Keeping within a healthy weight range is really important for your health now and in the future. Read on for tips and advice on maintaining a healthy weight.
Getting in to good habits now, whilst you are young, can help you to keep healthy throughout your life. This includes making healthy food and drink choices, keeping active and staying within a healthy weight range. Did you know that the latest figures show that a massive (excuse the pun!) 41% of year 6 children in Manchester leave primary school either overweight or obese (very overweight)? Things do not improve for the adults living in Manchester either, with over 60% of them being overweight or obese. All this excess weight isn’t good for the health of us Mancunians, but the good news is, if you know you could do with losing a few kilos, a few simple changes can help you reach a healthier weight and more importantly, maintain it.
What’s the problem with being overweight?
Being overweight can lead to lots of problem with both your mental and physical health including:
- Heart problems
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Bone and joint problems
- Breathing problems
- Difficulty sleeping
- Lack of energy
- Low mood
- Low self-esteem
Help! I need to lose weight, what can I do?
Speaking to your school nurse, a parent/carer or adult you trust can be a great way to get started on your journey towards a healthy weight. It’s important to make small, gradual changes because that way, you are more likely to stick with your new healthy habits and less likely to give up after a week or two. Let’s face it; nobody wants to live off lettuce leaves forever! Here are 10 top tips to help you on your journey towards good health…
- Eat a balanced, healthy diet which includes lots of variety. Eating the same thing every day is boring and you might be tempted to reach for the less healthy snacks!
- Try to include whole grains such as wholemeal bread, rice and pasta. These foods are not only good for your health, but they help to keep you feeling full too.
- Eat some lean protein every day. This could be lean chicken, red meat or fish. If you don’t eat meat, then pulses, beans, eggs and tofu are packed with protein.
- Eat your 5 a day! Fruit and vegetables are crammed full of healthy vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy and your skin looking great too!
- Avoid eating and drinking too many things that are high in fat, salt and sugar. Weight can soon creep up on you if you are eating and drinking more calories than you need.
- Be active every day. You don’t need to join a gym or enter a marathon. Anything that gets your heart rate pumping a bit faster and makes you feel a bit warmer will do. Try walking to school instead of catching the bus. Ask a friend to do it with you, that way, you can encourage each other and it will be less easy to give up.
- Drink plenty of water. Sometimes we reach for the snacks when all we really need is a drink. Water is the best choice – and it’s free!
- Don’t skip meals. This will leave you feeling really hungry and mean you are more likely to call in at the takeaway on your way home! Skipping meals won’t help you to lose weight because it is not sustainable in the long term.
- If you do need a snack, go for healthier options. Pieces of fresh fruit like bananas are great and the good news is they come in their own handy wrapper, meaning no plastic packaging either!
- Be portion wise! Many of us eat more than we need and it is no secret that portion sizes have increased massively in recent years. Restaurants, takeaways and other food outlets often serve portions way bigger than one person needs. Eating meals like this regularly is likely to lead to weight gain over time.
On a final note, not weighing enough is not good for your health either but the good news is that following the top tips above should set you on your way towards a healthy future. Good luck!
