To Your Health
August, 2016 (Vol. 10, Issue 08) |
|
|
Weight Loss by the Numbers
By Editorial Staff
Whether you're about to begin what will hopefully be a successful weight-loss journey, right in the middle of the process or trying to motivate yourself to start over after a failed attempt to achieve your desired weight, it's important to understand some of the variables that influence weight / weight loss. With that said, let's take a quick look at weight loss by the numbers:
2: The more weight you need to lose, the tougher it can be to keep it off. In fact, research suggests as little as 2 percent of obese individuals
maintain weight loss of 20 or more pounds beyond two years. This is an important number for two reasons: Weight loss, especially long-term weight loss, is something you need to commit to; and if you have a setback, recognize that you're not alone and that you don't need to quit.
5: Losing as little as 5-10 percent of your body-weight (if you're overweight) can reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Ten percent weight loss means 15 pounds if you currently weigh 150 pounds, for example.
8.5: Evidence suggests that for every 8.5 pounds of body weight lost, you'll lose approximately 1 inch off your waistline.
24.9: In general, a body-mass index (BMI) of 24.9 or less is considered healthy (neither underweight nor overweight), although it's important to understand that your body composition can be deceiving. For example, two people can have a BMI of 24.9, but one can be rock-solid muscle while the other can be flabby. When it comes to weight and weight loss, it comes down to your personal goals and your health status.
28: For a woman, body-fat percentage between 25-31 (28 is the middle ground) is considered healthy, while for men, it's between 18-24. Since we know you're shooting for the stars, keep in mind that for women, 21-24 percent body fat is considered fit; for men, 14-17 percent is considered fit.
Now that you know some of the numbers (good and bad) when it comes to weight loss, what are you waiting for? Talk to your doctor about a plan for losing that weight and losing it for good, the safe, healthy way. You and your body will thank you for it.
