My goal is to lose weight!

This is the time of year where just about everyone is thinking about their health goals. According to one source: More than 12 percent of gym members join in January, compared to an average of 8.3 percent per month for the full year, according to the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).

While there are probably hundreds of different diet plans and fads out there, the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) has these recommended guidelines for healthy weight management. The first thing to do is to assess your weight.  According to the CDC website,

“A high amount of body fat can lead to weight-related diseases and other health issues and being underweight can also put one at risk for health issues. BMI and waist circumference are two measures that can be used as screening tools to estimate weight status in relation to potential disease risk. However, BMI and waist circumference are not diagnostic tools for disease risks. A trained healthcare provider should perform other health assessments in order to evaluate disease risk and diagnose disease status.”

Once you have done that, the CDC has these recommended steps for losing weight!
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/getting_started.html

Remember, just making a few changes can decrease your health risks tremendously!
High fats and sugars have been shown to lead to many health problems. This year make your healthy lifestyle goals more than a new year’s resolution.

What have you done to be successful at maintaining a healthy lifestyle?