Healthy Weight; What It Really Means!

Weight can be a reflection of health. Sometimes we are larger or smaller than is natural for us because of illness or unhealthful behaviours. And just like the colours of our eyes and how tall or short we are, people come in different  sizes.
A healthy weight is not basically;
• A number  on a scale,                                          
• A category  in the body mass index (BMI),         • A specific shape, or                                              
• Being able to fit into specific sizes of clothing.

A healthy weight is your natural weight which is largely determined by your genetics. If you come from a family of larger or smaller people, you are likely to be larger or smaller.
Healthy weight is supported by healthful, enjoyable living that includes;
• Mindful, pleasurable eating and physical activity,                                                                    
• Effective stress management,                            
• Adequate sleep and more.

It is not a weight that is achieved through RESTRICTING what you eat or EXCESSIVELY EXERCISING in order to loose weight.
Maintaining a healthy weight is important for health. In addition to lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure, it can also lower the risk of many different cancers.

Move more, eat less. Turning off the television and skipping the sugary drinks are two ways  to get started. Your weight, your waist size, and the amount of weight gained since your mid-20's can have serious health implications. The factors can strongly influence your chances of developing the following disease  and conditions e.g cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, gallstone, infertility, etc. If your weight is in the healthy range and isn't more than 10 pounds over what you weighed when you turned 21, focus on maintaining the weight by watching what you eat and exercising. Most adults between the ages of 18  and 49 gain 1-2 pounds each year, stopping and preventing weight gain should be a priority. Gaining weight as your age increases also increases the chances of developing one or more chronic diseases. In the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals follow-up study, middle-aged women and men who gained 11 to 22 pounds after age 20 were up to three times more likely to develop heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and gallstones than those who gained 5pounds or fewer.

What Factors Contribute To a Healthy Weight?
Many factors contribute to a person's weight. These factors include environment, family history and genetics, metabolism (the way your body changes food and oxygen into energy), and behaviour or habits.

Now the question is, does being thin mean you're fit? Or does having a larger body mean you're not fit?
The answer is Capital NO! A person can be thin, and not have cadiovascular endurance or physical strength. Fitness is really about being able  to do things with comfort and ease in your daily life. It is a simple functional daily movement.

So why is it so hard for many of us to incorporate exercise in our daily lives?
For many, it's because we don't practice exercise we actually enjoy, we push ourselves too hard during our workouts. According to the journal of health psychology, satisfaction and mindfulness have a direct correlation on our ability to sustain physical activity. This means, the more we enjoy our exercise, the more we will exercise regularly. So start exploring exercise you truly enjoy, especially exercise that doesn't feel like exercise such as gardening, playing with kids, taking a walk in your favourite park, etc. Life is too short to dislike exercise. This is going to help you maintain healthy weight instead of starving yourself from a very nutritious meals that will help you to have a healthy weight.

However, to have a healthy weight, there must be energy balance in the body. So, what is Energy Balance?

Energy balance is important for maintaining a healthy weight. The amount of energy or calories you get from food and drinks (energy taken in) is balanced with the energy your body uses for things like breathing, digesting and being physically active (energy that is used up by the body).
The same amount of energy taken in and the energy used up overtime = Weight staying the same (Energy Balance).
More energy taken in than what is used up over time will lead to weight gain.
Also, More energy used up than the energy taken in over time will lead to weight loss.
Therefore, to maintain a healthy weight, the energy that is been taken in and the energy used up by the body don't have to balance exactly every day. It's the balance overtime that helps you maintain a healthy weight.                                          
In a nutshell, you can reach and maintain a healthy weight if you;
• Follow a healthy diet.                                            
• Are physically active.                                            
• Limit the time you spend being physically inactive.

Health Is Wealth. So, Take Care Of Your Health Today.