Weight Loss - Frequently Asked Questions

There are many things that will go through your mind if you think you are overweight, are considering going on a diet, or have already started in a weight loss programme of one sort or another. Here are some of the most common frequently asked questions.

1. What should my weight be?

The best person to answer that accurately is your doctor. More important than how much you weigh is your Body Mass Index, which is a measure that combines both your height and your weight.

2. What is a calorie?

A calorie is a measure of energy. Foods are rated with calories based on the amount of energy they provide to the body when consumed.

3. Which is the best diet for losing weight?

You can lose weight with any diet that gives you all the nutrition that you need for health, and in addition, provides your body with fewer calories than it regularly burns.

4. If I lose weight, how can I keep it off?

If you re-educate yourself, and your body, about food and healthy diet, you will be off to a good start. The secret to keeping weight off is to balance your energy needs with your food intake. If you eat enough calories to supply your body's energy needs, but not so many that your body stores the excess as fat, then you stand a good chance of being able to maintain your new weight.

5. How frequently should I weigh myself?

Many diet experts recommend that you weigh yourself no more than once a week. Some go so far as to tell you to throw out the scales altogether! You should be able to judge from your clothing size; if your clothing is feeling looser, then you are losing weight.

6. Can I lose weight without changing my diet?

Weight loss results when you burn more calories than you consume. If you only need to lose a small amount of weight and your diet is generally healthy, you can lose weight by increasing your activity level to burn more calories. If your diet is poor, or if you're more than a few pounds overweight, you really need to learn a new, more healthy way or eating, or you'll put the weight back on when you go back to 'normal' eating.

7. Should I eat fish on my diet?

Unless it's expressly forbidden for your diet by a doctor or nutritionist, yes. Fish is high in protein, has low saturated fat, and is high in omega 3 fatty acids. Some doctors recommend eating as much as 10 servings of fish per week. However, there is concern in some locations that urban pollution is poisoning fish and that this can be passed on by the fish to humans of eaten. So, it is wise to keep an eye on any local reports relating to fish.

8. How can I reduce my sugar intake?

You can decrease your sugar consumption by omitting sweets and refined snacks from your diet. Additionally, you should also watch out for 'hidden' sugars. Check the ingredients of any processed foods you buy. High fructose corn syrup and sucrose are both simple sugars that add lots of calories and little nutrition.

9. Do I really need exercise?

You don't have to exercise, but it will be much more difficult for your to lose weight if you don't. A half hour of moderate exercise daily is the minimum activity level for healthy weight loss. You can get it walking, running, cleaning your house - anything active burns calories.

10. Is there a connection between obesity and diabetes?

Obesity does increase the risks of a few chronic health conditions, and diabetes is among them. researchers say that people who are more than ten percent overweight increase substantially their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

These are just a few of the more common diet and weight loss questions. There are many weight loss articles on this website which go into more detail about losing weight and diet.