4 tips Should You Lose Weight?
Rather than making your guilt climb every time you step on the scale, you might want to ask yourself if you need to lose weight.
Nowadays, it seems that everyone wants to lose weight. A lot of articles, programs, and reality shows tell us what to do to get there. While it is true that nearly 60% of Canadians are at risk for various diseases because of their overweight and obesity, it may not be your case. Here are four signs that could indicate that your weight is quite normal.
1. You do not know why you are on the plan
“When my patients tell me they want to lose weight, I always ask them why,” says Arya Sharma, a physician, and director of the University of Alberta’s Cardiovascular Obesity Research and Management. This is a question you should ask yourself if you are still on the diet. Should you lose weight because you are at risk for a disease such as diabetes or high blood pressure? If so, your doctor will help you determine how many pounds you need to lose to improve your health. On the other hand, if you want to slim down for the sole purpose of getting into a dress of a smaller size, then you must recognize that it has nothing to do with your health, Arya Sharma recalls.
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If you no longer know why you are on the diet (and in many women, this is so much the habit is anchored), ask your doctor for advice. So, instead of following for no reason one diet after another, you will see to maintain a healthy weight.
2. Your goal is unrealistic
Whether we like it or not, we are not all models of the podium; It is essentially heredity that determines whether one will have the silhouette of a Naomi Campbell or an Oprah Winfrey (two beautiful women, by the way). “Take two people with different genetic baggage, put them in a room and give them exactly the same amount of calories; One will gain weight, the other will maintain his own. This is heredity, “says Arya Sharma.
Thousands of genes regulate the body’s functions: metabolism, appetite, feeling satiated, storage of fat, etc. Whatever you do to lose weight, “there is no guarantee that you can ever wear size 0,” she recalls.
Even if you were a fabulous thinness in your youth, it’s not realistic to diet in order to wear your high school jeans. “If you are one of those women who insist on getting into the clothes they used to wear in their teens or early twenties, then there is a good chance that you do not have to lose “Said Jessica Begg, a Vancouver-based dietitian. “Between teen and early twenties, you normally take one kilo a year.” So, pass your washed-out Levis to your teenager and instead focus on maintaining a healthy weight that matches your age and your physical type.
3. Looking to improve your image
According to the Canadian Women’s Health Network, nearly 90% of Canadian women and girls do not like their appearance. Almost all of us think we are too big. However, we must distinguish between the need to lose weight for health reasons and the need to lose weight in order to silence the incessant little voice that reminds us that we are ugly and fat.
“The weight and the self-image are two completely different things,” says Arya Sharma. Do I have a healthy weight? This is a question that can be answered easily. Do I have a beauty weight? That is a culture-driven issue, specifically the fashion industry, that has nothing to do with healthy weights. “
It’s time to do some self-criticism: ask yourself what drives you to be constantly on the diet. Are you satisfied with you when your doctor tells you that your health is excellent or is it only when you lose a few more pounds? “In the second case, I can assure you that it is not your health that is at stake, but strictly your appearance,” says Arya Sharma.
If you only feel fine when you lose weight, maybe you should consider consulting a health care professional. “Eating disorders,” says Jessica Begg, “manifest themselves primarily in the desire to lose some weight, and then the person eventually loses all sense of proportion. All this seems to be triggered by a seemingly harmless regime. “
4. Your lifestyle is healthy
With all the emphasis on weight loss, one seems to forget sometimes that this is not the only reason for adopting a healthy lifestyle. ” If you eat well and exercise every day, you can be healthy even if you have some curves,” Sharma explains. Most people gain weight throughout their lives without having a problem on that side. The healthy weight allows a fairly wide variation. “
Perhaps the results of your weighing make you in a bad mood, but keep in mind that the numbers do not determine your health. According to Jessica Begg: “If there is no family history of illness in your family and your weight has been stable for years, why would you suddenly lose weight? It does not mean anything”. Therefore, if you do not see your weight fall sharply, do not blame your eating habits, rather put the scales in the closet for a while.
