Weight Management
Maintaining a healthy weight for your body is achievable with the right eating plan and regular physical activity.
The key to maintaining a healthy weight is matching your energy input with your energy output. The energy (calories) you put into your body through the kind of foods and drinks chosen in your diet must be balanced by the amount of energy you burn through physical activity.
While fad diets are difficult to stick with and often impractical, the real secret to maintaining a healthy weight is combining a simple nutritious eating plan with daily physical activity.
The simplest thing we can do is to get back to basics by enjoying a variety of fresh foods everyday. Including fresh fruit and vegetables in every meal and minimizing the amount of processed or packaged foods you consume in your diet can help manage your weight. Aim to include a variety of foods from each of the key food groups daily including grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat & beans and healthy oils. A diet rich in fresh foods with less take-out treats combined with a daily exercise regime will help you maintain a healthy weight.
Maintaining a healthy weight for your age, height and body type can help you fight a number of health problems including:
- Type 2 diabetes
- high blood pressure
- high blood cholesterol
- coronary heart disease
- certain types of cancer
The best way to check whether you are overweight is to ask your doctor or registered dietitian, who can also provide information on weight management strategies specific to your needs.
You can use our quick and easy BMI calculator to learn about the weight category you are in.