If you’ve ever struggled with your weight, you probably know better than anyone else that losing weight is one of the hardest things to do. You’ve probably tried every over-the-counter pill there is, been on the cabbage diet, the grapefruit diet, and every other fad diet that has ever been invented, right? Well, you aren’t alone.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), of the adults age 18+ in Indiana, 65.9% are overweight and 29.6% are obese. That means that the overweight adults have a Body Index Mass (BMI) of over 25 and the obese adults have a BMI of over 30. If you want to figure out your BMI, click here, and enter your weight and height.
Why is this important? It’s important because January is National Healthy Weight Awareness Month. Being overweight has proven to not only cause physical harm such as increased pressure on joints, higher cholesterol and blood pressure leading to stroke or heart disease and diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, but it can also cause harm mentally, as well. Those who are overweight often struggle with a lack of self-confidence, and often feelings of despair and lack of self-discipline.
So… you know you’re overweight or obese, but you’ve tried everything and you just don’t know what to do about it, right? Well, here are some tips from various weight loss experts.
1. Make small changes. You didn’t gain 50 pounds overnight and you probably aren’t gonna lose 50 pounds overnight! Be patient and make small changes such as exchanging a bag of chips for a small 100 calorie tube of Pringles. Make a small change for the week and stick to it. You’ll feel empowered and over time, small changes will make a huge impact.
2. As with making small changes, you should make small goals. Instead of saying you need to lose 80 pounds, set a goal of losing 10 pounds. Once you have achieved losing 10 pounds, make another 10 or 15 pound goal. Celebrate by buying yourself a new shirt or another item of clothing.
3. Drink water! Water helps naturally flush out your system and really adds to weight loss. Most experts suggest drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day, but again, don’t be overwhelmed by this suggestion. If you aren’t drinking any water now or are drinking a lot of sugary soda, replace one or two glasses of pop with two glasses of water.
4. Take small steps to add some physical activity into your daily routine. Again, you don’t have to start out with a five mile jog! Instead, make a goal to do 10 sit-ups and 10 push-ups each day or walk around the block. If you aren’t exercising at all now, anything you add to your day is a step in the right direction.
The State of Indiana has also taken steps to help residents take a healthier approach to life. At their website, they offer a Community Tool Box with online courses about health and nutrition, motivational videos and interesting facts about weight issues.
If losing weight is one of your New Year’s Resolutions or you have decided to be more aware about becoming or maintaining a healthy weight, good luck! You can do it, make small goals, small changes, drink water and turn the radio up and dance around the living room like you’ve never danced before!
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