How much weight do you really need to lose?

The answer is different for all of us. Maybe you've been working on getting back to the weight you were at in high school or on your wedding day. But do you really need to go that low? Or can you weigh more than your ideal weight and still be healthy? O.K., that's a question everyone wants to know the answer to. Actually people lose weight for dozens of different reasons. Maybe you gained weight because you ate the way your family did, the way you grew up eating and that can be the beginning of your overweight problem. But as you get older you see the other school kids and the clothes they wear and you naturally want to fit in, and so your battle with weight begins. Others gain weight later in life, because of their occupation or maybe they've become overworked and depressed or maybe they've done well in life and food and drink is the reward. My neighbor has a sales job traveling, he's in and out of airports two and three times a week. Eating restaurant food everyday, taking clients out and basically doing everything the wrong way. His lifestyle is totally wrong for his health but he's so busy he doesn't realize the harm he's doing. I never talked to him about the weight he gained, but I thing he's about 20 or 30% more than he's ideal weight. That amount of weight gain is not unusual for someone in their 40's. For women the story is a little different. Women can have weight problems at an early age, but typically weight gain starts with pregnancy. That's generally the beginning of overeating. Afterwards the overeating can become a habit. Back to losing weight, why do people want to lose weight. Well, for many reasons, beginning with being better accepted. You can start to have this complex, that people are starring and that people talk about you behind your back. Heavy women can feel bad about themselves, feel like their not accepted. Men not so much. Next might be that your clothes don't fit or you can't wear the clothes you want to. It's not uncommon today to see middle people overweight. And it's not uncommon that they don't really do much about it until their doctor nags them or they grow tired of taking pills. If you're overweight, losing just 10% of your body weight is linked to many health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar, and reducing your risk for heart disease. This kind of weight loss is also easier to reach and keep for the long run. Your Weight "Set Point" Just as your body temperature is programmed to stay around 98.6 degrees, your body weight is naturally regulated to stay within a range of 10%-20%. This weight range is known as the "set point." A complex set of hormones, chemicals, and hunger signals help your body keep your weight within this range. It is not just about your genes. Your eating and exercise habits can also help to determine your set point.Overeating swamps the internal regulatory system, and, as a result, the set point increases -- which is much easier to do than it is to lower it. The body adjusts to the higher weight and "resets" the set point to defend the new weight. It's still possible to set your range lower. With changes in healthy eating and exercise behavior, you can lower your set point. The 10% Solution to Weight Loss Losing 10% of your body weight, and keeping it off for six months to a year, helps your body reset your set point, notes George Blackburn, MD, in his book, Break Through Your Set Point: How to Finally Lose the Weight You Want and Keep It Off. When you lose large amounts of weight at once, you set up an internal struggle and hormones spike to make you hungrier as your body tries to defend its comfortable range. That's why experts recommend losing 10% by changing your eating and exercise habits, and then maintaining your new weight for a few months before trying to lose more. Your body will get the signal to lower its "set point," and you'll get used to new food choices, smaller portions, and regular exercise. People who lose 10% of their weight "start to realize how a little weight loss impacts their health in very positive ways... They feel better, sleep better, have more energy or less joint pain, and some people are able to reduce medications. How Much Should I Weigh? Most people overestimate how much weight they can lose, which leads to frustration. To find your happy or healthy weight, I suggest looking back on your weight history as an adult and identifying a weight you were able to maintain fairly easily. Generally this would be when you were a youth, maybe 18 to 21 years of age. Instead of focusing on the numbers on the scale, set a goal that is tailored to behavior. Eat breakfast every day, go for daily walks, eat more fruits and vegetables. When you set behavior goals, they are easier to accomplish and they make you feel good. Stick with these behaviors for 3-6 months and they will become part of your life. Based on your current weight, eat about 10 calories per pound of nutritious food (low in fat, rich in lean protein (chicken or turkey breast grilled or tuna grilled), (grains high in fiber), get regular exercise, and assess your weight after a month or so. Your weight will settle out and typically you will lose 10%, then hit a plateau, which is a good time to maintain the weight loss. As you get to a healthy weight, you can go up to 12 calories per pound. For example, if you weigh 100 pounds, to maintain you would want to eat about 1200 calories a day, 150 pounds 1800 calories a day and so on. Tips for Weight Loss Success Eat regular meals. People who eat regular meals eat fewer calories than those who eat at random times. Use a plate, sit down, and enjoy your meals. People who do this eat smaller portions than those who eat out of containers or on the run. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity each day. How much and what you eat makes a big difference. Enjoy normal portions of foods that are high in fiber (fruits, veggies, whole grains) and rich in lean or low fat protein is the secret to feeling full. Think beyond the scale. Focus on the benefits of a healthier lifestyle rather than any particular number.