Behavioral weight loss programs can help people lose weight and are relatively safe. They may also help reduce the risk of diabetes. If you are not able to access a behavioural weight loss program, you can develop a tailored version with a team of health professionals and specialists or try a variety of mobile phone apps geared towards weight loss.

The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care recommends behaviour change programs to help adults who are overweight or obese lose weight, since there is evidence that these programs work. Behavioural change programs include education and support to help patients improve their diet and physical activity.

Maintaining a healthy weight can reduce your risk of osteoarthritis and reduce pain for those who already have the condition. To help lose weight and maintain a healthy weight, reduce both dietary fat and total calories and include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in each day.

Lack of exercise and poor nutrition may be more important predictors of poor health than body weight. Be skeptical about research studying the health impacts of body weight, or weight categories ('obese' and 'overweight'), rather than Body Mass Index (BMI).

Smaller plates and bowls help control portion sizes of your food. People tend to eat and drink more when offered larger portions, packages or tableware. Start with smaller portions on your plate.

Eat whole grains, vegetables, fruits, healthy protein (like beans) and healthy fats (like nuts and olive oil) to help prevent long term diseases and control weight. Limit refined grains, processed foods and sugary drinks.

Stay physically active. Moderate exercise for 30 minutes a day can help lower your risk of long lasting disease and improve your mood. One hour of activity a day can help you lose weight or stay at a healthy weight.

Our surroundings can encourage or prevent us from being active. Activity-friendly environments include safe sidewalks and crosswalks, safe and appealing parks and playgrounds, amenities (such as shops) in easy walking distance, and access to public transportation.

The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat and compares your weight to your height. This is more reliable than just measuring your weight. You are at a healthy weight if your BMI is between 18.5 and 25.

Obesity can increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, depression, breathing problems and early death. Obesity can also affect your social life and sexual function. Losing weight, or avoiding gaining weight, can help improve your health.

The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat and compares your weight to your height. You have a healthy weight if your BMI is between 18.5 and 25. A greater waist size is also increases health risks, even for people who are not overweight.

To help with weight loss, start off by setting clear and realistic goals, develop an action plan, identify your current eating habits, and consult a health care professional. Eating a healthy and balanced diet and increasing your level of psychical activity is also helpful. Do not forget to keep tabs on your progress and seek support as needed.

Practicing mindfulness may help people lose weight by improving unhealthy eating behaviours.

Find a healthy eating and exercise plan that you can follow for life to help with weight loss. Avoid fad diets, be more active and cut back on added sugar foods. Find a plan that works for you and fits with your lifestyle.

Before you start a weight-loss program, talk to your health care provider. When picking a diet, think about what diets you have tried before, your preferences, and your budget. Look for a safe weight-loss program that promotes slow and steady weight-loss.

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet encourages you to eat less salt and more foods rich in nutrients like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Over time, the DASH diet could help you lower your blood pressure.

The Atkins Diet is a popular low-carbohydrate eating plan. This diet focuses on eating the right balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fats for weight loss and health. Check with your health care provider before starting any new diet.

The Atkins diet is a popular weight loss plan that focuses on a low-carbohydrate and high-fat diet. This diet seems to help people lose weight, but may have negative effects on different systems in the body. More research is needed about this diet.

The Paleolithic diet includes unprocessed, fresh foods that reflect the diet of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. This diet focuses on high protein and low carbohydrates. There is not enough research yet to say if the Paleolithic diet is a healthy option.

There is class of type 2 diabetes medication that can improve blood sugar control and also lead to weight loss. Depending on the exact medication and dose, weight loss could be 3 to 5.5 pounds, or more if you are actively trying to lose weight.

This web page provides some questions that you can use to discover if you are ready to lose weight. If you would like to lose weight but are not ready, you can use these questions explore what is holding you back.

Changing your diet to eat less calories seems to cause weight loss more effectively than doing exercise. Both are important parts of weight loss. Do not drastically reduce the amount of food that you are eating.

Intermittent fasting is when you alternate days of eating a lot and eating a little, or when you do not eat for 12 to 15 hours a day. Intermittent fasting might help you lose weight, but could cause problems for people with certain health conditions or medications.

Research shows that it might be helpful to track the food that you eat and exercise that you do in a day to help you lose weight. Both written and electronic tools can help.

More time spent watching television and sitting can increase your risk of obesity and related chronic diseases. Stay active and limit your sit time to help control your weight.

To reduce overeating, try to be more aware of how much you eat, cut down on sweet and salty foods, and eat when you are hungry, not to cope with stress. Avoid technology during meals and focus on the food you are eating.

Lower your 'sit time' and increase your 'fit time'. Exercise lowers your risk for: heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and some types of cancer. Exercise can also help improve your stress, sleep, risk of falling, mood and mental health.

Sugary drinks - such as soda, juice and energy drinks - are often high in calories and can lead to weight gain. Choose beverages that have little or no sugar added to them, such as water, coffee or tea. This resource includes a link to a sugar chart of common drink choices.

A vegetarian diet does not guarantee you will lose weight. You can gain weight if you eat large portion sizes or foods high in calories and fat. Eating a healthy diet and balancing the amount of calories you are consuming and burning is important to weight loss and maintenance.

Increased weight can put you at risk for things like joint pain, low energy, and many health problems. Lose weight by eating healthy and increasing physical activity. Ask your doctor if your weight might be affecting your health.

Exercising more, lowering salt consumption, and losing some weight are three non-drug related strategies that can help lower blood pressure.

For men, a waist size larger than 40 inches is an unhealthy amount of belly fat and increases risk of health problems. Slow weight loss through healthy eating and physical activity can help keep excess weight off.

A lower calorie diet and regular exercise with realistic goals can help you successfully lose weight. For long-term weight loss focus on changing your lifestyle, rather than temporary changes.

Having a good night's sleep is important for good health and may also be important for maintaining a healthy weight. Lack of sleep may lead to increased hunger and unhealthy diets, lower physical activity and lower body temperature.

Our weight is not just decided by our genes - our surroundings and lifestyle are important too. Watching too much TV, being inactive, eating processed foods, sweetened products and fast food all contribute to obesity.

Abdominal obesity can lead to health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Two ways to measure abdominal fat are waist circumference (easy to measure and interpret) and waist-to-hip ratio.

Be mindful of myths surround weight loss that are not supported by scientific evidence.