Chapter 1: The Definition

Everyone is aware of the fact that losing weight takes time, patience and perseverence to reach the ultimate goal. For some it is harder than it is for others. In order to lose the desired weight, a person should follow a few guidelines and research certain paths of obtaining their initial weight loss goals in a healthy and maintainable way.

Adapting a healthy lifestyle means dedicating a portion of your life to manifest the results you wish to achieve. Anything worth having is worth fighting for and since obtaining a healthy lifestyle is a learning process and one that takes time and practice, people should combine it with their daily routines until they become habit.

We are happy and content from the results we reap when we put forth effort to accomplish something, something that is very important to us such as establishing a career, nurturing children, building a nest egg, etc. Many people lust after riches and making money just for the sake of having it but aren't truly happy people. Material objects shouldn't matter because why work 60-80 hours per week if you aren't in your 6 bedroom home to enjoy it. What is the use of having these objects if you can't relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

A person who has their physical and emotional health are complete, spiritually, emotionally and physically and the lack of material riches really doesn't matter. There are many who have wealth and everything they could imagine but are simply lacking in health. How do they enjoy their lives confined to a bed, unable to venture out and enjoy the sun touching their skin or socializing with people from all walks of life.

Something has got to be said for the freedom of actually being able to do things of this nature and quite often unfortunately, many take this for granted in their quest for the almighty dollar. As long as you are able to do whatever you want to do, eat whatever you feel like eating or go wherever your feet take you, you’ll never be more content with your life, making you much wealthier than any of the rich-but-sick people out there.

Those who are physically and mentally fit are considered to be healthy people. An aesthetic physique with defined muscle structure deems a person to be in top physical condition as good physical fitness enables a person to function with alertness and vigor, without any undue fatigue, to have ample energy to engage in leisurely activities and to handle daily physical stresses. Stamina, endurance and muscular strength are the overt signs of being physically fit.

Fitness can be achieved by adequately following a healthy, balanced diet enriched with the essential nutrients combined with a daily exercise regime which maintains individual health and overall flexibility while providing the individual a way of dealing with stresses they encounter on a daily basis.

Mental fitness pertains to an individual's overall psychological state of mind. As human beings, we have the need to evolve in regards to setting, achieving and manifesting certain goals in our lives as there is a definite sense of purpose in accomplishments.

Those who are in the unhealthy category are just the opposite of healthy people be it psychologically or physically, there are certain sicknesses hindering many from simple daily activities and may cause substantial amounts of stress and other hardships. Lack of exercise and poor choices in meals contribute to fatigue and stress. Skipping meals also contributes to fatigue and lowers blood sugar levels which can cause a person to feel as though they are going to pass out.

A person can be mentally unhealthy if their psychological state isn't up to par. Symptoms pertaining to this include insecurities, negative outlook on life and others and excessive worrying

How to Easily Rate your Weight

One way to measure physical health is by the appropriateness of a person’s height to their weight. As an example, a young woman who stands at 5 ft. (1.52m) and has a medium framed body should weigh between 103 lbs to 115 lbs (46.72 kg - 52.16 kg) to be considered healthy. As another example, if a man who stands at 5 ft 8 in (1.72m) and has a large framed body weighs between 144 lbs - 163 lbs (65.32 kg - 73.94 kg) he is also considered healthy. If their weight however is lower than the estimated weight for their height, they could be considered underweight, and if, on the other hand, their weight is above the desired weight for their height, they can be considered to be overweight. (See Appendix A for the chart of Desirable Weight Ranges).

Body Mass Index is a much better indicator of body fat than kilos and/or pounds. It is a mathematical ratio of weight to height that can be linked with body composition (or body fat percentage) and health risks. Here is an example of how a person would calculate their BMI:

Here is an example of a BMI calculation for someone weighing 176 lbs (80 kg) and 1.60 m (63 in) tall:

Those with a BMI of 25.1 - 29.9 are catergorized as being overweight, and people with a BMI of 30 or above are catergorized as obese. Utilizing the sample from above, a person weighing 80 kg, standing at 1.60 m tall is placed in the obese range. A high BMI usually assumes a higher percentage of body fat, which may place a person at a much greater risk for developing chronic diseases and other serious illnesses.

For many people the BMI is an unreliable indication of physical health as muscle weighs more than fat, so a person who lifts weights daily may actually weigh more and appear smaller in comparison than their inactive counterparts even though the inactive person appears heavier.

Obesity can be defined as a person being 20 percent or more above their desirable weight range (please review appendix for reference) and is a medical condition that refers to the storage of excess body fat. The human body naturally stores fat tissue under the skin and around organs and joints because it is a necessity for maintaining health since it is a vital source of energy. Fat also provides necessary insulation and protects our internal organs, but obtaining too much body fat can contribute to a large variety of health problems.

A calorie is the unit used to measure the energy value of food and the energy used by the body in order establish and to maintain normal functions. When calories from food intake are equivalent to the calories of energy the body uses, body weight remains consistant. When there is an increase in calories, more than the body needs, the body stores additional calories as fat, which causes weight gain. A pound of fat equals roughly 3,500 calories.

Another contribution to obesity is that children tend to pick up their parents unhealthy eating habits manifesting them well into adult life.

An Inactive lifestyle is another big contributing factor to obesity and most times stem from early childhood as most children are made or taught not to waste food because the parents don't wish to waste their money so the child may in fact eat everything on their plate although feeling full in order to please their parents. Food can sometimes becomes an emotional factor to a person in difficult times such as relationships, birth control, quitting smoking and a number of other factors. Some folks are addicted to cigarettes, alcohol and drugs, some are addicted to eating.

In our fast paced world, fast food is very convenient to the alternate of actually preparing a decent and much more healthy home cooked meal. Another factor is not devoting enough time, if any, to exercise. As we grow older, our bodies and metabolism change and we burn less fat than we do in our younger years.

When a person is obese, they are subjected to various unhealthy physical conditions: Possible complications include but aren't limited to:

About 70 percent of heart disease cases in the United States can be linked to excess body fat. Unfortunately, obese people are also twice as likely to develop high blood pressure and are at a higher risk of developing colon cancer than their smaller counterparts. Obese women are usually at a higher risk for developing breast cancer. Almost 80 percent of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus are obese. The associated risk of medical problems increases when body fat is distributed around the waist and abdomen. This type of upper body fat distribution is more common in men than in women.

Sadly, there are many negative impacts obese persons experience because of their size. Many face unnecessary discrimination on a daily basis, some at the hands of retail store owners. Qualified obese people are unknowingly turned down for positions due to their size as well. Many other psychological effects include isolation, boredom, aggravation, self hatred, depression, inferiority complex, and low self-esteem.