THE IDEAL WEIGHT...
When setting about to lose weight, there are 3 questions to ask;
1. How much do I WANT to lose?
2. How much do I NEED to lose?
3. How will I stay motivated?
The “How much do I WANT to lose?” question helps define “Desired
Weight”. The “How much do I NEED to lose?” question focuses on
either the FEAR (health related consequence) or the VANITY
(appearance/comfort) related component. And finally, the “How will I stay
motivated?” question addresses those techniques that will help keep
you committed to your weight loss plan.
When we talk about ideal, normal, healthy, and desired weight, this is
what we mean:
Ideal Weight
The notion of an “Ideal Weight” is very subjective and can be thought
of as a combination of the WANT and NEED questions. It is influenced
by many factors, including opinions, preferences, attitudes, and
emotions.Objective factors (weight associated health risks, BMI, fat
content, etc.) influence this “Ideal Weight”, which can be thought of as
that which is best overall for YOU. In theory it should also be a “Healthy
Weight” and will more than likely fall in the normal range of the BMI.
Normal Weight
Those with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.0 are considered to be within the
“Normal Weight” range. Because this “Normal Weight” is discussed in
the context of the BMI it should be noted that it does not take into
account a person’s body composition (degree of muscularity). This
index is most reliable if you are between 19 and 70 years of age, some
exceptions being those individuals who are competitive athletes, body
builders, pregnant or breast-feeding, or the chronically ill.
Healthy Weight
Today we talk more often about a “Healthy Weight” than we do about a
“Normal Weight”. A “Healthy Weight” itself is dependent upon many
objective factors as well as your particular body type, which includes
your height and waist circumference. “Healthy Weight” also addresses
the weight associated health risks as determined by Body Mass Index.
Desired Weight
“Desired Weight” should be thought of as your weight loss goal. This is
the weight that you would be most comfortable with, which would have
the lowest weight associated health risks and would result in looking and
feeling your best.It is YOUR "ideal". It is your goal.
Motivation
In order to achieve your weight loss goal, motivation also must be
addressed. Motivation is best if it is VERY specific. My experience with
users of the CUPS diet® reveals that those with the greatest success
have motivating factors usually based on either health or appearance.
If your primary motivation is health based then be VERY specific.
Sometimes it is not enough to simply say; “I want to be healthy.” You
need to select one VERY specific health related consequence that will
keep you motivated. However the level of FEAR of the consequence
must be justified and be preventable. Examples of specific FEARS are
dying from a heart attack, fear of being paralyzed after having a stroke,
or fear of amputation due to diabetic complications, etc... FEAR in itself
can be a very powerful motivator.
If your motivation is appearance, that is, VANITY driven, then again be
VERY specific. It is not enough to say, “I want to look better”. One of
my success stories wanted to lose weight 25 pounds for his 50th
anniversary and be able to wear the suit he was married in. He did and
more. He lost 39 pounds. See "SUCCESS STORIES".. These concepts
are not mutually exclusive, as a combination of FEAR and VANITY can
be very, very, effective.
To keep motivated, use "Success Stories". These are steps along the
way that will help demonstrate that you are making progress toward
reaching your goal. They will vary depending on your BMI, current
weight and your weight loss goal.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that a reduction of 5-10%
of your current body weight will lower your risk for heart disease and
other health related conditions. For most people this level of weight loss
will be beneficial. This is a very reasonable and realistic goal.
Therefore, one of the most important of the “Success Points” is that of
being able to lose 10% of your current body weight with the CUPS
diet®. After you have lost 10% of your current weight, then set another
10% weight loss goal based on this new weight, and so on, until you are
pleased with your weight.
“Success Points”
1. Lower Body Mass Index
2. Reaching a new 10 lb. weight interval
3. Improved weight status category
4. Lower associated health risks
~ OLD CHINESE PROVERB
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“It is better to take many small steps in the
right direction than to make a great leap
forward only to stumble backward.”
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