Body Weight ... Change it for the Benefit of Your Heart Health

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A healthy body weight is one of the best things you can do for your heart health

We Recommend:

From one of the country's most prestigious medical institutions, this is an important resource for anyone wanting to really understand a sensible approach to weight loss.

Lessons on how to stay on a diet, this book is an invaluable companion for anyone struggling to stick to a plan.

This exercise DVD offers a simple yet effective fat-burning workout for three fitness levels from beginners to advanced. It provides a good workout for anyone.

For those with excess body weight... did you know that even a small weight loss will help lower your risk of developing diseases?

Scientific literature worldwide shows that excess body weight is clearly linked to heart disease.

People who are overweight or obese have a greater chance of developing high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol or other lipid disorders, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.

Here's an alarming statistic. Two thirds of North American adults over age 20 are overweight or obese.

Lose weight = reduce your risk.

Can you use this as a motivator?

We know it's easier said than done - that's for sure. But here are some resources that can help.

If, like many people, it's challenging for you to find the time to shop and prepare heart healthy meals, or you're not sure what to buy and prepare, perhaps one of the weight loss meal plans is a good alternative. Nutrisystem is a well established company that has been in the weight loss business for 35 years. They offer online ordering as well as both telephone and online counseling. Their site also has a very extensive FAQ section.

Try hypnosis. Check out the numerous self-hypnosis weight-loss, diet and body image programs starting from about $30. You can order a free info CD that contains information, not hype. Best of all, the programs from the site we link to come with a one year money back guarantee.

Have you won the battle of the bulge? Are you having trouble winning the battle? Send us your tips and your barriers.

Here are some additional tips:

Avoid fad diets - they're not healthy and they're not sustainable. You may lose weight initially but once you stop the fad diet you'll put it all back on, and as studies have shown, often gain even more body weight. Follow the healthy eating guidelines from the American Heart Association and/or the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada. Instead of "dieting", start eating a heart healthy diet... and stick to it!

Avoid processed or prepared foods. They tend to be high in fat, sugar, sodium (salt), and calories, and will sabotage your efforts to shed the pounds.

Get exercising! Use the Smart Heart Living fitness log to record your activity and your body weight. Tracking your activities helps keep you motivated to stay on a regular schedule. Check out the Smart Heart Living exercise page for lots of tips, information and advice about this important aspect of your heart healthy lifestyle.

Know your target body weight and/or body mass index (BMI).

Weigh yourself, but less often - once a week or once every two weeks instead of every day. Try weighing yourself on Fridays. That way you can splurge a bit on the weekend, but have all week to make sure you're eating healthily and exercising regularly to maintain your desired body weight. If you notice you've gained a few pounds, cut back immediately.

Don't get too hung up on pounds and ounces - you can also go by how your clothes fit. If they're snug, cut back.

Eat smaller portions. Use smaller plates so your portions look "full". Don't feel that you must "clean your plate" as you were probably told to do as a youngster.

Eat slowly. This allows your stomach to "catch up". When you eat quickly your body does not register "full" until you have eaten too much. And as hard as this can be... try to train yourself to stop eating before you feel full.

Don't skip breakfast. Your body needs fuel in the morning after not eating all night. That's why it's called "break fast." I used to skip breakfast and head straight to the office. No more. I eat a healthy breakfast and feel better for it. But if you are not convinced yet, studies show that adults (and children) who eat breakfast are generally leaner than those who don't. Probably because breakfast eaters tend to eat fewer calories later in the day.

Don't eat in front of the television. If you're absorbed in what you are watching, you're not paying attention to how much you are eating. Plus we tend to choose high calorie or high fat snack foods to munch on when watching TV.

Avoid eating in the evening, especially less than two hours before you go to bed. If you need to eat, choose light, low calorie, healthy food such as a piece of fruit.

Keep an eating journal. By keeping a diary you will be more aware of what you eat, when you eat, and what triggers certain eating behaviors. Many people have found this to be extremely helpful in changing their habits - for good!

Read labels when shopping. Look for low fat, no trans fats, low sodium, low sugar.

Buy only foods that are heart healthy. For example, I can't resist chips. If I don't have them in the house I don't crave them, but when they're there, I can't leave them alone! If you're like me... and a lot of other people... out of sight, out of mind is the best policy!

Shop after you've had a meal. Studies show that most people are likely to buy more snack foods and foods high in fat if they shop when they are hungry.

Enlist your family and friends for support - they can be a tremendous help.

Join a weight-loss group. There are many reputable programs that have helped people achieve their weight loss goals.

Skip the soda pop. It contains a HUGE amount of sugar (some say 10 teaspoons per can). If you drink it every day it can add up to unwanted pounds. If you can't go without, choose diet soda - although you're better off drinking water.

Follow our tips for eating out to make smart heart choices.

Time for some waist management!

You may have heard recently that where you carry your extra body weight can be a predictor of heart disease. Researchers have found that people who wear their excess body weight around their middles (those with apple shape figures) are at greater risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. The key is the waist to hip ratio - the higher the ratio, the higher the risk.

Here's how to determine your waist to hip ratio:

1. Measure your waist. Measure on bare skin, just above your hipbones at the narrowest part of your waist. Keep the tape measure snug but not tight.

2. Measure your hips. Again measure on bare skin, placing the tape measure snugly (but not indenting your skin) around the widest part of your hips and derriere.

Your waist to hip ratio is waist measurement divided by hip measurement. For example, if you waist measures 30 inches divided by your hip measurement of 38, your waist to hip ratio is .79.

For women, you are said to be at risk if your ratio is greater than .85.
For men, you are at greater risk if you ratio is greater than .90.

You can't change your body type, but you can control your body weight - hence your waist to hip ratio - through a healthy diet and exercise.

Drugs can cause weight gain

Have you tried and tried to lose body weight without success? It could be that you are on a medication that contributes to the problem. For example, beta-blockers are prescribed for high blood pressure, angina, after a heart attack, and for congestive heart failure - and are associated with weight gain.

Don't discontinue any medication without talking to your doctor to determine if you are on a drug that interferes with weight loss. If so, there may be another drug you can take, you may be able to go on a lower dose, or (sorry) you may just have to concentrate on exercising more and eating less!
Source: Dr. Nieca Goldberg's Guide to Women's Health

Pack a lunch to unpack the pounds

According to nutritionist Leslie Beck, "those who routinely pack their lunch are more successful at losing body weight, lowering cholesterol,and reducing blood pressure."

While it's not impossible to get a heart healthy meal in restaurants and fast food courts, the reality is a lot of restaurant food is high in calories, fat, and sodium - especially fast food. Beck notes that studies have linked eating at restaurants at least twice a week to a higher body mass index and a greater risk of obesity.

The key with taking a packed lunch is being able to control ingredients and portion sizes. Choose lean protein, whole grains, fruit, and vegetables.

Age, gender, and genes.

Not only are these the three risk factors for heart disease that you can't change, they can also have an impact on your ability to lose weight.

The younger you are, the easier it is to lose body weight. As you get older it becomes more difficult because you have less muscle mass, reduced hormones, and you may be less active. A good reason to keep your weight in check all your adult life!

Men tend to lose weight faster than women because they have greater muscle mass than women and burn more calories as a result. Good news if you're a guy.

You inherited your body type and your metabolism from your parents. While some people can eat anything they want and never seem to gain weight, others swear all they have to do is look at food and they gain body weight. You can't change your genes - but you can eat well and exercise regularly to keep yourself trim.

Once you�ve lost weight, congratulations! Be sure to reward yourself - but not with food! The next challenge is to keep it off. You CAN do that by continuing the changes you've made in your lifestyle! That's smart heart living.

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