Everywhere we look in the western world we're inundated with pictures, images, icons and inferences with the 'perfect' female shape! The truth is that numerous of these images are altered or enhanced in some way and don't depict the typical female form. The pressure to lose pounds is immense when we're bombarded every day with media selling items depending on slimness, sex appeal and fashion. The constant message is that slimness will make you desireable.

With the current demographic trends in western countries, and faced with a sea of higher fat, higher sugar combined with physical inactivity; it is time to pay attention to our weight but not for any factors of desirability. The most essential reason for wanting to become a healthy body pounds is for wellness rather than for how your entire body looks.

Overweight and obesity are major public wellness difficulties in western countries. Since the 1980s both adult males and ladies have become heavier, with obesity rates more than doubling in the last 20 years! Kids are also becoming heavier. There is a growing concern that we are inadvertently training our obese children to turn out to be obese adults. It has been said, we are digging our graves with out teeth! So how can we determine what is really a healthy body weight for each individual?

How you tell if you're overweight

As we're all different shapes and sizes, there is not a single recommended pounds for your height. Instead there is a range of weights which are wholesome for your height. One way to check your weight would be to calculate your Body Mass Index or BMI.

Your BMI is really a ratio or comparison of your height and pounds expressed in a quantity. To find out your BMI you need to divide your pounds (measured in kg) by your height (measured in m) squared. If you don't know your measurements in the metric system you are able to find any number of BMI calculators on the internet that will do the conversion for you into empirical measures. A single such calculator is at the website listed below.

The accepted definitions of pounds categories by BMI are:

Underweight - BMI less than 18.5

Healthy Weight - BMI between 18.5 and 24.9

Obese - BMI equal to or greater than 25 and up to 29.9

Obese - BMI equal to or greater than 30

These BMI values only apply to adults aged 18 years and over and are based on studies of Caucasian populations. Therefore, they aren't applicable to kids and adolescents and they may not be appropriate for individuals of other cultural backgrounds.

An additional method to examine your pounds would be to measure your waist circumference, utilizing a tape measure. This gives you an idea of whether you have a lot of fat stored around your middle. Waist circumferences associated with increased health danger are:

For men Waist circumference greater than 94cm

For women Waist circumference higher than 80cm

Being a healthy weight can assist:

- enhance blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure and blood glucose levels

- reduce your risk of other wellness related problems

- improve self confidence and self esteem

- make it simpler to be physically active.

If you're obese or overweight...try not to gain additional weight. This will assist you in years to come as people tend to increase pounds with age. Much better still appear after your body and follow a wholesome lifestyle incorporating a nutritious, delicious, health enhancing pounds Loss Program. Just by losing 10 pounds you are able to substantially improve your overall health.