Maintaining a healthy waist circumference
On average, Australian women gain about 5 to 7 kg (mainly fat around the waist) per decade as they age.
To help keep your waist within a healthy range, aim to have an average daily energy intake that’s equal to your daily energy needs.
The best way to have a healthy waist circumference is to eat healthy foods from a range of food groups and regularly move your body. It might help to:
- think about what prompts you to eat (e.g. hunger or emotion)
- reflect on your relationship with food and see if you need to work with a dietitian or psychologist or both.
Eat well
Read our tips for healthy eating. Small changes to your lifestyle and eating habits will also help. For example:
- plan snacks and meals in advance
- increase the amount of fruit and vegetables you eat throughout the day
- eat slowly and mindfully
- listen to your hunger signals – eat when hungry and stop when you’re satisfied
- limit takeaway food
- save treats for special occasions
- serve yourself smaller portion sizes
- avoid having unhealthy snacks at home or in your office
- have healthier food choices in your fridge and pantry.
Move your body
It’s recommended that adults aged 18 to 64 years are active on most (preferably all) days of the week. This activity should include:
- 2.5 to 5 hours of lighter exercise each week (e.g. walking, golf, mowing the lawn or swimming) or
- 1.25 to 2.5 hours of more intense exercise each week (e.g. jogging, circuit training, fast cycling and playing team sports).
Or you can do a combination of the above.
Muscle-strengthening activities are also recommended at least two days a week. These can include body-weight exercises (e.g. push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, weightlifting) or household activities that involve lifting, carrying or digging.
You don’t have to do these activities in one session. Shorter bursts of activity during the day add up. On days when you feel a bit tired, try a gentle walk.
It’s also important to minimise the amount of time you spend sitting. Try going for a walk before lunch and set an alarm on your phone to remind you to stand up and stretch at regular times throughout the day.
If it’s been a while since you’ve done any exercise, start slow and build from there.
If you need help managing your weight, talk to your doctor.
Avoid fad diets
With so many diets and weight loss programs around, it can be hard to know what works best. Most diets don’t provide your daily nutrition needs, and many people don’t continue after a few days or weeks. Many of these ‘fad’ diets are not based on evidence. Signs of a fad diet include:
- having a set of restricted food rules
- banning or promoting certain foods or food groups
- severely restricting energy intake
- being unrealistic to follow in the long term
- recommending supplements and special 'health foods'
- promising quick or miraculous results.
Fad diets can be harmful. They can slow your metabolism, cause headaches and fatigue, lead to less muscle and lower bone density. They can also cause constipation or diarrhoea and may contribute to eating disorders. Most of the time, people put the weight back on after doing a fad diet.
