Weight Management

Introduction

Weight management is an important consideration in the affluent world. For many people, losing more than a few pounds is difficult task. Also, only a few succeed in maintaining the reduced weight. The difficulty in losing weight and keeping it off makes many people to turn to a professional or commercial weight loss program. When considering joining a weight loss program, choose wisely.

Before creating personal weight loss program or choosing a commercial one, it should be made sure that it is safe. A safe diet includes all of the recommended daily allowances (RDAs) for vitamins, minerals, and protein. The diet should be lower in calories, but not in essential vitamins or minerals. In general, a diet containing 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day is considered effective for most women and a diet between 1,200 calories per day and 1,600 calories per day is selected for men. However, these values also depend on the type of work and profession and also the health considerations. This should be discussed with the primary physician first.

The weight loss program should also include plans for weight maintenance after the weight loss phase is over.

The weight management program should be directed toward a slow, steady weight loss only unless the doctor feels that the health condition and other co-morbidities would benefit from more rapid weight loss. Loss of only about a pound a week should be expected and planned after the first week or two. With many calorie-restricted diets, there is an initial rapid weight loss during the first one to two weeks, but this loss is largely a fluid. The initial rapid loss of fluid can also be regained rapidly as soon as the person returns to a normal-calorie diet. Thus, a reasonable goal of weight loss should be set. The rate of weight loss should be about 1 pound to 2 pounds each week in ideal scenario.

When inquiring about a commercial weight loss program, it should be made sure to be provided with a detailed statement of fees and costs of additional items such as dietary supplements or foods.

If the plan is to lose more than 15 pounds to 20 pounds, if the person has any health problems, or if some medication is being taken on a regular basis, it is important to get a medical evaluation done by the primary physician before starting any weight loss program. A doctor can assess the general health and medical conditions that might be affected by dieting and weight loss.

Also, a doctor should be able to recommend appropriate programs and also can help the patient to come up with a sensible weight loss goal. If the use of a very-low-calorie diet is planned, the patient should definitely be examined and monitored by a doctor.

The weight loss program should also include plans for weight maintenance after the weight loss phase is over. It is of little benefit to lose a large amount of weight without any plan to maintain it.

Weight maintenance is the most difficult part of controlling weight and is not consistently followed by the patient or implemented in weight loss programs. The program selected should help to improve the dietary habits, increase the physical activity, and help you to change other harmful lifestyle habits that may have contributed to the weight gain in the past.

Being overweight is too often viewed as a temporary problem that can be treated for a few months with a strenuous diet. However, as most overweight people know, weight control must be considered as a lifelong effort. To be safe and effective, any weight loss program must address the long-term approach or else the program is largely a waste of money and effort.

Weight loss surgeries or bariatric surgeries are considered as last resort in management of weight. There are several types of surgical weight loss procedures. Some procedures are designed for restricting the amount of food that can be eaten at one time (laparoscopic gastric bypass and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Some surgeries bypass the segments of the intestines to limit the absorption of calories (Roux-en-y gastric bypass). These surgeries are not a permanent fix. Diet and exercise strategies need to be followed even after undergoing surgery, otherwise the benefits of operation are void.