Over weight is one of the biggest deterrents to successful middle age, and is also one of the greatest threats to health and longevity. As one physician said, Consider how few really obese persons you see over 60 years of age. Unfortunately, in middle age most of us maintain the eating habits of our youth while we cut down on our exercise. The result: added weight that acts as a deterrent to our physical well-being.

The overweight person is more likely to develop arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney trouble, and many other disabling or fatal disorders. As medical authorities always say, Pity the fat man, the statisticians number his days

If you do not know what your ideal weight should be, a physician can tell you. To check yourself, try the pinch test. Take a pinch of skin on your upper arm just below the shoulder. If more than a half-inch separates your fingers, you are too fat. Try the same test on your stomach when you’rre standing erect. And, of course, your mirror can reveal the tell-tale signs of middle-age fat the double chin, sagging belly, flabby arms and legs.

Is there any magic way to reduce? The only sure way is to eat less, and to continue this practice all the time. It will not help if you go on a crash diet and then resume your normal eating habits. And while exercise will help control weight and burn up excess calories, probably the best exercise is to push yourself away from the table before you’ve overeaten.

Calories do count, and usually the caloric intake of a person in the 40- to 55-year age bracket should be one-third less than that of a person between ages 25 and 40. Again, your physician or a good calorie-counter can help you determine what to eat and how much.

Here are some additional tips from nutritionists to help you lose weight:

Cut down on quantity. Don’t over-eat. You may think you need more but you only need to eat what is required for your nourishment. Train your appetite to eat less.

Eat less frequently. Don’t do all the eating in just one sitting. Spread the intake of food throughout the day. Hospitals have been doing this for their patients, serving as much as five small meals in a day.

Avoid foods rich in calorie. Such foods are jams, bread, sauces, creams, etc. These foods are not really rich in nutrients so there’s no use on eating them too much.

Enjoy food for their real taste. Learn to like the natural flavors of the food that you eat. Don’t add more like putting butter in vegetables or pouring milk in a cup of coffee.

Serve food in small portions. Never take amounts which you think is more than your system can digest. Also avoid second servings.