Almost
108 million Americans were overweight or obese in 1999. Until
now, obesity continues to be a serious problem and is predicted
to reach epidemic levels by the year 2020.
One way to prevent this scenario is to make people aware of the
risks of being overweight or obese.
Here are some diseases that you are putting yourself in risk of
if you are carrying a lot of extra pounds:
1. heart disease
2. stroke
3. diabetes
4. cancer
5. arthritis
6. hypertension
Losing weight helps to prevent and control these diseases.
The quick weight loss methods which have spread like fire these
days do not provide lasting results. More often than not,
dieting methods which involve dietary drinks, foods and
supplement or pills do not work. If they do, the results are
just temporary.
It is better to rely on a healthy weight loss option which will
provide lifetime results. You have to set realistic goals and
not expect to lose a lot of pounds in a short span of time.
Here are some tips on how you can lose those unwanted pounds the
healthy way:
1. Do not starve your self.
The key to a healthier way of losing weight is: Do not diet.
You may seem happy and feel that you are losing those unwanted
flabs on your belly and thighs by skipping meals. But remember
that this would not last long. Your body cannot tolerate having
insufficient food to fuel the energy that you use up everyday.
If you get used to skipping one or two meals a day, your stored
calories will be used up instead of the energy that should have
been provided by your meals. So if you just eat one huge
sandwich in one day, it will end up straight to your problem
area (i.e. highs, buttocks, hips).
2. Start your day right.
Mothers always say that breakfast is the most important meal of
the day. Have a healthy meal in the morning to jump-start your
metabolism.
Your food intake after you wake up will be used to burn fat all
day long.
3. Eat small, healthy meals frequently.
Five small-serving snacks per day is better than three hearty
meals. Eating more frequently, and in small servings, can
prevent over-eating. This will also increase your metabolism and
make calories burn faster.
4. Decide on how much weight you want to lose.
Keep your goals realistic. In the long run, it is virtually
impossible for you to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks. Have a mindset
that you want to eat healthy to stay healthy for the rest of
your life.
Once you have decided on a weight loss plan or program, stick to
it and make sure that you follow your own set of dieting rules.
5. Drink lots of water.
Your body needs sufficient water to burn fat and keep your cells
hydrated and healthy.
6. Avoid too much sugar.
Plan your meals around lots of fruits and vegetables, some
bread, rice or pasta for that carbo fix that you need, plus lean
meat and protein rich-foods. Sweets, sodas and pastries should
be once-in-a-while indulgences only.
7. Watch your fat intake.
Fat is not the culprit to being overweight. You need this to
keep your weight at the proper level.
There is such a thing as healthy fats. Olive, peanuts and canola
oil have them. Tuna, salmon and mackerel have omega-3 fats which
is good for the heart.
8. Exercise.
Leave your car if you are only going a few blocks from home,
take the stairs instead of the elevator, jog, cycle or skate.
Use these activites and other home chores if you are too lazy to
go to the gym and take exercise classes. Make sure that you do
this regularly and you will not even notice that you are already
shedding pounds with these mundane activities.
It does not matter how much weight you plan or need to lose.
What is important is that you set realistic goals for yourself.
Go slow. If you have already lost 5 or 6 pounds, give yourself a
break then try to lose the next 5 pounds.
Eat healthy, drink lots of water, have enough sleep and
exercise. This will give you a higher chance of losing weight
and improving your health, which would result to a new,
healthier you.
Other
Valuable Weight Loss, Health, and Dieting Websites:
WebMD.com
MayoClinic.com
About.com
CNN Health
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