Weight management

What is a healthy weight?

It is important to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Not only will this boost your self-esteem, but there are numerous health benefits, too. Being very overweight – or obese – increases your risk of developing health problems, including coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, gallstones and some cancers. The good news is that most of the health risks associated with obesity disappear once the excess weight is lost.

Over half of women and two-thirds of men in the UK are overweight or obese, according to the Food Standards Agency – and the numbers are rising. To see if you are overweight, work out your Body Mass Index (BMI) or look at our graph.

If you tend to put on weight around your middle, you are apple-shaped and more at risk of health problems than someone who is pear-shaped.

Why am I overweight?

Your weight is determined by the ratio of energy intake to output: that is, the balance between what you eat and the amount of physical activity you do. The energy you get from food is measured in calories. If you take in more calories than you burn, you will put on weight. If you use more energy than you take in, you will lose weight.

Extra energy from food is mostly stored as fat. Certain foods provide more energy than others. Fat has more than twice as many calories per gram as carbohydrates or protein. So, if you eat a lot of fatty food, you are likely to take in more energy than you need and store it as fat on your body. Alcohol is high in calories, too.

Obesity often runs in families, suggesting that genetic factors play a part in how much we weigh. Although you can't alter your genetic make-up, you should still be able to reach and maintain a healthy weight if you eat well and exercise regularly. Some medical conditions may also affect your weight, but these are rare.

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How can I lose weight?

If you're overweight or obese, you should see your doctor before going on a diet. A doctor can rule out any underlying medical causes and, if necessary, refer you to a specialist.

Look at the food you eat and the amount of physical activity you do. Many 'quick-fix' diets claim to help you lose weight, but these are unlikely to work in the long term unless you also make fundamental lifestyle changes. You need to balance a healthy diet with a reasonable amount of physical activity. Choosing healthier foods, cutting down on fat and sugar, eating smaller portions and taking more exercise will all help you achieve and maintain your ideal weight.

When reducing your weight, aim to lose no more than 0.5-1kg (1-2lb) a week. This is equivalent to cutting out around 500-1,000 calories a day, depending on your level of activity. It is easier to keep weight off if it is lost gradually. This also gives your body time to adjust to new eating habits.

Exercise regularly

Just 30 minutes of moderate activity a day, including gardening, brisk walking and housework, can make a difference. Aim to use a little more energy than usual. This doesn't just help you to control your weight, it also helps to tone your muscles, boost energy levels and reduce stress.

Eat more healthily

Changing both what and how much you eat can help you to reach and maintain your ideal weight. Fat is particularly high in calories, so cut down your intake. Here are some ideas to help you eat more healthily.

• Use semi-skimmed or skimmed milk instead of full fat milk, or drink non-dairy alternatives.
• Eat lots of filling fibre-rich and starchy foods, such as brown rice, wholemeal pasta and potatoes.
• Cut back on butter and spreads, and replace cream with low fat or fat free yogurt, or try fat free fromage frais.
• Use small amounts of strongly flavoured cheese rather than larger amounts of milder cheese. Grate it to make it go further.
• Look out for red meats that contain less than five per cent fat. Chicken and turkey are also low in fat, especially if you remove the skin.
• Grill, steam, microwave or poach rather than fry. Use non-stick pans and add oil to pans using a spray to cut down on the amount you use.
• Look out for diet products and choose half- or reduced-fat options.

Take a sensible approach

Simply reducing the size of servings will cut down your calorie intake.

Eat regular meals and don't skip any, especially breakfast. This will keep blood glucose levels constant, so you won't be tempted by unhealthy snacks.

Don't ban foods, but restrict those that are unhelpful such as chocolate or crisps. Find lower fat treats, such as exotic fruits.

Cut back on alcohol. Stay well within the recommended safe limits (2-3 units of alcohol a day for women and 3-4 units a day for men).

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How can Waitrose help?

The Waitrose Perfectly Balanced range has a wide selection of foods that balance low fat with high flavour. From main courses and desserts to cereal bars, soups and sauces, these foods contain less than, or equal to, three per cent fat and are salt controlled.

Most Waitrose own-label prepacked foods include a nutrition panel. The calories, fat, saturates, salt and sugars per pack/per serving are highlighted. This can be used with the guideline daily amounts (GDA) for nutrients, also on packs. GDAs are a general guide for adults of a healthy weight and not individual targets. For those who need to lose weight, the requirement is likely to be less than the GDAs.

Waitrose recipes include low fat and more healthy eating ideas.

Your Body Mass Index

You should have a BMI of 20-25. If your BMI is 25-30, you are overweight. If your BMI is over 30, you are obese. Being moderately overweight (see graph) does not usually affect your health, especially if you take regular exercise, eat healthily and do not smoke. But if you are obese, your health is at risk.

To calculate your BMI, divide your weight in kilograms by your height in metres squared, as shown below: Weight (kg) / Height x height (m) = BMI

Multiply your weight in pounds by 0.45 to give your weight in kilograms; convert your height from feet to metres by multiplying it by 0.3048. Alternatively, plot your weight and height on the graph, (left). Remember, these are only rough guides for an average adult. If your weight is in the fat/very fat range, you have reached the obesity level. This could increase your risk of health problems and you should try to lose weight.

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