It’s highly possible that you’ve stood in front of the mirror, moping at your hips. tummy, or thighs, or consulted an “ideal body weight” chart and found that you’ were pounds away from being perfect. Maybe your doctor recommended that you should shed some pounds in order to control a medical issue like high blood cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease.
And if you’ve ever tried to slim down to a goal weight you had in mind then you’re probably aware of the challenges and many factors involved that control how much weight you actually lose.
This is why establishing your true weight-loss needs are an essential part of your exercise program. Finding it out means that you need to balance your desires, needs, lifestyle, and your body’s natural habits.
When it comes to your weight you must understand that there’s no “magic number”, you can look at a chart and say, “Oh…I would like to be that weight please.” You need to factor in your own current weight, weight history, your families health history, your personal health goals, your own eating patterns, and your level of physical exercise. Once you understand how all those elements integrate with each other then you will be able to pick a weight goal that makes total sense.
As a women, making this highly personal decision sometimes means that you have to step away from the message that our culture and media has portrayed, which is that “thinner is better.”
Weight for many women is an emotional turmoil. And in society women are valued upon more for their looks, where guys on the other hand, are valued for what they do. So in a way you may feel more pressure from society to change you’re outside appearance into becoming thin. This can result in you never really appreciating the uniqueness of your own beautiful, healthy body.
In order to find out your weight-loss needs I suggest you grab a piece of paper and a pen and honestly answer the questions below. After you’ve finished, you’ll have a clear sense of what you want to accomplish.
1. Why do you want to lose weight?
2. What kind of shape are you really in?
3. Where’s the fat?
4. What’s a weight you can easily maintain?
5. What can you do for the long term?
