Providing Survival Skills

A lot of people are suffering from weight problems in the United States and it’s really a worrying health concern. The thing with obesity and other forms of weight problems is that they are usually caused by a different number of factors which makes their management a bit tricky to carry out. However, one main thing that is needed to achieve successful weight management is a change in lifestyle. Rather than just the diet alone, there should be some other changes that the patient will have to make in order to achieve successful weight management.
While the reason for overweight status and obesity cannot be accounted for by a single problem or source, the genetic makeup of an individual has been shown to play a strong role in overall body type and tendency to become overweight. Another is a lifestyle that lacks exercise as well as little or no movement while having a high calorie intake. One major tool used to measure obesity and its severity is the Body Mass Index which is simply weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared).
Going by the National Institute of Health Body Mass Index (BMI), here are the categories for being overweight:
25-29.9 is overweight
30-34.9 Obesity Class I
35-39.9 Obesity Class II
> 40 Obesity Class III (or extreme obesity)
Progressively increasing BMI presents greater risk of diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes etc. The relationship between diet and weight is quite a straightforward one. It’s simplya case of more calories in than out leads to an increase in weight, while more calories out than in causes a weight decrease. In order to achieve weight loss, there needs to be an increase in the calories going out and a reciprocal reduction in the ones coming in. This can be done using either diet or exercise or a combination of both.
Diet is a more realistic avenue for weight loss in most patients as it may be easier to restrict calories than to find a way (and time) to burn the equivalent number of calories through exercise.

Weight Management Survival Skills

Reduce intake of alcohol
Introduce the concept of keeping a food diary
Eating should be between 3-6 times per day
Steer clear of fried foods, meats with high fat content and whole fat dairy products.
Start consuming calorie-free or low calorie beverages.
Increase intake of fruits and vegetables.
Reduce the use of sugar or replace it with a suitable alternative like honey.
Provide examples of portion sizes (e.g. half cup juice, 1 cup fresh fruit, 8 oz. milk, 3 oz. meat).
Patient should be cautioned against fad diets.
Further recommend a reputable weight loss program or provided the contact information for a registered dietitian.