Health Risks of Obesity

It's pretty well known that obesity has a negative connotation. Unfortunately, people may not see the multiple risks that obesity can have on your health. The risks work hand in hand with how obese you are. The more obese, the greater the risk, and the more health complications you will face in your lifetime. The reason for the obesity problem in America is simple, the American people just don't understand, or know the health risks of their eating and exercise choices. Listed below are the different effects associated with obesity.

Obesity can cause cancer, diabetes, heart failure, and even death. The problem with obesity is that many don't see it as a problem, and often blow it off, and belittle their problem. Obesity can really affect a person's life. Even mild obesity can lead to cancer or diabetes, both of these illnesses are huge life impacts, and not only affect you, but also your family and friends. Liver disease, stroke risks, gallbladder disease, and breathing issues are all risks of obesity, and are all serious life changing complications.

Even pregnancy can be affected by obesity. Mother and child can both die during labor, simply from the mother's obesity. Obesity can immediately change the fate of a family, leaving a father and child without a mother, mother whose child died during birth, or even a father left without both a wife and child. Though obesity doesn't seem like an issue, it is one of the leading causes of death and life long illnesses, and can even destroy a family in a matter of minutes.

 Also, obesity is hereditary, meaning your children will have a larger chance of being over weight in their adult years, and each health risk is more prone to happen to them. Not only does obesity directly affect those who suffer from it, but it also affects the children. The life choices you make today; the food you eat, the way you exercise (or don't exercise), the weight you gain throughout your life... these will all affect your children!  Do you really want your children to suffer from cancer or heart failure from simply being obese for hereditary reasons? Think wisely about the health choices now, because they will inevitably affect your children, and even further generations down the road, and more importantly, they will affect you in the long run.

On the bright side, there are simple solutions to overcome obesity. The number one way to become healthier and lower your risk of obesity is exercise. Exercise is literally the easiest way to save your health, and it can even be fun. Instead of doing exercises that make you cringe and regret the idea of even working out, do something you like. For example, go to a dance class, play a sport you enjoy, or even get a group of your friends together to walk around the neighborhood. Another major way to avoid and beat obesity, is to watch what you eat. Cut out the junk food, eat smaller portions and over all, just eat healthier foods for your body. Keep in mind that obesity has many damaging effects to your body, and the bodies of generations to come. Take control of your obesity. Don't let obesity beat you, and keep working for a healthier body.

Don't be a Loner

Are you bored of exercising alone?  Don’t get discouraged!  There are plenty of group classes offered at all gyms.  The classes vary from body pump to Zumba.  No matter what level of fitness you are at you can join any of these classes. Beginners are usually in the back of the class and advance are usually in the front.   If I’m in the mood for dancing then I go to a Zumba class and if I’m in the mood to give my muscles a hard work out then I go to a body pump class.

A Zumba class incorporates aerobics and high energy.  You can burn between 400 to 900 calories depending on how much effort you put in.  What you put into a work out is what you get out of it.  If you already made it to the gym then might as well burn as many calories as possible, this will get you faster results and make your work out efficient.  Body pump is less aerobics and more body sculpting.  Both aerobics and weight lifting are important if you want to become lean.  It is a good idea to take these classes if you are a beginner.  The instructors of these classes are professional trainers and can help you with your form and give free advice on dieting. 

When you work out in a group you tend to be more motivated.  Anne Fritz, author of TheBenefits of Group Exercise, agrees that working out as a group is better.  An example of a benefit is the others in the class may cheer you on to push a little harder.  It is a great way to work out.  In my case, when a work out becomes intense I look over to the person next to me and realize that they are doing the same exercise, therefore I can do it too.

My Experience with Diets

My goal weight has changed dramatically throughout the years.  When I weighed 160 pounds my goal was 150 pounds and when I reached my goal of 150 pounds my new goal was 140 pounds.  Now that I’m at 140 pounds my new goal is 135 pounds.  It is common among people to want more after reaching their goal.  In my opinion that is fine but acknowledge that you are making an improvement.   I was always in sports as a child and even some in college but now I go to school full time and work full time so I’m limited on how much I can work out.  The difference between me and a lot of people is that I enjoy working out, it’s my hobby.  My down fall was my diet.

Most diets deprive people from many food products and sometimes taking an entire food group out.  This is unhealthy and leads to a diet failure and becomes unrealistic for the long run.  Many people think diets are temporary but realistically they should become a lifestyle.  Unlike me when some people reach their goal they stop their diet and inevitably gain all the weight they lost.  This is why strict diets fail.  Depending on your diet it can get expensive.  If you’ve ever shopped at Trader Joe’s or at any Farmers Market you’d understand.  People think that diets can lower your metabolism but that can only happen if you cut back dramatically on calories and only eat a few times throughout your day.  When you take away food from your body it will hold on to the food you consume and you will not burn the calories.  Similar to starving your body and if you do this then it will slow down your metabolism.

The diet that presented the best result was when I changed my entire lifestyle.  I quit drinking alcohol on a regular basis and quit smoking.  That was the biggest change in my lifestyle.  I continued working out 6 days a week and the weight dropped instantly.  Within a few weeks I lost 10 pounds.  My diet didn’t change because I was always cautious of my calorie intake.  I ate 5-6 times a day (small meals) and after every work out I had a protein shake or bar.  My BMI was approximately 2,300 calories therefore I consumed less than 2,000 calories to lose weight.

A mistake that many people do is cutting out junk food completely.  You don’t need to cut out junk food but you do need to eat it in moderation.  If you are craving chocolate, you should have some chocolate!  This does not mean have the whole candy bar, have a couple of pieces as a treat.  Lastly, when I work out I do activities that I enjoy.  I love to weight train with my husband and I enjoy fun cardio.  Fun cardio to me are things such as hiking, swimming, biking, and playing different sports.  Not only am I burning calories but I am spending quality time with my husband and having fun.

Start your Diet Today

     When you first start a diet, make sure it’s not impossible.  Don’t set yourself up for failure.  Figure out a diet that fits your schedule and lifestyle.  On days you know you’ll be busy prepare a quick healthy lunch including: protein, carbs, and fats.  Discipline your food intake and keep track of your calorie consumption.  Remember that 3,500 calories is 1 pound, to be able to lose weight you have to burn more than what you eat.  Write down what you eat and look up the calories if the food doesn’t have nutrition facts.  Many restaurants have a nutrition guide, take a look at the food value.  At the end of the day add up all the calories and see how you did. 
      You are going to want to check out how many calories you need a day (BMI).  This will help you figure out if you gained weight or lost weight that day.  It might be a slow process but it’ll prepare you for a healthy lifestyle.  Plan on eating six small meals per day.  This is based on the idea that decreasing the amount of time between meals increases metabolism.  Eating more often helps keep you from getting overly hungry. This type of eating program takes some planning, but it has proved successful for many when it comes to weight loss.
      For people who hate exercising there are plenty of activities you might enjoy.  Don’t limit yourself to only going to the gym.  You can play sports, be productive and do house chores, enjoy the outdoors and take a hike, take a group class (Zumba), try workout videos, or simply go to the gym if you don’t mind it.

Thanksgiving Tips

Since Thanksgiving is fast approaching, I thought I should give some tips on a few healthy Thanksgiving recipes. A common misconception associated with family gatherings and holiday dinners is that every meal is full of calories, carbs, and fat, this is far from true! Instead of packing on the holiday pounds, you’ll be able to keep up your good eating habits, and continue the journey to a healthier you, by simply doing research on recipes, and finding foods that catch your eye.

 This first article gives many helpful recipes for a healthier, less guilt ridden Thanksgiving. You can still eat all of the delicious Thanksgiving necessities without all of the fat and calories. Simply substitute the flavors of butter and fats with fruits and vegetables, giving your food a richer, more sophisticated flavor. Different nuts can also be used to create a tasty Thanksgiving dinner. 

Of course, along with dinner, you must have the Thanksgiving Dessert. Desert may seem full of sugar and carbs, but there can still be delectable deserts that still are healthy for you. Using evaporated milk instead of heavy whipping cream immediately makes desserts healthier, while you can still enjoy the nostalgic taste of Thanksgivings’ passed. Fruits based desserts are also a way to keep your Thanksgiving feast healthy and mouth-watering. Many Thanksgiving favorites can be altered and improved to be healthy for both you and your guests.

Hopefully these recipes were helpful to you, and gave you the encouragement and motivation to keep eating healthy. Keep using smart food choices, and enjoy your healthier Thanksgiving meal. 

Why Juice

They say you should have about 3-6 servings of vegetables a day and 2-4 servings of fruit. How many of us actually consume that many servings of veggies each day? Some people consume only 3-6 servings of vegetables a week, which means we are not getting all the nutrients we need. It is difficult to eat all the nutrients we need on a daily basis. Many people turn to vitamins for their nutrients, but people who juice on a daily basis benefit more. Juicing vegetables and fruits is a quick and easy way to get the nutrients you need all in one cup.

Reasons why to Juice:
According to Mercola.com juicing helps you absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. This is important because most of us have impaired digestion as a result of making less-than-optimal food choices over many years, which limits your body's ability to absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. Juicing will help to "pre-digest" them for you.
In addition Juicing allows you to consume an optimal amount of vegetables in an efficient manner (Mercola.com)

 Each vegetable contains a certain vitamin that you can benefit from and probably a nutrient you are lacking. For example Kale being one of the healthiest veggies; is high in fiber, iron, vitamin K and is filled with powerful antioxidants. The taste of kale is not the most pleasant and is why we don't consume enough of it but a great way to consume kale is by juicing. By juicing you can drink the kale and get the nutrients you need, you can add a green apple to the juice to make the taste more pleasant.

I purchase a juicer a couple months ago and I love it. It has been the best way for me to get the nutrients I need. Before juicing I had never eaten a beet and ginger, now I juice both of those veggies which are considered "super foods." Whenever I have a cold I juice ginger, I usually use about a chunk of it because it has a strong taste, but honestly it has cure my flu more than once. I didn't have to go to the doctor I just juice the foods that fight the flu and it work. I also notice I gained more energy from juicing and the migraines that I would get often went away.

A juicer is an investment but it is worth every penny because your health is important. There are many recipes you can find online and you can even experiment veggies and fruit you like.

My two favorite recipes:
 A chunk of ginger, 5 carrots and 1 orange
Handful of spinach, 2 celery sticks and 1 orange
Both are nutritious and delicious

For more recipes and benefits of juicing check out  LiveStrong.com

What Working Out Will Do For you

Working out does not only help you to feel better about the way you look, but will also benefit your body in a multitude of ways. As Sullivan said in his article, working out and exercising makes a person healthier, happier, and even makes them sleep better.

It's a given that working out is good for the body, however; people fail to realize how simple and easy a good work out can be. Exercising helps a person's body become more conditioned, helps a person lose the extra weight, and helps a person become more satisfied with what they see in the mirror. The hardest part of this process is finding workout routines that shape to your schedule and time constraints. Fortunately, there are many workouts you can do at home. So instead of laying back and watching TV, how about lifting some weights while still enjoying the TV, or going for a quick paced walk around your neighborhood. Both of these activities consume little time, and will still improve your body image. Also, instead of paying for a gym membership every month, you would spend little to no money with the above list of exercises; these ideas are fool proof!

It has also been discovered that exercising regularly actually causes you to be happier! When you exercise, you release endorphins, these endorphins are what make you feel happier and less stressed out. If you're having an overwhelming day, all you need to do is exercise, preferably a type of exercise you enjoy doing, and you will start to feel better, and more accomplished. Working out after a long, hard day at work will give you the energy and confidence to continue through your night. Also, you will undoubtedly feel better and happier about yourself by simply losing weight, and becoming the person you've always wanted to be.

Exercising has one more impressive component, it makes you sleep better. As Jacob says in his article, sleep is something which everyone needs, and everyone needs a large amount of it. On the downside, sleep is often put off for late night events, however; sleeping longer and being in a deeper sleep would actually give you more energy to do the late night scene. Exercising regularly is proven to help you sleep better, and stay in a deeper sleep, both of which cause you to have more energy the next day. The best part of this, is that you don't need to do a long, strenuous workout routine, instead you only need to do something that will get your heart rate up, and release endorphins. A simple at-home exercise will give you just the right amount of exercise you need to have a better night's rest, a more energetic next day, and a happier person to greet your co-workers.

Regular exercise and workouts are necessities that many people often put off. However, now that you know the benefits of exercise to you and your body, hopefully you won't be one of those people! Remember, working out not only improves the way you look, but also your sleep pattern, and your happiness level. And don't forget the helpful at-home work out routines you can do after a stressful day at work.