INITIATING AND MAINTAINING "IDEAL" WEIGHT

IDEAL WEIGHT…What does this mean? 

 For one thing, it does not necessarily mean THIN in a society that is hypnotized by Skinny, Slender, Slight, Slim, Lean, or just plain Thinness!

Thin again……Opps, I meant…Then again, as a nation we are equally faced with the opposite – a growing problem of overweight and obesity in both adults and children.  “IDEAL” weight…if it doesn’t entail the concept of “HEALTHY”…and it ought to, we are in big trouble and need to reexamine and reevaluate our concept of “ideal”. So, what is a healthy weight?

 In the medical realm, they often determine an ideal weight based on what is known as the BMI (Body Mass Index). This is a designated number that is set by our weight in pounds, divided by our height in inches. Furthermore, included in their calculations of “ideal weight”, is the measurement of our waists. So get out the tape measure…But weight!  Opps again, I meant – But wait!

 Although these objective tools are helpful in determining an ideal weight, I would add that a subjective perspective “weighs” a bit more heavily in the final outcome. Our personal preference on how WE feel…in our overall appearance: in clothes, a swim suit, at intimate moments, all plays an integral part of the BIGGER picture of what is ideal for each individual. Sometimes we actually carry extra fat tissue that gets hidden by our clothes and then unconsciously often feel unattractive about our weight.  The image we entertain of ourselves and our bodies can be the greatest factor to deducing our ideal weight. If we hold dissatisfaction around our body image, either as to fat or to thin, this may be an indicator that we are not at “our” ideal weight. There is caution here, however, because many inappropriate body images have been the core of eating disorders! So BEWARE!! It may not be the weight, but instead the body image, that needs to be adjusted.

Healthy weight is not about starving or gorging! It’s about eating wisely, exercising, MODERATION, and feeling GOOD about our weight AND how we look. We know inside ourselves when we feel really good. That is the best way to determine what is IDEAL!

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