According to theU.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at least one third of Americans are clinically obese. Louisianna, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia have the highest percentage of citizens who are considered obese.
The Dangers of Being Obese
Being overweight, or obese, can contribute to many preventable illnesses. Most of the extra calories we eat, that we do not need for energy, is stored as fat. This excess fat accumulates and causescrowding of the internal organs. Even moderateexcess weight can put stress on the back, legs, and internal organs, compromising health.Obesity increases the bodys resistance to insulin andlowers the immune system. It puts one at a higher risk for developing coronary artery disease, diabetes, gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, stroke, and other serious health problems. Some of thefactors that can lead to obesity are: glandular malfunctions, heredity, emotional tension, or ironically, poor nutrition. The most common causes of obesity, especially in our society, are poor diet and/or eating habits and a lack of excercise.
Despite the trend towards fitness and
losing weight in todays culture, Americans are continuing to gain weight. This can be contributed to a more sedentarylifestyle. Many of todays occupations involve office jobs and cubicles, as opposed to farming jobs and pre-industrialized trade and factory work.Sureyour great grandfather may have lived to be a healthy 98 years old, eating great grandmothers honey baked ham and cheese cake, but he may have been working ten hours in the fields, as opposed to 10 hours in front of a computer screen. Where his food came from nearby farms, it is often easier and cheaper for us to get fast food or pre-made foods which are high in calories but low in nutritional value.Rapid weight loss, fad diets, and frequent fasting are not recommended to achieve permanent weight loss. Alifetime commitment to ahealthier lifestyle,via diet and exercisecan achieve more lasting and beneficial results.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet
It is more important to eat a balance of proteins, complex carbohydrates, and some fat, than to just think of caloric intake. Proteins can increase your metabolic rate by as much as 30%, by eating balanced meals you get more steady blood sugur levels and the ability to burn stored body for fat for longer term weight loss. Skipping meals can have an adverse effect on dieting; the body believes that you are starving and may begin to cease burning calories, which slows your metabolism.Always eat breakfst to jump-startyour metabolism at the beginning of the day.Eat small, but nutritious meals every three to four hours throughout the day to keep your metabolism stable, and tofluctuations in your blood sugar. Eat raw foods as much as possible, bake, broil, steam or broil if needed, but do not fry. Try to include at least one meal that consists of rawfruits and vegetables. Eat more complex carbohydrates that offer protein, such as: tofu, lentils, plain baked potatoes, sesame seeds, beans, brown rice, whole grains, skinless turkey or chicken breast, and white fish(no shellfish). Avoid diet soda, artificial sweeteners may cause sugar cravings, soda, sweetened juices and sports drinks. Instead drink 6-8 glasses of liquids a day. Lemon can be added to water, or herbal teas mixed with unsweetened fruit juice, sparkling water mixed with fruit juices can be some nice alternatives to water. Keep a diet diary to keep track of what you eat, the caloric and fat content, and what triggers your eating.
The most important step: Exercise
Excercise is really the only true way to make sure you lose weight. The basic tenet of
weight loss is to expend more calories than you take in, so some form of exercise is necessary to reach your goal weight.
You can begin by thinking of ways to get more activity everyday. Use the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to places that are close, instead of driving, try parking further away from your destination. Find activities that you would enjoy, maybe a dance class, martial arts, or try one of the physical interactive gaming devices like the wii. Excercise increases the metabolic rate and is better than an overly strict diet for controlling your weight and maintaining good health. If you are older and have been sedentary for some time, or have a health condition that makes excercise difficult, consult your health care provider before beginning an exercise program. If you have been sedantary for some time, try excercising in the water. water aerobics tone the body and strengthen the heart without straining the joints.
