Peripheral Vascular Disease

Hello, and thanks for your medical question on E Health Forum.

Peripheral vascular diseases include a variety of medical conditions which result from atherosclerosis, inflammatory processes leading to stenosis, an embolism, or thrombus formation. PVD also includes a subset of diseases classified as microvascular diseases resulting from episodal narrowing of the arteries (Raynaud's phenomenon), or widening thereof (erythromelalgia), i.e. vascular spasms.

Without knowing which exact condition you have been diagnosed with, it will not be able to comment upon.

Here are a few tips to guide you to help you lose weight.

The best way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories and increase your physical activity. Crash diet with a very low calorie intake and physical workouts for a few weeks have not been found to be a effective way to lose weight. Contrary to the belief, losing weight and maintaining it over a long time is not easy. To achieve that, a concerted effort, determination and patience and a long term game plan is needed

Here are a few things which may help you to help you in your goal to achieve weight reduction.

A. GOAL SETTING : The first step to weight loss is setting a realistic goal.

Your Weight calculation: Based of the history provided, you seem to have a BMI of 36.9 (Body Mass Index greater than 30 is considered as obesity). To have a healthy body weight you need to lose at least 55 to 65 pounds. To reach your goal safely, plan to lose weight gradually. A weight loss of half to 2-3 Lbs a week is usually safe for you.

Target Weight Loss: Keep a goal to lose the target of 60 Lbs in about 6 - 8 months, that is 7-8 Lbs a month. This target is realistic and achievable for you.

Calorie requirement : The average calorie requirement for maintainance for you would be around 2430 calories. Considering that you work out 5 times in a week at intense rate the calorie requirement for burning fat and losing weight would be 1945 to 1600 per day respectively.

2. LIFE STYLE CHANGE: Change Your Lifestyle To be successful at losing weight and not just go on a diet. This requires cutting back on the number of calories you eat by eating smaller amounts of foods and choosing foods lower in calories. It also means being more physically active.

3. EATING HABITS: Change Your Eating Habits. Consider limiting portion sizes, especially of high calorie food (such as cookies, cakes, sweets; fried foods, like fried chicken and french fries; and fats, oils, and spreads). Keep your intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol as low as possible. Choose foods naturally high in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes (such as beans and lentils), and whole grains. The high fiber content of many of these foods may help you to feel full with fewer calories.

4. Increase Your Physical Activity: Exercise does not have to be strenuous to be beneficial. Short sessions of exercise several times a day are just as effective at burning calories and improving health as one long session. To lose weight and to maintain a healthy weight after weight loss, you need at least 30-45 minutes of moderate to intensive physical activity daily. Walking is an excellent form of physical activity that almost everyone can do.

5. Summary Successful weight loss and healthy weight management depend on sensible goals and expectations. If you set sensible goals for yourself, chances are you'll be more likely to meet them and have a better chance of keeping the weight off.
You may benefit by consulting your physician, a dietitian and a fitness trainer who may help you with your goal to lose weight.

I hope this information here is helpful.