Before you start to make lifestyle and dietary changes to lose weight, it is important to consider the reasons why you wish to lose weight and that you have realistic expectations about what you hope to achieve. Many people have good intentions but find making changes over the long term very difficult. This is because they set themselves unrealistic weight loss goals from the outset, or they try to make too many changes at once.
Rapid weight loss has been shown to be unsustainable and may even be dangerous to your health. A safe weight loss of 0.5kg – 1kg per week is recommended. If you do not lose weight one week, you should not give up. Try to focus on the changes you are making and remember that lapses are normal and to be expected.
The most common way to assess if you are a healthy weight is to calculate your body mass index (BMI). It is important to note that if you have a large amount of muscle, your BMI may be in the unhealthy range, even though you have little body fat.
Another way to check whether you are a healthy size is to measure your waist. Your waist measurement should be taken by measuring the circumference of your waist at the midway point between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hips. The table below shows waist sizes that are at an increased and high risk for men and women.
| Waist Measurement for: | At increased risk | At high risk |
|---|---|---|
| Men | 94cm (37 inches) | 102cm (40 inches) |
| Women | 80cm (31.5 inches) | 88cm (34.5 inches) |
If you have a BMI above 25 or a high waist measurement, it means that you are above the healthy weight for your height. This can put you at an increased risk of a number of health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and stroke. Studies have shown that losing 5-10% of your body weight can bring significant health benefits, including a reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol, less pressure on joints and a lowered risk of diabetes, to name just a few.
