Introduction

1. Introduction

2. Introduction If you’re trying to lose weight, you’re not alone! Close to 50% of Canadian adults are overweight or obese. And it’s a growing concern for our children because many of them are also overweight or obese.

3. Health Risks of Being Overweight • Being overweight is not about how you look; it’s considered a health hazard. • Extra weight puts a strain on all your body systems. This increases your risk for developing one or more of these health problems: • Heart disease • Diabetes • Cancer • High blood pressure • Low self-esteem

4. Where You Carry Extra Weight Also Matters Extra weight carried around your middle (apple shape) has a greater health risk than extra weight carried on your hips or upper thighs (pear shape).

5. Make Health, Not Appearance, Your Weight Loss Priority Your health should be your major reason for losing weight. • As a bonus, you’ll feel so much better after you’ve lose weight, physically as well as mentally. For example, walking up a flight of stairs won’t leave you breathless and playing with your kids will take less physical effort. • You’ll have more energy to do the things you want to do. • When you feel good, it will show in your appearance.

6. It’s All About Energy (Im)balance • Most weight loss occurs because of an “energy imbalance.” • This means that more calories (energy) are eaten than the amount of calories that are burned off through metabolic and physical activities. • Although genetics and metabolic disorders play a role in some individuals’ ability to lose weight, this happens in very few overweight adults.

7. Loads of Quick Fix Weight Loss Solutions • From eating cabbage soup for weeks, to taking supplements that burn fat while you sleep…there is no shortage of programs, books and supplements on the market that promise quick and easy weight loss. • The major problem with these programs is that they don’t help people develop habits needed for long term weight loss. • Also, some products can be dangerous to your health e.g. Ephedra-containing products like Ma Huang.

8. It’s Hard Work to Lose Weight and Keep it off Without a doubt, losing weight and keeping it off takes lots of hard work and time. There are no quick and easy fixes! Remember, you didn’t become overweight overnight. So, learning how to eat better and adding more physical activity to your life will take time.

9. Losing Weight…the healthy weigh • Losing weight for the right reasons: to improve your health, to have more energy and to get more out of life in general. • Learning how to eat well by making small changes to the way you eat now and for the long term. • Adding more physical activity into your life; making it a part of your day, not just something you do if you have some extra time. • Losing weight slowly, 1-2 pounds per week. It’s about:

10. What is a Healthy Weight for You? • Health experts use your weight and height to calculate a healthy weight range called the Body Mass Index (BMI). • Your BMI will help determine your own weight loss goal. But,your BMI is not recommended for use as the sole measurement of health risk or body composition.

11. What’s Your BMI? To determine your own BMI and what that means as a health risk, open the PDF or Word document file attached to this presentation called, “Are You at a Healthy Body Weight?” You will also find information on how to measure your waist circumference and how to interpret the results.

12. Are you ready to take on the challenge of

13. Self-learning Quiz

14. Self-learning Quiz 1 Why is being overweight considered a health hazard? (give at least 3 reasons) 2 Most weight loss occurs because there is energy balance in the body. (true or false) 3 Losing weight the healthy way includes adding more physical activity into your life if you have time during the day. (true or false)

15. A ANSWER 1 Self-learning Quiz Why is being overweight considered a health hazard? (give at least 3 reasons) • Being overweight is a health hazard because it increases your risk for: • Heart disease • Diabetes • Cancer • High blood pressure • Low self-esteem

16. A ANSWER 2 Self-learning Quiz Most weight loss occurs because there is energy balance in the body. (true or false) False. Most weight loss occurs because of an energy “imbalance.” This means that less calories (energy) are eaten than the number of calories or energy that is burned off through metabolic and physical activities. Although genetics and metabolic disorders play a role in some individuals’ ability to lose weight, this is a rare occurrence.

17. A ANSWER 3 Self-learning Quiz Losing weight the healthy way includes adding more physical activity into your life if you have time during the day. (true or false) False. Losing weight the healthy way includes adding more physical activity into your life; making it a part if your day, not just something you do if you have some extra time during the day.

18. Watch the Next Slide Presentation To help learn about healthy eating for healthy weight loss, watch presentation #2: “Getting On Track with Healthy Eating”. For more information on Losing Weight…the healthy weigh, contact the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit 258-2146 x 3100. Ask for the latest brochure and newsletter from Working Toward Wellness Workplace Health Promotion Program.