3 Absolutely Essential Factors for Successful Weight Loss

The height/weight charts that you see everywhere are a good height/weight standard. Nobody that is 5 feet tall can weight 200 lbs. and be in good physical condition!

On the other hand, the height/weight ratio isn’t the only factor that determines physical fitness. The percentage of body fat is also a factor - maybe the most important.

The idea is to keep the muscle that you have - and add to it - while losing the fat, building muscle and increasing stamina. Which lead me to three absolutely essential factors that I believe define every successful weight loss program:



Achieving a healthy height/weight ratio

Achieving a lower percentage of body fat

Achieving a higher degree of stamina



Success Factor #1: Achieving a healthy height/weight ratio

For women, the height to weight ratio is between 2 and 2.2 pounds per inch of height. The ratio is slightly higher for men, but not by much.

For example: a woman who is 5′1" tall has a mid range weight of 122 pounds according to the height weight chart. A man of the same height has a mid range weight of 134 pounds.

But achieving that correct height/weight ratio isn’t all there is to successful weight loss. A man can be six feet tall, his weight can be within the ideal weight limits according to those height/weight charts - yet he can still not be physically fit. Scales don’t discriminate between “fat pounds” and “muscle pounds.”

Success Factor #2: Achieving a lower percentage of body fat

The body’s fat percentage is just that: the % fat your body contains. Your body weight is the total of everything - muscle, fat bone, etc. - combined. So the number of pounds reduced isn’t enough information to determine whether your weight loss program is successful.

There are lots of free body fat calculators online, and even a site that can determine your body fat based upon the measurements of your hips, wrist, ankle and thigh.

Achieving a lower percentage of body fat is actually accomplished by building muscle while losing fat. Weight training exercises are the single best way to reduce your body fat percentage.

Success Factor #3: Achieving a higher degree of stamina

When people are overweight and their percentage of body fat to muscle is too high, they usually don’t have a lot of stamina. They can’t walk, run or climb stairs easily.

The best way to increase stamina is by engaging in aerobic exercises that are designed to improve the cardiovascular system function. Build up your heart and lungs,and stamina always increases.

So remember, no weight loss program can be considered successful unless you keep the muscle you have, increase the overall amount of muscle in your body, and lose fat.