A lot of people want to lose weight, but not many people understand that challenge which they face. I don’t mean to put you off, I just want to wake you up and let you know that if you really want to get to the new slim you, you’ll need to plan this out, create goals and be determined to realize them.
Your personal database
Begin at the beginning, with page one of your personal database. This will show you where you were on the first day of the rest of your life. Don’t write anything down yet. First you need to understand the territory we’ll be exploring together. After that, we’ll turn the spotlight on you and do the math together.
What is overweight?
In 1998, the National Institutes of Health released new guidelines for what is considered normal weight, overweight, and obesity. The guidelines are based on body mass index (BM!), which is a ratio between height and weight that fairly accurately reflects the proportion of fat to muscle and other tissues in the body.
According to the guidelines, a BMI between 20 and 24.9 is normal. BMIs between 25 and 29.9 are defined as overweight. And 30 or over is considered obese.
Are we getting fatter or have the rules changed?
The answer to both questions is yes. The federal Centers for Disease Control, the u.s. Surgeon General, and numerous public health and research centers have been screaming loudly that we, as a nation, are way too fat. Over the past 20 years, the number of children and adults who are overweight has ballooned. Given the many health problems associated with overweight, this is a major health crisis.
At the same time, the standard for normal weight has been revised downward. Previously, BMIs of 25 and 26 were considered normal, with 27 being the cutoff point. Now the cutoff is 25. This might seem unfair, but it is based on sound medical evidence.
Fair or not, according to the newest guidelines, 55 percent of all Americans are overweight or obese. No doubt about it, weight problems are epidemic in this country!
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