| Aim for a Healthy Weight (44 pgs) - Why Is a | | | | best information before choosing a program. Do |
| Healthy Weight Important? eaching and maintaining | | | | You Know the Risks of Being Overweight? - Body |
| a healthy weight is good for your overall health | | | | mass index (BMI) is a tool that is often used to |
| and will help you prevent and control many | | | | determine whether a person’s health is at risk |
| diseases and conditions. We know that an | | | | due to his or her weight. BMI is a ratio of your |
| increase in weight also increases a person’s | | | | weight to your height. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is |
| risk for heart disease, high blood cholesterol, high | | | | considered healthy; a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is |
| blood pressure, diabetes, gallbladder disease, | | | | considered overweight; and a BMI of 30 or more |
| gynecologic disorders, arthritis, some types of | | | | is considered obese. You can use the table on the |
| cancer, and even some lung problems (see Box | | | | following page to determine your BMI. Find your |
| 1). Maintaining a healthy weight has many benefits, | | | | height in the left-hand column labeled |
| including feeling good about yourself and having | | | | “Height.” Move across to your weight. The |
| more energy to enjoy life. Stay Active and Feel | | | | number at the top of the column is the BMI for |
| Better (Bilingual) - Physical activity is good for | | | | that height and weight. Pounds have been rounded |
| your whole family. Do any of these situations | | | | off. Tips for Adults - Better Health and You - A |
| sound like your life? “I always feel so tired | | | | balanced eating plan and regular physical activity |
| and worn out.” “My whole family is putting | | | | are the building blocks of good health. Poor eating |
| on weight. I know we better do something | | | | habits and physical inactivity may lead to |
| soon.” “Walking up two flights of stairs | | | | overweight and related health problems. By eating |
| leaves me out of breath.” “When my | | | | right and being active, you may reach or maintain |
| husband and I were first married, we would take | | | | a healthy weight. You may also improve your |
| long walks every day and go dancing. Now all we | | | | physical health, mental well-being, and set an |
| do is sit in front of the television.” “I | | | | example for others. Weight Loss For Life - There |
| don’t have an extra half hour every day to | | | | are many ways to lose weight, but it is not |
| exercise...but I know it is good for my health.” | | | | always easy to keep the weight off. The key to |
| Watch Your Weight (Bilingual) - Here are some of | | | | successful weight loss is making changes in your |
| the changes Juan and Lupe made. These tips can | | | | eating and physical activity habits that you can |
| work for you, too! Plan ahead... 1. Get up 15 | | | | keep up for the rest of your life. The information |
| minutes early in the morning. Eat breakfast at | | | | presented here may help put you on the road to |
| home. Include fruit, bread, and skim milk. 2. | | | | healthy habits. Weight Loss and Nutrition Myths - |
| Prepare a healthy lunch the night before. Include | | | | Fact: Fad diets are not the best way to lose |
| grains, fruits, vegetables, and small portions of | | | | weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise |
| leftovers. 3. Take a piece of fruit to snack on in | | | | quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods |
| between jobs. Drink water instead of soda. 4. Eat | | | | out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on |
| smaller portions at dinner. Add a salad with low | | | | one of these diets. But diets that strictly limit |
| fat dressing and add vegetables. 5. Get active at | | | | calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most |
| work, at home, and in your spare time. Walk or | | | | people quickly get tired of them and regain any |
| use the stairs instead of the elevator. Active at | | | | lost weight. Physical Activity and Weight Control - |
| any Size (24 pgs) - for very large people who T | | | | Physical Activity and Weight ControlPhysical |
| HERE may be special challenges are physically | | | | activity is important for physical health, emotional |
| active. You may not be able to bend or move in | | | | well-being, and achieving a healthy weight. Physical |
| the same way that other people can. It may be | | | | activity may help you control your weight by |
| hard to find clothes and equipment for exercising. | | | | using excess calories that would otherwise be |
| You may feel self-conscious being physically active | | | | stored as fat. Most foods and many beverages |
| around other people.Facing these challenges is | | | | you eat and drink contain calories, and everything |
| hard—but it can be done! The information in | | | | you do uses calories. This includes sleeping, |
| this booklet may help you start being more active | | | | breathing, digesting food, and of course, moving |
| and healthier—no matter what your size! Binge | | | | around. Balancing the calories you eat with the |
| Eating Disorder - How do I know if I have binge | | | | calories you use through physical activity may |
| eating disorder? Most of us overeat from time to | | | | help you maintain your current weight. Body |
| time, and some of us often feel we have eaten | | | | Composition - What is it? Body composition refers |
| more than we should have. Eating a lot of food | | | | to the constituents of your body - lean mass, fat |
| does not necessarily mean that you have binge | | | | mass, and water. Scales weigh total body mass. |
| eating disorder. Experts generally agree that most | | | | What the scale does not tell you is whether that |
| people with serious binge eating problems often | | | | weight is fat, lean (which includes bone, ligaments, |
| eat an unusually large amount of food and feel | | | | and muscle) or water. Your body composition is |
| their eating is out of control. People with binge | | | | more important than your weight in determining |
| eating disorder also may: ? eat much more quickly | | | | fitness and health. Eating Disorders - An eating |
| than usual during binge episodes ? eat until they | | | | disorder is an illness that affects one’s ability |
| are uncomfortably full ? eat large amounts of | | | | to realistically judge his/her own appearance and |
| food even when they are not really hungry ? eat | | | | moderate his/her behavior around food and |
| alone because they are embarrassed about the | | | | exercise. It is estimated that 10% of our |
| amount of food they eat ? feel disgusted, | | | | population are actively eating disordered. Eating |
| depressed, or guilty after overeating. Choosing a | | | | disorders are not about food or exercise: these |
| Safe and Successful Weight Loss Program - | | | | are just the focus points of the disorder. People |
| Choosing a weight-loss program may be a difficult | | | | with extremely high expectations, compulsive |
| task. You may not know what to look for in a | | | | personalities, need for control, or fearful of |
| weight-loss program or what questions to ask. | | | | growing up are characteristically more likely to |
| This fact sheet can help you talk to your health | | | | develop eating disorders. |
| care professional about weight loss and get the | | | | |