Being morbidly obese is more than just being overweight. It also means that you are at greater risk of developing conditions such as high blood pressure, heart conditions and diabetes. Morbid obesity is typically defined as being 100 pounds or more over your ideal body weight. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, a person is also considered morbidly obese if his BMI, which is a measure of weight proportionate to height, is above 40. To lose weight when you're morbidly obese takes time and persistence, but it's well worth the effort.
Eat less, decreasing your daily caloric intake. To lose 1 pound of fat, you must eliminate 3500 calories from your diet. By cutting just 500 calories a day, you can lose 1 pound a week. Typically, losing 1 to 2 pounds per week is considered healthy weight loss; however, if you're morbidly obese and begin a healthy diet/exercise program, you might have greater weight loss in the first few weeks.
Consume nutrient-dense whole foods. When you sit down to a meal, fill one-half your plate with vegetables, slightly more than one-quarter with whole grains and slightly less than one-quarter with a lean protein. Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products – and avoid full-fat ones. Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
Replace saturated fats, found in fatty animal products, with healthy fats, which are found in olive oil, lean poultry, unsalted nuts and unsalted seeds. Eliminate trans fats, which are found in processed foods, from your diet. Read food labels so you know what you're eating.
Talk to your doctor about bariatric surgery. A small study performed by the Mayo Clinic and presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2010 in Chicago found that morbidly obese heart failure patients who had bariatric surgery gained long-lasting improvements in their disease symptoms and qualities of life.
Exercise. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, noting that some adults need as much as 300 minutes of moderate physical activity a week to effectively lose or maintain weight loss. Aerobic activity involves large muscles groups and is rhythmic in nature. Moderate aerobic exercise includes such activities as brisk walking and swimming. Your exercise sessions should last at least 10 minutes in duration. It’s safest to start slowly and increase the length of your exercise session as you become more fit.
- National Center for Biotechnology Information U.S. National Library of Medicine: Cardiorespiratory Fitness: An Independent and Additive Marker of Risk Stratification and Health Outcomes
- Eat to Live; Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
- MayoClinic.com: Symptoms of Obese Heart Failure Patients Improved After Bariatric Surgery
- The China Study; Dr. T. Colin Campbell
- Runner's World: Eat the Right Fats
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary fats: Know which types to choose
- MayoClinic.com: Exercise for weight loss: Calories burned in 1 hour
- Stanford Hospital & Clinics Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI)
- United States Department of Agriculture: MyPlate
- Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images