Obesity and heart disease are linked, like it or not. While being overweight is probably more common than not these days, being obese can be deadly.
What is Obese?
First is the question, “How do I know if I am overweight or obese?”
You’re considered overweight if your body mass index (BMI) is between 25 and 30. Over 30 and you are obese. Here’s a chart from the American Heart Association that has a table to help figure out your BMI.
While the height and weight chart isn’t perfect, it will give you a pretty good idea as to your BMI.
Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease; being obese is even a bigger risk.
Obesity and Heart Disease
Obesity and heart disease tend to go hand-in-hand. And that’s because the reasons you may be obese — bad food choices, lack of exercise being two – are also causes of coronary heart disease.
The first step to fighting this risk is to figure out why you’re obese; it may not be as straight-forward as it seems. Then you need to make better food choices, in appropriate quantities. Here’s a hint; most people do not know what a portion size really is. Measure everything out at first so you know what a portion really looks like.
Next is to get up and get moving. It can be as simple as walking around the block, putting on some music and dancing in your living room or exercising to a video. You don’t need to start exercising with a strict routine. You just need to get up off the couch at first. Small steps, which can eventually lead to larger ones.
Obesity is a risk factor in heart disease, but it’s something you can control. And every pound lost is a relief to your body - including your heart. So whether you have 10 pounds to lose or 210, it all starts with you.
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