Tips for Sustaining a Healthy Lifestyle and Optimal Body Weight

Let's summarize the key points under the main topic "Sustaining a Healthy Lifestyle and Optimal Body Weight":

Tips for Sustaining a Healthy Lifestyle and Optimal Body Weight

Why Is a Healthy Weight Important?

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is essential for overall health and can aid in the prevention and management of numerous diseases and conditions. If you are overweight or obese, you are more likely to develop severe health issues, such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing difficulties, and certain cancers. Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial because it reduces your risk of developing these issues, improves your self-esteem, and provides you with more vitality to enjoy life.

What Is Overweight and Obesity?

Overweight is an excess of muscle, bone, fat, and/or water in the organism. Obesity is a significant level of excess body fat. The body mass index (BMI) is a useful indicator of obesity and overweight. This website provides information about BMI (including the limitations of this measurement) and how to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. If you are concerned about your BMI, consult your healthcare provider.

What Factors Contribute To a Healthy Weight?

Many variables can affect a person's weight. These include the environment, family history and genetics, metabolism (the process by which the body converts food and oxygen into energy), and behavior or habits.

Energy Balance

Energy balance is important for maintaining a healthy weight. The amount of energy or calories you get from food and drinks (energy IN) is balanced with the energy your body uses for things like breathing, digesting, and being physically active (energy OUT):

• The same amount of energy IN and energy OUT over time = weight stays the same (energy balance)
• More energy IN than OUT over time = weight gain
• More energy OUT than IN over time = weight loss

Also read: Guidelines to help you stay healthy

To maintain a healthy weight, your energy IN and OUT don’t have to balance exactly every day. It’s the balance over time that helps you maintain a healthy weight.

You can reach and maintain a healthy weight if you:

• Follow a healthy diet, and if you are overweight or obese, reduce your daily intake by 500 calories for weight loss
• Are physically active
• Limit the time you spend being physically inactive