Nothing is more important than your health; you should always strive to take care of yourself! It’s not too difficult, you just have to keep your numbers in check. You already make sure that you get in your exercise and eat right, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re healthy. For example, you may have high blood pressure or cholesterol. If you get control of those numbers, not only may youย lose more weight,ย but it’s also another step closer to living a healthier life! Here are six numbers that you should pay attention to.
Blood Pressure:ย Having a high blood pressure can overwork your heart, lead to brain damage, kidney damage, blindness and other health issues. A safe blood pressure level is anything less than 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
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>> Read more: 10 Things to Help Reduce Your High Blood Pressure
Blood Cholesterol:ย Here’s an interesting fact. Cholesterol can’t be carried solely by your blood because it can’t dissolve in it, so it has to be carried by lipoproteins. Theย low density lipoproteins are known as bad cholesterol and the high density lipoproteins are the good cholesterol. A good overall cholesterol score should be less than 180 milligramsย perย deciliter (mg/dL).
Body Weight:ย How much you weigh can have major effects on your health. Being just 10 pounds overweight can increase your chances of having high blood pressure. It can also increase your risk for insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome! Health risks begin when your waist is more than 35 inches. Ideally your body mass index or BMI should be between 18.6 and 24.9.ย However, your ideal body weight varies based on your age, gender and height. Both your BMI and waist circumference are good indicators to tell you if you’re at a healthy weight. (viaย Heart)
>> Read more:ย Ideal Weight For Your Body Type
Daily Calorie Needs: On a daily basis, most women need about 2,000 calories a day. The best way to find out how many calories you need to to multiply your weight (in pounds) by 13 to 15 depending on how much you exercise.ย For each meal it usually ends up being about:
- 300 to 400 calories for breakfast
- 500 to 600 calories for lunch
- 600 to 700 calories for dinner
- 100 to 200 calories for one to two snacks
If you’re trying to lose weight, cut your calorie intake by 500!
Triglycerides: The fats and carbohydrates that you eat are converted into a form that can be stored in your fat cells. They are later released when you need extra energy between meals. There are always going to be trace amounts of triglycerides in your blood stream, but high amounts can be a sign of coronary artery disease. If you have high triglycerides with low HDLs, then the risk of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome increases. Normal triglyceride levels is anything less than 1.7 millimoles per literย (mmol/L).
Pulse Rate: Youย should ideally take your pulse once a month. Your pulse is how many time your heart beats per minute. Checking it allows you to figure out if your exercise routine is helping to strengthen your heart. A normal resting heart beat is 60 to 90 beats per minute. If you exercise regularly and if you’re fit you might have a lower heart rate because your heart muscles are in good shape.
>> Read more: How To Find Your Target Heart Rate
Source:ย Reader’s Digest
