What is a healthy weight?

In its most basic definition, a healthy weight, achieved through exercise, eating right or medical weight loss, is a weight which reduces your risk of health problems, such as stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea. For most individuals, healthy weight can be determined by waist size and body mass index (BMI)

Even if you lose weight temporarily, it’s only part of the equation. Choosing a healthy lifestyle that includes more physical activity and eating healthier foods, can energize you and lower your risk of heart disease.

Diets are very popular in today’s society. The problem lies in the reality that being thin is not necessarily synonymous with good health. Many of us turn to diets to lose weight, whether we are in Phoenix or Scottsdale. Keep in mind that diets are temporary. When you are “dieting” you’re not eating the way you will over the long term. As a result, your excess weight often reappears when the diet is over.

Dieting usually means depriving yourself of certain foods. Again, once you conclude your diet and introduce back the foods you love, the extra weight often comes back.

Dieting also often means that because you may not be eating enough calories you are hungry a lot of the time. This causes you to not have enough energy and typically leads to overeating. Further, diets may also lead people to being deprived of essential nutrients. Lastly, most diets don’t include a program of exercise, which is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Instead of dieting, decide to adopt an overall healthy lifestyle. Adopting healthy eating habits is the first step to a healthier lifestyle. Don’t necessarily decide on a major overhaul with respect to the foods you eat. Instead, slowly make healthy eating changes over time. You’ll be more likely to stick with changes if you make them slowly and focus on one area at a time. Second, increase your physical activity. This doesn’t have to be a daily five-mile run, but make regular physical activity a part of your daily routine. Third, a healthy lifestyle includes how we think. Instead of thinking negative and discouraging thoughts, change your thinking to positive and encouraging thoughts.