Weight loss and blood pressure are closely connected. Maintaining a healthy weight is critical for blood pressure control. Weight loss does not have to be difficult; even a little amount, 5 or 10% of your body weight, may make a significant impact, and there are many easy adjustments you can do to get started.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REDUCING WEIGHT IN TERMS OF LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE?
If you are overweight, reducing weight will decrease your blood pressure because your heart doesn’t need to too much effort to siphon the blood around your body. It reduces your chance of a variety of other health issues, such as stroke, diabetes, and heart disease, and it may also help you feel better, giving you more energy to accomplish the things you want to do.
How do you determine if you’re at a healthy weight?
Your doctor or nurse will be able to discuss with you whether you are at a healthy weight or not and provide you with suggestions for losing weight.
Both your BMI and waist circumference are useful indicators of whether you are a healthy weight, and you can determine them for yourself.
Your body mass index (body mass index)
Your BMI is a weight-for-height ratio that indicates whether you are overweight or obese. How is BMI calculated? BMI can be done using BMI standard calculator or it can be done directly
Example:
A woman weighs 68 kg and is 1.70 m tall.
Without a BMI calculator, you can easily calculate the BMI in two steps. First you determine your height in meters squared and now calculate as follows:
- 1st step: 1.70 mx 1.70 m = 2.89
- 2nd step: 68 kg: 2.89 = 23.5.
- The woman’s BMI is 23.5.
The woman’s BMI has now been calculated, but what does the number mean? There are various classifications to evaluate the body mass index, some of them also take age and gender into account. The most important classification comes from the World Health Organization (WHO).
BMI calculator: BMI table (classification according to WHO)
Underweight: BMI <18.5
Normal weight: BMI 18.5-24.9
Overweight: BMI 25-29.9
Very overweight (Obesity grade I): BMI 30-34.9
Obesity grade II: BMI 35-39.9
Obesity Grade III: BMI> 40
According to the BMI calculator, the woman in our example has a body mass index of 23.5 and therefore normal weight.
However, the ideal weight is not just a question of height and weight; age also plays a role. The American National Research Council (NRC) found in the late 1980s that the ideal BMI increases with age. This means, the older you become, the more you can weigh for the best possible health.
BMI calculator: BMI table (classification according to NRC)
Age group 19-24 years: ideal BMI 19-24
Age group 25-34 years: ideal BMI 20-25
Age group 35-44 years: ideal BMI 21-26
Age group 45-54 years: ideal BMI 22-27
Age group 55-65 years: ideal BMI 23-28
older than 65 years: ideal BMI 24-29
For the woman in our example, this means: With a BMI of 23.5, she’s just barely normal weight if she is younger than 25 years. If she is older than 65 she is even considered underweight.
How meaningful is the BMI?
The BMI calculator is often used when it comes to an initial weight assessment. But the body mass index is not the measure of all things. For the majority of people, it gives an initial clue as to how body weight should be assessed, but it does not take the physique, muscle or fat content into cognizance
For example, muscles weigh more than fat. Men or women with ample muscle mass have quite a high BMI. According to the WHO table, they would be overweight, but in fact they are not. There is also the reverse case: people with a BMI that is in the normal weight range, but who still have too much body fat.
The BMI calculator cannot be used for children and adolescents either. There are special growth curves for them.
What your BMI indicates
- less than 18.5 – this is considered underweight and you may need weight gain.
- 5-24.9 – you are within the normal range. By eating healthfully and being active, you should be able to maintain a healthy weight within the range.
- 25-29.9 — this range is considered obese, and reducing weight may help reduce your blood pressure and risk of illness.
- 30-35 years of age – this is considered obese. Weight loss has been shown to enhance health.
- more than 35 – this is regarded very fat. Consult your physician for a health checkup, as you may need further assistance managing your weight and health.
Circumference of your waist
An elevated health-related risk is linked with a waist circumference of at least 94 cm (37in) in males and 80 cm (31.5in) in women. Simply measure around the narrowest area of your waste, right above your belly button, using a tape measure.
HOW TO REDUCE WEIGHT IN A HEALTHY MANNER
The calories in food and beverages provide your body with the energy and nutrition it need. In general, weight gain occurs when you consume more calories than you burn, since the excess energy is deposited as fat. Our contemporary lives contribute to this problem, since they often entail sitting for long periods of time each day, commuting, and eating inexpensive, easy meals that are typically heavy in fat and sugar.
Increased activity and smart food substitutions are the easiest methods to achieve or maintain a healthy weight. Additionally, there is a wealth of assistance accessible. Consider some of the suggestions below or make an appointment with your doctor or nurse to get started.
Make modest adjustments that you can sustain.
Make modest adjustments to your diet and level of activity to ensure that they last a lifetime. It’s more about making long-term lifestyle changes than it is about going on a diet.
There are many fad and severe diets that exclude whole meals or dietary categories. While you may notice immediate benefits, it is very difficult to maintain a restricted diet over the long run. Once you resume regular eating, the weight will creep back on. Small adjustments made gradually will be simpler to maintain and will function better in the long term.
Take note of what you consume.
It’s extremely simple to consume calories without realizing it, but it takes a great deal of time and work to burn them off.
For instance, it takes seconds to consume 220 calories in a chocolate bar or cappuccino, but about 50 minutes of low intensity cycling or almost an hour of dog walking would burn off the same amount.
Avoid foods that are rich in fat.
Consuming an excessive amount of high-fat meals or foods with added sugar may contribute to weight gain and make weight loss more difficult. Making healthier choices does not need you to eat less, and a few easy changes may make a significant impact.
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Make straightforward substitutions
If you consume sugar-sweetened beverages, replace them with naturally flavored water – try adding fruit such as lemon, orange, or pineapple, or cucumber and mint to save calories. Alternatively, use homemade unsalted popcorn with the crisps.
Consume more fiber
Most people don’t consume enough fiber, which is found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole meal and wholegrain foods. Because high-fiber meals take longer to digest than sugary or refined foods, they keep you feeling fuller for longer.
To consume more fiber:
- Substitute unsweetened muesli or porridge for sugary morning cereals – they’re great with fruit and yoghurt.
- Substitute whole meal bread and spaghetti for white
- Include two servings of vegetables on your lunch and dinner plates
- include pulses such as lentils, beans, and peas into soups and casseroles
- replace high-calorie snacks such as chips and chocolate with fruit and vegetables.
Consume an adequate amount of protein
At each meal, include a protein-rich item, since this will help you feel satisfied for longer. Select lean slices of white meat without the skin, fish, eggs, tofu, and other vegetarian proteins such as beans and lentils.
If you’re cooking a Bolognese or Shepherd’s pie, for example, consider substituting lentils or beans for part of the meat to boost protein and fiber while lowering saturated fat.
Consume more fruits and vegetables
Consuming more fruits and vegetables reduces your chances of developing health issues such as heart disease and stroke. They are rich in potassium, which helps to maintain healthy blood pressure, as well as fiber, vitamins, and other minerals.
At a minimum of five per day, include them into each meal and snack. A portion or dish is about 80g, or one handful, which might be an apple or seven strawberries.
Maintain a close watch on your portion sizes.
Keep an eye on the amount of food you consume. Even if the food is nutritious, consuming too much of it will cause you to gain weight. Portions sizes have increased in recent years – along with our waistlines – so what seems to be a regular or healthy quantity may really be too much.
To keep your servings in check:
- measure your pasta and rice and adhere to the serving sizes specified on the package
- use smaller dishes and plates to elongate the appearance of your meal
- pile veggies and a side salad on your plate to make it feel fuller with very little additional calories
- pause for a meal, eat leisurely, and savor it – You’re more likely to recognize when you’ve eaten enough and quit eating before reaching an uncomfortably full state.
- Avoid eating before the TV, since it makes you less aware of what you eat and what you consume.
Maintain a sense of reality
Establish reasonable objectives for yourself. Aim to lose about 5-10% of your total body weight over the course of three to six months. A weekly weight reduction of 0.5-1 kilogram (1-2 pounds) is desirable.
You do not have to achieve your target BMI to experience benefits – while doing so is beneficial for your general health — reducing only 5 to 10% of your total weight may make a significant impact in your health.
Locate cheerleaders
It is not always simple to lose weight, and without motivation, you may easily get bored or give up. Inform your family and friends so that you may get support when necessary, or if you believe it would be beneficial, join a weight-loss group. Certain individuals find that receiving assistance from those who are also attempting to lose weight may provide them with the additional encouragement and inspiration they need.