What is ideal body weight? Know how to maintain it!  

Weight is the determinant for many of the non communicable and chronic diseases. Excess of weight than normal possesses the significant risk factor for different diseases like diabetes, hypertension, stroke and heart attack. So, it’s better to know our healthy weight and practice healthy living.

There are many measures of healthy weight. Healthy weight differs according to the age, gender, height, race and other different individual and environmental factors. Here we will discuss the basic scale commonly used for knowing healthy weight.

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Body Mass Index

Body mass index is a most commonly used measures for knowing the healthy weight. It can be calculated by following formula:
Body Mass Index (BMI) = Weight (in Kg)/ Height^2 (meter)

Interpretation

Less than 18.5 – underweight
18.5 to 24.9 – Normal
25-29.9 – Overweight
30 and above – Obese

Let's take an example here:

Let us consider a man has weight of 60 kg and 1.6 meter height.
Then his BMI is 60/1.6^2. Calculating it, the BMI of the person is 23.43. So, BMI of the person falls under normal range.

There are other measures of finding the healthy body weight and relative fat content of body like; body adiposity index, waist- hip ratio and so on. But body mass index is the most commonly used and simpe one.

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What if your weight is above than healthy weight?

If your BMI is more than 25, then you are overweight. If your BMI exceeds 30, then you are obese. That means you should work up for losing your weight and be healthy. As mentioned earlier overweight and obese individuals are prone to suffer from different disease condition, you should start from today for losing your weight.

How to maintain healthy weight?

You can follow the following measures for maintaining the healthy weight and have healthy living:
Exercise much and avoid being sedentary: You can jog in early morning or play sports like badminton, volleyball to burn your fat and carbohydrates. Sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity and that further lead to different diseases.

Eat less calorie more protein and vegetables: Food high in calorie like sugar and carbonated drinks, junk foods leads to increase in body weight. Instead make habit of eating more protein and fiber rich green vegetables.

Reduce salt intake: high intake of salt daily for a long period of time are also supposed to increase the weight. So reduce the salt intake in your diet.

Eat slowly, more times than much at once: Make a habit of eating slowly. It’s better to eat multiple times in small volume than a large quantity at single time.

Sleep adequate: Have an adequate sleep for 8 hours at night. But avoid daytime sleeping.

Reduce beers and alcohol intake: Beers and alcohol intake are also supposed to increase the weight. So, avoid it if you are overweight. 

Weight yourself daily and stay motivated: Strong level of motivation is required for maintaining healthy weight. If you are obese, set targets, make habit of weighing daily and follow the healthy habits for decreasing the weight.