Losing Weight: Some Basic Concepts
Some people make weight loss into a time-consuming daily chore with calorie counting, special diets, support groups, grueling exercise programs, gym expenses, and great will power struggles. It does not have to be so complicated. The basic principle is simple:
- Take in fewer calories than you use up each day
If you want to be precise that does mean a couple of calculations at the outset. You can then develop a routine of food types and varieties along with regular exercise of some type. Once you get into the new rhythm you can forget about any daily struggle and just weigh yourself each week or two weeks until you have met your weight loss goal.
If you don’t want to bother with calculating calories, you can simply follow a few general principles:
- Eat mostly fresh vegetables and fruits along with modest amounts of protein and carbohydrates (that is, avoid fatty and sugary foods including all fast and processed foods)
- Eat only when you are hungry and stop eating before you feel very full
- Exercise at least three times a week. Exercise increases your metabolic speed — you use more calories up each day.
Granted, it is sometimes difficult to switch your daily routines. Success in weight loss depends on your level of motivation, just as success in anything does. A firm decision has to be made that you will indeed reduce your weight to a new specific level.
Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Your BMR is an estimation of the minimum energy (caloric intake) your body needs to maintain its basic functions such as digestion, blood circulation and breathing. In other words, it is the number of calories you need to function each day. You can find BMR calculators by doing an internet search. Take the results with a grain of salt if the calculator appears to be sponsored by manufacturers of diet foods.
Your Body Mass Index (BMI)
Your BMI is a measurement of your body fat in relation to your height and weight. Here is a formula for calculating your BMI:
- Square your height in inches (i.e., multiply it by itself)
- Divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared
- Multiply that new number by 703
A BMI between about 18 and 25 is considered normal and a BMI between 25 and 30 is regarded as overweight. Above 30 is obese. Some people lose weight evenly throughout the body. Others lose it first from certain areas and some retain fat in certain areas regardless of how much they lose in other areas. The abdomen is famous for retaining fat.
Liposuction is very popular and much in the news. But it is not a weight loss surgery. Most of your extra weight must be shed before you can have liposuction.
If you would like to know more about liposuction as a quick way of removing fat in specific body areas, please call or email our cosmetic surgery office today. We will be glad to give you a personal consultation.
Dr. Vasdev Rai
Dr. Vasdev Rai has performed more than 25,000 cosmetic surgeries over his more than 30 years in practice as a Dallas plastic surgeon. He is a board-certified plastic surgeon who was first certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in 1983. Learn More...
Dr. Surjit Rai
Dr. Surjit Rai was born and raised in Plano, Texas. Being the son of a plastic surgeon, Dr. Rai had the unique opportunity to see first-hand the impact a plastic surgeon can have. He knew at a young age that he would dedicate his life and academic career towards the goal of becoming a plastic surgeon. Learn More...