The Secrets of Healthy Americans

More than 60% of Americans are overweight, while about half of overweight Americans fall into the obese category. While these individuals struggle with their weight and their general health, there are 40% of Americans who must be doing something right! So what is it that healthy Americans do to maintain their weight? There are a number of different factors to maintaining a healthy weight, and they’re easier than you might think. The idea is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, not starving yourself or running yourself ragged with an unreasonable exercise program.

Understanding What ‘Healthy Weight’ Means

Those who struggle with their weight aren’t necessarily classified as overweight; some with weight issues are underweight as well. Healthy Americans understand what a healthy weight is for their body and try to maintain that weight, according to the CDC. They don’t focus on dropping pounds because they desire to be sizes smaller than their body is structured to be. The best way to understand your healthy weight is to look at your body mass index. Your body mass index looks at your height versus your weight to roughly estimate how much body fat is present on your body. Although muscle mass can cause the results to vary, in general, BMI calculations are accurate for those who have lower muscle mass. BMI calculators and charts are available online or through your doctor’s office and the following ratings outline whether your BMI indicates if you’re underweight, healthy, overweight or obese.

• BMI under 18.5 – This BMI rating means you’re underweight.
• BMI between 18.5-24.9 – This BMI rating means your weight is healthy for your height.
• BMI between 25-29.9 – This BMI rating means you’re overweight.
• BMI over 30 – This rating means that you’re obese.

Once you know your ideal healthy weight, you can strive to make changes in your life that will put you at that healthy weight. Your BMI plays a major role in determining just how healthy you are and is a secret to success!

Effective Diet and Nutrition Programs

Too often, people go on diets or nutrition plans expecting for it to be a quick fix. Typically, in the short-term, these individuals are successful and drop a substantial amount of weight in a short period of time. Weight loss that happens this quickly is not healthy, and it cannot be maintained. As soon as individuals stop starving themselves or overdoing it at the gym, they will put the weight back on.

Healthy people understand that to lose weight properly, only one to two pounds per week should be lost. Calorie intake should be reduced by about 500 to 1000 calories, depending on your body size. By making small changes to lifestyle that are easy to continue after weight loss goals are met, individuals remain healthy and can successfully maintain their weight. Healthy individuals recognize that to reach a healthy weight and stay there, it’s not about fad diets or extreme exercise programs; simple lifestyle changes will lead to a healthier weight and a healthier life overall. Weight loss retreats can help overweight individuals learn how to tailor their lifestyle to reach their weight goals.