Do you see yourself the way others see you? Do they see you how you are? It can sometimes be difficult to be objective when it comes to your physical appearance. After all, you’ve probably got quite used to yourself by now and yet it’s not possible to stand back and take a good long look at yourself, without the aid of a full-length mirror, of course. If you were asked if you needed to lose weight what would you say? And more to the point how would you know, and would you be right?

Before you embark on a weight loss program, it’s a good idea to get a handle of your current status and determine if and how much weight you need to shed or whether it’s a case of toning over trimming. Losing weight in a healthy way includes knowing what the right amount of extra baggage you want to get rid of adds up to.

The clothes test

For some, scale is an unnecessary accessory when you have clothes to tell you if you’ve stacked on the pounds. Let’s face it, if your favorite pair of jeans that you’ve had forever is starting to dig in, then you’ve probably put on a few pounds. If you can’t even fasten them, then, unless you’ve had some serious washing shrinkage, you know that you’re not the weight you once were. Don’t just go off clothes as a measure though as different brands and styles in your size aren’t always the best indicator of where your weight is at.

It’s all about the BMI

You might be heavier than the next person but not necessarily need to lose weight. Likewise you might be lighter in pounds than someone and yet be overweight when they’re not. The golden measure of whether you’re in the healthy weight range is Body Mass Index (BMI).  Take your weight in pounds and divide this by your height in inches squared. Next, multiply this by 703. A healthy result is a BMI between 18.5-24.9. If you’re over this but under 29.9 then you fall in the overweight category and over 30 is considered obese.

Is your waist expanding?

Your waist is another good indication of whether you might be a good candidate for a weight loss program, especially if your waistline goes beyond 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in women. This is the recommended circumference from the National Institute of Health in the US. If you’re in the overweight BMI section too, then you could be putting your health at risk.

Lifestyle! Lifestyle! Lifestyle!

While some people seem to be able to eat what they like and never put on weight, it’s good to remember that weight loss is tied in with eating a healthy diet and nutrition. Even the seemingly naturally thin might be more unhealthy than someone with a few extra pounds, if their cholesterol levels are higher, or if they don’t exercise and eat unhealthy meals. Taking a look at your lifestyle is often a good way of assessing if you need to make some changes regardless of your actual weight. And with a healthier approach you should lose excess pounds if you need to.

Excuses! Excuses!

While an honest appraisal of your lifestyle is going to indicate whether you have any cause for concern, watch out for any excuses you find yourself using to explain away any extra pounds. Are you really big bones? Are you really carrying big bulky muscles? Is it true that you only have to look at food to put on weight? Does the camera sometimes lie? Cutting out the excess chat about weight loss and taking positive action is what leads to success.

Looking trim is certainly an ideal but the real reason that weight loss is important for many has nothing to do with vanity. It is about avoiding health risks such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.