Weight Management

Determining your current weight status
Eating a healthful diet
Getting regular exercise

You may have heard that losing weight is as easy as eating less and exercising more. It's true—taking in fewer calories than you use each day is the simplest way to lose weight. Never mind the fad diets, weight-loss pills, and zany herbal remedies—it all comes down to a balanced diet and a regular exercise program.

Determining your current weight status
Use UPMC's health tools to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI)

The first step is determining your current weight status: Are you underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese?

A good measure for this is the BMI, a standardized method used by many health professionals to evaluate weight and body fat. BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. It gives you an indication of whether you are at risk of health problems that are related to being overweight or obese. If your BMI is 25 or higher, you are at risk for a number of serious health problems, including:

BMI values are interpreted as follows:

18.4 or less = underweight
18.5 to 24.9 = normal weight
25 to 29.9 = overweight
30 and over = obese

Although this is a reliable method, it is not foolproof. Because muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue, heavily muscled people may fall into the obese range although they have relatively little body fat.

Eating a healthful diet
To lose weight, you need to take in fewer calories than you use—this is where your diet comes in. It may be in need of an overhaul. But, you don't want to lower your calories at the expense of nutrition. Learn how to develop a balanced diet—high in vitamins and minerals, low in fat and cholesterol, and moderate in calories.

Try not to think of your new eating habits as "going on a diet," instead, think of it as a lifestyle change. Adding more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your diet and cutting back on saturated fat and cholesterol are good for you no matter what your age. Creating a healthful diet that you can stick to throughout your life will help you achieve and maintain your desired weight.

For more information on nutrition and diet, visit these UPMC resources:

• UPMC Nutrition Services' nutrition and health articles
• UPMC Weight Management Center
• Nutrition and diet patient education fact sheets

Call UPMC at 800-533-UPMC (8762) to find a nutritionist and schedule an appointment.

Getting regular exercise
To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you take in—this is where exercise comes in. Not only does regular exercise help you get to an ideal weight, it can help you stay there too. If you don't exercise already, it is time to get started. There are several different types of exercise that you can do. An ideal exercise program combines all four types:

• Aerobic exercise
• Weight-bearing exercise
• Strength training
• Stretching

A good goal for many people to work up to is exercising 4 to 6 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. Remember, it is a good idea to talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. Learn more about keeping physically fit.