Lifestyle Management Plan - Essay Example

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, almost half of Australia’s youth (below 35 years) is afflicted with problems of overweight and obesity and males are affected more than females (42% vs. 31%) (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011). Obesity is considered a lifestyle disease because its two major causative factors, namely eating more calories than required by the body and lesser burning up of these calories due to low physical activity can be easily targeted by interventions that aim at modifying the lifestyle of a person (Fairburn & Brownell 2002).

Also, this disease is what leads to development of other lifestyle diseases in the long run such as insulin resistance and diabetes, hypertension and lipid metabolism disorders such as hypercholesterolemia, sleep disturbances, low fitness levels and coronary heart disease. (Lavie, Milani & Ventura 2009)) Additionally, obesity is considered a risk factor for osteoarthritis, certain cancers and venous diseases (National Heart Lung and Blood Institute 2012). Given my BMI (28.5) falling in the overweight category along with a positive family history for diabetes and hypertension, a huge prevalence of this lifestyle disease amongst young adults of Australia, and the fact that this single disease has been linked to so many other diseases, it becomes imperative to formulate a lifestyle management plan to address this problem and prevent obesity.

As a paramedic, I cannot expect to do my duty as a health care provider sincerely and expect my patients to take my advice seriously if my own health is at risk. National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australia has issued evidence based guidelines for management of obesity in adults (Department of Health and Aging 2012). The roles of limiting energy intake, increasing physical activity along with medical and surgical treatment have all been discussed with a strong emphasis on lifestyle management for long term weight loss.

Based on these guidelines, I will follow the below mentioned plan for weight loss for next 4 weeks and evaluate its effectiveness for further incorporation into my academic and professional lifestyle itself. Goals of the 4-week plan 1) Realistically achievable weight loss of at least 500 grams per week (more than 2 kilograms in 4 weeks) 2) 2 cm reduction in waist circumference Long term goals 1) BMI of less than 25 2) Waist circumference less than 100 cm 3) Maintenance of a physically active lifestyle with healthy eating habits.

Step 1 – Measurement of baseline parameters Before starting the plan, I will measure the baseline parameters like weight, height, BMI, blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid profile, liver function tests and TSH (Bray & Bouchard 2005). Step 2 – Diet modification The most important component of any weight loss programme is restriction of energy intake. I will modify my calorie intake as per the following steps as they do not involve drastic calorie reduction or a significant change in my daily routine so can be followed on a long term basis. a) Following an1800 kcal diet plan formulated by a dietician according to availability and preferences. b) Keeping a food diary and calorie count, watching portion size, consuming smaller frequent meals (5 to 6) rather than 3 heavy meals. c) Never skipping breakfast – having breakfast cereals as per the diet chart. d) Salads and sandwiches for lunch –