Weight management is the process of controlling body weight in such a manner that it is consistent with good health. The goal of weight management is to ensure that an individual's body weight remains at or near a healthy range for that person's height, age, and gender.
The idea behind weight management is that it's not just about the number on the scale (although that may be part of it), but also about your overall health. Weight management is different from crash diets or fad diets, which focus on short-term results and often restrict certain foods.
When you start a weight management program, you work with a doctor or other healthcare professional to create a plan that addresses your specific needs and goals. Overall, lifestyle changes are the key to effective weight management.
Who Can Benefit From Weight Management?
There are many people who can benefit from effective weight management. In fact, practically everyone could benefit from a healthier lifestyle. Effective weight management is not just about losing weight; it's also about feeling better and living longer. If you want to improve your health and life expectancy, you need to make changes to your diet and exercise habits.
There are many different types of people who can benefit from effective weight management:
- People who are obese or overweight can benefit from effective weight management by losing weight and improving their health. If you're overweight or obese, losing even just 5 percent of your body weight can improve your health. You may even lose more than 5 percent if you have a lot of excess fat tissue around your abdomen (beer gut), which is linked with an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases
- People with high metabolisms. People who burn a lot of calories every day may benefit from adding more food to their diets rather than cutting back on calories.
- People with low metabolisms or slow metabolisms. People who burn fewer calories than the average person may find it easier to lose weight by eating fewer calories per day than they would by restricting portion sizes or eliminating certain foods altogether.
What Types of Treatment Are Involved In Weight Management?
Effective Weight Management is a multi-faceted approach that can include lifestyle changes, therapies, medication, and surgery. Below are some of the most common treatments.
- Dietary changes - A dietitian or nutritionist will work with you on changing what you eat in order to lose weight safely — slowly — over time. The idea is that if people change their diets too quickly, they may not be able to stick with it long enough for it to work over the long term (and they may regain the weight they lost). So instead of going on a crash diet or trying some fad diet, a registered dietitian will help you create a sustainable eating plan that fits into your life while still helping you reach your goals.
- Behavioral therapy - This involves changing the way you think about food and eating habits. A therapist will help you with learning new skills, such as how to eat less, how to plan meals and snacks, and how to keep track of what you eat. You'll also learn how to deal with stress without eating.
- Physical activity - You'll be encouraged to get moving through exercise or physical activity that's appropriate for your level of fitness. A therapist can help you set goals for increasing your activity level over time and find ways to fit exercise into your daily life.
Get Weight Management Help TodayAs you’ve seen, weight management can be extremely beneficial and effective for a wide variety of people. The right weight management facility would allow you to schedule your consultation and first session as soon as possible. The longer you leave it, the worse (and more difficult) it’s likely to get.