Weight Loss Program

Ideal Weight

Preconceived Ideas

How many people around you dream of achieving their "ideal weight"? Research shows that about 50% of men and almost 85% of women are dissatisfied with their current weight. That is because many of us have a preconceived idea of what our "correct" weight should be and are longing to be at that ideal weight.

Interestingly, here is how the dictionary defines 'ideal':

"Expressing possible perfection, which is unlikely to exist in the real world."

The thing is that the ideal of bodily perfection is a widespread myth, which can be psychologically and physically damaging.

Mass Media Image vs. Reality

Generally, we get ideas about what we should wear, what we should look like and how much we should weigh from the media. We have been conditioned to think that "thin is beautiful" and some of us go even further and think that "thinner is more beautiful". Thumb through any fashion magazine. The number of extremely slim and skinny models is astonishing. Many of these models are known to be suffering from anorexia nervosa. They are hardly fitting role models for everyday people to copy. Many of them are also very young and yet we find women in their 20s, 30s and older wanting to have bodies similar to these 15 year old fashion models.

We don't realize the gap between this mass media image and reality. We like our bodies less and less, and in our attempt to get closer to the ideal we only get eating disorders.

What Factors Count

The skinny "ideal" that the mass media try to foist upon us is not realistic or desirable for most people for many reasons:

• Your weight is partially defined genetically. Have a look at your parents. What do their bodies look like? Yours is probably similar.
• Bone structure or frame size is important. The ideal weight for two people of the same height but with different frames will be different.
• Body composition varies between individuals. Did you know that muscle tissue is more dense than fat? Because of this, two people may weigh the same, but one is clearly chubby while the other looks lean.
• Nature made it so that women are rounder than men. The female body and its hormones cannot function properly if there is not enough fat in the body.

Aim at a Healthy Weight, not an Ideal Weight

There is no such thing as an "ideal weight" for anybody. Health experts now believe that instead of trying to define our ideal weight we should concentrate on a healthy and achievable weight. This is the weight at which you feel good and which doesn't require a lifelong struggle to maintain.

Some researchers even believe that we should not attempt dramatic weight changes at all. Instead, we should focus on developing a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and plenty of physical activity. Our weight will then naturally find its own individual, healthy and correct level.

How-To's

• Take your time. Regard weight loss as the result of a long-term change in lifestyle that is comfortable and sustainable. Weight loss is not a race and needs to be approached consistently over time.
• Set realistic goals. The weight a person can reasonably aspire to is the weight reached after the end of puberty and which has been more or less steady for at least two years. The best strategy is to lose a relatively small amount, at most 5-10%, of your starting weight, by increasing activity levels and eliminating some extra calories from your diet. Then maintain your new weight without excessive effort by correct nutrition and regular physical activity.
• Maintain the result. For good health and long-term weight control, maintaining your new weight is the ultimate goal. Almost anyone can lose weight with any diet. Unfortunately, many people quickly regain their lost weight and can even end up with more pounds than before dieting.
• Keep fit and eat sensibly. Regular physical activity and proper diet not only help you maintain a healthy body weight. You will feel more energetic and less stressed. A correct balance of activity and diet will also help prevent chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and heart disease.
• First health, then weight loss. Always remember that your health should be a higher priority than drastic weight loss. In the long term, this will benefit your emotional and physical health - and this is what you really need.

	What Is Calorie?