Obesity

“Why Obesity Is A Threat to Your Health Like Smoking”.

A previously published article with the following conclusion, "Obesity now poses as great a threat to Americans' quality of life as smoking," appeared in the February 2010 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. After analyzing "1993-2008 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System that included interviews with more than 3.5 million adults," researchers found that "quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost to obesity are equal to, or greater than, those lost because of smoking." Notably, "obesity had a larger effect on disease, while smoking had a greater impact on deaths, the researchers found."

In addition, "the study showed that from 1993 to 2008, the proportion of smokers among US adults declined by 18.5%, while the proportion of obese adults increased 85%," WebMD (1/5/10, Warner) reported. While "smoking-related QALYs lost remained relatively stable during this time period at 0.0438, or 16 days of healthy life lost per adult population," the "quality-of-life problems caused by obesity increased and accounted for 0.0464 QALYs lost." 

So, what does this mean for you? Well, since almost 62% or almost 140 million Americans were overweight or obese according to a 2011 Gallup Poll there is a greater than 50% chance that your weight can be just as harmful to you as smoking a pack of cigarettes per day.  Would you have ever imagined that?

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

One way to prevent this scenario is to lose weight which helps to prevent and control these diseases and increase your odds for living a longer, healthier life.

Now, many of the quick weight loss methods which have spread like fire these days may cause a temporary loss of pounds, but  do not provide lasting results. More often than not, dieting methods 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 long term results. You have to set realistic goals and not expect to lose all of the pounds you don’t want 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 yourself. The key to a healthier way of losing weight is to eat regular portions of healthy food. Do not diet and starve yourself.

2. Start your day right with a healthy breakfast; this is the most important meal of the day.

3. Eat small, healthy meals frequently. For example, five small-servings per day is better than three large meals. Eating frequently, and in smaller servings, will minimize your over-eating, increase your metabolism and make calories burn faster.

4. Decide on how much weight you want to lose and make the appropriate changes to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week for as long as it takes to get to your goal and stick with it. So what if it takes you a year to lose 50 to 100 pounds if you do it slowly, you can keep the weight off for good.

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.

7. Watch your fat intake and eat healthy fats only. Including olive oil, peanuts and canola oil have them. Tuna, salmon and mackerel have omega-3 fats which is good for the heart.

8. Exercise.

9. Sleep regularly for at least 7 hours a night. Getting less sleep than this does not allow your body’s hormones that metabolize fat to readjust, so you will not be able to lose weight no matter how hard you try.

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.  It is important to keep making steady progress to your goal and avoid the setbacks that cause your weight to go up and down and up and down.

If you have an interest in more information on how you can lose weight effectively, order our “10 Secrets to Weight Loss” workbook and guide today, CLICK HERE.