide to train alone, having the motivation to keep going on the day that you don’t feel like training, is key. This is where most people quit.

Most corporate professionals or even the average stay at home mom or dad just don’t have the time to go to the gym and work with a personal trainer. In addition, gym prices are sky-rocketing, or you just may not feel comfortable enough about your body to go into a gym.

(First published in DUNIA Magazine print – issue 2)

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