January 10 to 16 is UK National Obesity Awareness Week. In the modern world obesity is a growing problem. It’s estimated that by 2050, 50% of the UK population could be regarded as obese. As someone who has struggled with their weight for most of my life, I know it can be daunting. The good news is that National Obesity Awareness Week aims to demystify obesity and practice easy ways to prevent it.
It is perhaps fitting that National Obesity Awareness Week happens so soon after Christmas. So if not the guilt of over indulging at Christmas perhaps the idea of a New Year’s resolution is a spur to try to lose weight.
Being overweight can cost you, both in literal terms and in with your health. Clearly, eating less would save you money. But also being overweight, especially in later life, can cause problems with the back and joints as well as heart disease and diabetes. It’s thought that these health problems cost the NHS in the UK £6 billion annually.
If you think about it there are no real short cuts, no magic diet. To lose weight you need to make permanent changes to how much you exercise and what you eat. So set realist goals that you can live with permanently. Following a harsh diet will mean you lose weight, perhaps a lot of weight, but once you stop the weight will go back on.
When it comes to diet, calories are important but also fat and sugar content. Try substituting sugary foods for fruit or vegetables. Portion size is also a factor to consider, gradually reducing portion sizes or eliminating side dishes can help you consume less food.
And while adult obesity is a problem, it’s also an issue with children. As Prue Leith (restaurateur and television presenter / broadcaster), “The obesity problem among children is very serious. When advertising budgets are big and business can corrupt the way we live so that it becomes the norm to snack all day – and if you are never hungry you are never going to feel like eating a healthy meal – that can’t be right”.
Finally, a note about weight and the importance of taking into account other factors such as your height when deciding whether you are overweight. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a value (ratio) calculated from the mass (weight) and height of someone. It does use the metric system of weights and measures.
The way to calculate your BMI is to take your weight in Kilograms and divided it by your height in meter squared (timed by itself). So, a thirteen stone man weighs 182 pounds or 82.5Kg. He is six feet tall or 1.83m. So, his BMI is be 82.5 / (1.83 * 1.83), or 24.6. Generally a healthy BMI would be 18.5 to 25. A BMI of over 25 is regarded as overweight. Under 18.5 is underweight.
So, if you are struggling to lose weight then Hypnotherapy can help with breaking habits, will power and support. It can also help you to explore the underlying causes and habits that cause you to eat too much or not exercise enough. If you feel this could be for you, then contact me.