by Dr.Phil Hariram


The recognised criteria is that your weight is ideal if your BMI is 20-25. You are overweight if your BMI is 25-30, you are obese if your BMI is 30-40 and severely obese if your BMI is over 40.

According to US statistics, 50 million Americans are overweight and 12 million are severely obese. In the last 3 decades of the twentieth century, the total overweight Americans increased from 31% to 35% while obese Americans increased from 13% to 26%. It is estimated that 50% of African Americans women are obese.

The direct cost is staggeringly high. Annually it is estimated to be $6.1 billion and indirect cost such as loss to Industry is $56 billion. This does not take into account the Health Care cost.

When looking for a cause, there are three factors to consider. These are a sedentary lifestyle, the availability of cheap and tasty food, and genetic factors.

A child growing up within a family with two obese patents has an 80% chance of becoming obese. In addition there is good chance that a high birth weight baby will become obese as an adult.

It is important that an obese person go on a weight loss diet. There are serious health risks associated with obesity. An obese person has an increased risk of diabetes, arthritis, kidney disease, cardio-vascular disease and obstructive sleep apnoea. It significantly increases the mortality rate and there is a 10 times greater risk of sudden death.

The textbooks will tell you that if you diet and exercise, you will lose weight but it is not that simple. I know several people who have tried all the fad diets as they are launched and are still overweight.

When you set out to lose weight you must have a plan of action that incorporates both long and short term plans. This is a good way to reach and maintain your target weight.

You must do your research and plan a weight loss diet that is balanced, tasty and not lacking any of the essential elements of a healthy diet. It is not vital that you count the calorific value of the food you eat. Just eat less.

A good weight loss plan should not only have an excellent weight loss diet plan but a specific exercise plan. The exercise should be aerobic and regular. Family support and involvement and joining a weight loss group are additional help. However, just going on a weightloss plan is not enough. You must have the right mindset. This is vitally important. Set your goals and do not let anything get in your way to achieving your goal.

Statistics show that most people who just go on a weight loss diet plan and do regular exercise quickly regain the weight they lost if they have the wrong attitude.

After several failed attempts at weight loss, an obese person may well find it diffiult to get into the right frame of mind to again try to loseweight and keep this weight off. Hypnotherapy works well here. Under the guidance of a good and experienced hypnotherapist, you can change you belief, attitude and expectations. Unfortunately this is costly and time consuming.

I have used hypnotherapy to make individuals who have failed in the past with their weight loss effort, visualise what their life will be in a year when they have reached their target weight. Their attitude and determination were changed during hypnotherapy. They reached their goals and are living now lives comfortably with the weight they are happy with. So get your mindset right. - 39969

About the Author:
Dr. Phil Hariram ran a very successful weight loss Clinic. He is using his expert knowledge to create a complete resource blog that is intended to help everyone who has a need to lose weight. Check out his Blog. http://www.realdietandweightloss.com and plan your ownweight loss diet.