Overweight Children Statistics » Obesity

Childhood Obesity

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:44:59 +0000

Obesity has been receiving a lot of media attention recently with statistics showing that the problem is increasing at an alarming rate. Historically obesity has been exclusively seen as a problem of adults, becoming more prevalent with advancing age, however with children’s lifestyles becoming less and less active due to a number of factors, obesity in children is also on the rise. There have always been fat children but they were always an exception to the norm. Indeed fat children have been recognised in literature throughout the generations, with Charles Dickens’ portrayal of the fat boy in The Pickwick Papers and Billy Bunter in the 20th century. However, they were notable because fat children were a rarity. Obesity is no longer uncommon in children and the problem of childhood obesity is spiralling out of control. In fact the problem is becoming so bad that there are now fears the current generation of children may be the first for centuries in whom their life expectancy will be lower than their parents. Considering the extent to which life expectancy levels increased over the 20th century, this is a substantial reversal.

· The Health Survey for England 20021 states that 16% of boys and girls aged 2 to 15 are obese with a total of 30% classified as either overweight or obese. A third of young adults are either overweight or obese (32% of young men and 33% of young women). In addition, 9% of young men and 12% of young women are actually obese.

· Several factors have now been shown to predict the development of obesity in individuals such as a family history of obesity, lifestyle, diet and socioeconomic factors.

Causes of Obesity in Childhood

There are a variety of factors that are attributed to this dramatic increase in childhood obesity cases. A reliance on cars is thought to be a major factor, with children more often driven to school than walking or cycling. A drastic decline in the amount of compulsory physical education in primary and secondary schools is almost certainly a contributor. An increasing reliance on computer games for entertainment in the younger generations is also cited as a major reason. In the past children would have sought entertainment from playing outdoors, engaging in more physical activity. Of course the streets have always been seen as a safer place for children to play in the past than they are now so it could be said that a reliance on computer games may be a reasonable response to social concerns.

However, bad eating habits have been identified as the major cause of childhood obesity. Increasing reliance on convenience food, a lack of proper nutrition in meals, an avoidance of fruit and vegetables and a rise in between-meal snacking are all common problems. A recent focus on unhealthy school meals by TV chef Jamie Oliver highlighted the problem of lack of nutrition in school meals. Pupils were able to buy junk food for lunch on a daily basis with no encouragement from the schools to look to more healthy alternatives. Thankfully since Jamie Oliver’s campaign for schools to take more responsibility for the provision of healthy school meals aired on the BBC, there has been a dramatic shift in the way the primary and secondary education sectors approach the provision of school meals. The government have also addressed the problem officially by releasing the ‘nutritional standards for schools’ – a set of nutritional guidelines that all primary and secondary schools most adhere to by September 2009.

Obesity and Heredity

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:52:11 +0000

Type and Genes In some animal species, the shape and size of the individual’s body is largely determined by the shape and size of its parents’ bodies. Many scientists have explored the role of heredity in determining human body shapes. Some researchers argue that obesity has a strong genetic determinant (it tends to run in families).They cite statistics showing that 80 percent of children having two obese parents are also obese. But why is this the case? Can you really blame your parents for your problems with weight?• Twin Studies Studies of identical twins who were separated at birth and raised in different environments have provided us with some of the most conclusive evidence to date that obesity may be an inherited trait. Whether raised in family environments with fat or thin family members, twins with obese natural parents tend to be obese in later life. According to another study, sets of identical twins who were separated and raised in different families and who ate widely different diets still grew up to weigh about the same. So, if you are overweight, you cannot blame it all on your parents for overfeeding you as a child.These studies contain the strongest evidence yet that the genes a person inherits are the major factor determining overweight, leanness, or average weight. Although the exact mechanics remain unknown, it is believed that genes set metabolic rates, influencing how the body handles calories. Some experts believe that this genetic tendency may contribute as much as 25 to 40 percent of the reason for being overweight.• Specific Obesity Genes? In the past decade, more and more research has pointed to the existence of a special “fat gene.” The most promising candidate is the Db gene (for obesity), which is believed to disrupt the body’s “I’ve had enough to eat” signaling system and may prompt individuals to keep eating past the point of being comfortably full. Research on Pima Indians, who have an estimated 75 percent obesity rate and nine in ten who are overweight, seems to point to an Ob gene that is a “thrifty gene.” It is theorized that because their ancestors had to struggle through centuries of famine, their ancestor’s basal metabolic rates slowed, allowing them to store precious fat for survival. They may have passed these genes on to their children, explaining the lower metabolic rates found in Pimas today and their greater propensity for obesity. Scientists have found that they can manipulate mice genes and construct an Ob gene that will invariably lead to fatness in mice and to the development of diabetes II. Many suspect a human counterpart to this gene, but an actual gene formation has yet to be found. In addition, the (Beta)-3 adrenergic-receptor gene has been identified and found in human beings and mice. When mutated, it is thought to impede the body’s ability to bum fat.Although the 1994 discovery of the Ob gene has provided fertile ground for speculation, researchers have since further refined their theories to focus on a protein that the Ob gene may produce, known as Leptin, and a new leptin receptor in the brain. According to these studies, leptin is the chemical that signals the brain when you are full and need to stop eating. Although obese people have adequate amounts of leptin and working leptin receptors, they do not seem to work properly, much like with the diabetic who has adequate insulin but is not able to utilize it properly.Another group of scientists appear to have isolated a more direct route to appetite suppression, a protein called GLP-l, which is known to slow down the passage of food through the intestines to allow the absorption of nutrients. When scientists injected GLP-l into the brains of hungry rats, the rats stopped eating immediately. Are leptin and GLP-l key factors in appetite suppression? It is speculated that leptin and GLP-l might play complementary roles in weight control.

Obesity Health Risks: Weight May Pose a Greater Health Risk than Smoking

admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:29:43 +0000

A few years ago, I heard about a very disturbing survey. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the statistical details, but I’ll never forget the point. Someone asked a group of children in a US primary school if they would rather lose an arm or be fat. Some overwhelming percentage (I want to say close to 80 percent) said they would rather lose the arm. Think about that for a second. Our society places such a severe stigma on being overweight that 5-year-old children say they would rather give up an arm than be fat.
There’s so much pressure around us to be thin that it’s easy to forget that optimal body weight really is about our health, and not just our trouser size. But recently, a couple of new studies on health and weight confirmed that maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves – and that letting it slide can be the most dangerous.
In one study, the American Medical Association reported that on average, obese people were found to have nearly twice the chronic health problems of people of normal weight. Keep in mind that obesity is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more. (BMI is a mathematical formula that calculates the ratio of height to weight.) It was adopted by the National Institutes of Health in 1998 as the new gold standard in body weight.
BMI’s of 18.5 to 24.9 are considered “normal,” while values of 25 and over are considered overweight. A BMI of 30 or higher ranks as obese. According to the AMA study, about 56 percent of the American population falls into the overweight group. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 19.8 percent of Americans are obese. Before BMI was introduced, the old Metropolitan Life height-and-weight charts were the yardstick and body weights 20 percent or more above the recommended levels were considered obese. Here in the UK things aren’t much better, as we’re getting fatter as a nation and obesity rates are on the increase.
But it was the other study I found absolutely shocking. It was put out by the RAND Institute in Santa Monica and was published in the latest edition of the British journal “Public Health.” Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the study consisted of a telephone survey of 9,585 adults who were asked about their weight, height, smoking and drinking habits, income, quality of life, and if they had any of 17 chronic health problems, including asthma, cancer, diabetes, and heart problems.
The researchers found that the obese people had slightly more health problems than people in poverty, and far more than daily smokers or heavy drinkers, indicating that obesity may be a much greater health risk. Honestly, I was dumb-founded. Smoking, heavy drinking, and poverty – these are three very strong, very negative forces with staggering effects on health. It seems almost unfathomable that being overweight could be more dangerous than they are. Obviously we aren’t saying that smoking or heavy drinking are good for you, but thought the comparison was very powerful.
If you’ve tried to lose weight and feel like you’ve lost the struggle, I can sympathize. Weight is something I’ve struggled with most of my life. So please don’t think I’m giving this advice lightly or think it’s as easy as skipping a serving of potatoes. Being overweight is a complex physical, mental and emotional problem for most of us who struggle with it. But looking at these studies, I realize that the time has to be now. I don’t want to wake up in 10 years and still be saying, “I’ll start tomorrow.”
In recent weeks, I’ve gotten back into an exercise routine that I’d been lax about, given up deserts, and stopped drinking all fizzy drinks – diet and regular.
Trust me. I know how hard it is. There are many mornings when I would rather push the snooze button than get up and get on that treadmill (today was one of them). And, as I said, I’ve given up a lot of my favorite foods recently. But it seems silly to have quit smoking years ago only to learn that a weight problem may end up being even more dangerous for me.
Let’s stop putting it off until tomorrow and start today – right now. It’s the absolute best thing we can do for ourselves – and the people who love us. And as those pounds come off (and they will!), you’ll look great while doing something important for your health.

Obesity – What Not to Do to Lose Weight

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 06:35:16 +0000

Life in today’s fast forwarded world is full of stress and anxiety. There is a never-ending struggle to succeed (or more commonly to exceed the next door) and owing to this, it’s not very uncommon to ignore our health and looks; and while this is certainly understandable to some extent considering the diabolical amount of workload our lifestyle is imposing on us, we have got to ask ourselves sooner or later “How long are we going to be able to continue this?” or perhaps “How long will my body allow me to continue living like this?”. Now let us just take the issue of obesity in USA. Now I don’t suppose you actually need me to tell you how serious the problem is; just take a look around. But perhaps there’s nothing like some statistical data on our hand to convince the omnipresent critics. So let’s have a look at the current trends in obesity in USA:”Today, 64% of all Americans weigh too much and over 30% are obese; in 1988 through 1992, fewer than 56% were overweight and fewer than 23% of American adults were obese.”Source: Exactly as written in “Calories Count – Report of the Working Group on Obesity” by the “U.S. Food and Drug Administration” and if that’s not enough, the statistics for children are even more shocking. Latest researches by the “U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” suggest that 15% of children and teenagers aged 6 to 19 are obese. This is more than double the obesity rates 2 decades ago. One thing is for certain though; as we Americans get heavier, our health suffers. Overweight and obesity increase the possibility of coronary heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and certain cancers to name a few. According to some unofficial sources, at least 400,000 deaths each year may be attributed to obesity!!So we’ve got a lot of statistics. Now what? How do they affect us? What do they mean to us? One thing is obvious; we, as Americans are getting obese and this is bad. As for the problems; apart from the health and medical concerns, there are a lot of economical issues. There are some speculations that the growing obesity and thus the reducing productivity has been a significant, if not major contributor in the Today’s “Weak Market”.And you know what the worst part is? We all know the solution to our problem. But we never do what we must to lose the fat. This is the thing that-for the lack of a better word-bothers me the most. And yeah of course all this hype about obesity has churned out some really ironic circumstances. Some years ago the problem was that the people were not concerned in the least bit about obesity; calling it another “hippies to the rescue” propaganda. But now with all the gyms and supposed magic pills which can reduce your weight at an unbelievable (and medically unhealthy) rate trying to wrangle out any cash they can from the customers, people are spending their hard earned money in the wrong direction to lose their weight. They get caught up in all these cheesy ads like “Hey, take this pill daily and lose xyz KGs of weight in abc days; While eating whatever you were eating already”. Now most people who buy these are not stupid enough to think that this would work the way the marketer says it. But they still buy it because the cost of the pill is nothing compared to the results that are promised. And they feel like they have nothing to lose even if the pills don’t work. This is the mentality that an internet marketer exploits. How do I know? I’ve been one myself for a long time. And trust me; buying “weight-reducing pills” is fine as long they don’t affect your health. But the problem starts creeping in when people get too dependent on these and stop doing what is obvious even to them to lose weight. They keep eating all the junk food at odd times and hope that the pills would work. Hah!!Now let me give you this one piece of advice. You do not need any pills to lose weight. You do not need any heavy “gymming” to lose weight. Those are for hardcore body-builders. I’ll give you a simple three step method to lose all that flab. The first thing you need to do is get your eating habit on a schedule. Now as I said when I started this article, it is difficult with today’s lifestyle to do this, but it is still better than going spending an hour a day in the gym. After you get your eating habits on track, it’s time to stop eating garbage. We all know that all these fries and pizzas we eat are going to end up as fat in our hips, but we just can’t control ourselves. And I’m not going to waste any of our time trying to convince you to not eat it, because you’ve probably heard anything I have to say to you a lot of times. But you know you’ve got to do this sooner or later. So well, do it. The final step is….. Enjoy your slim body and never go back to that flab again. That’s all. Of course you can spice this up a little by adding a little exercise. But didn’t I tell you we all knew the answer all along.So let me finish this off with this: Repeat after me: Obesity is bad. I know how to lose my fat. I do NOT need some stupid pill offered by some cheesy guy on how to lose weight. I need to stop cramming my mouth with junk and I’m going to do this starting right now. Congratulations, you are on your way to what you dreamt of. But I’ll tell you one thing though; I’m not making any friends with the McDonald’s Joker Ronald after this.

Why are Americans so Obese? What Should they Do To Become a Slimmer nation?

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:47:26 +0000

”Yummy, yummy, yummy, see my obese tummy!” should perhaps be America’s new national anthem.

How Overweight Is America?

How serious is obesity in America? According to Kathleen Donnelly for MSN Health & Fitness, statistics show that “…60 percent of adult Americans weigh too much, and 17 percent of American children and teens are overweight.”

And the problem continues to escalate. In the past thirty years, children in the USA are increasingly tipping the scales. The rise of obesity among children between the ages of 6 and 11 has gone from 4% to 13 % in three decades. Obesity in US children ages 12 to 19 has gone from 5% to 14%. And if a child is obese at the age of 6, it has a 50/50 chance of being obese for life. Obese thirteen year olds have a 75% likelihood of being obese for the rest of their lives. This problem is even more severe among blacks and Hispanics.

To remedy their plight, 103,000 morbidly obese Americans living in the United States had gastric bypass surgery in 2003. The complication rate was 7%.

What causes obesity?

Several causes for obesity have been suggested, including heredity, social-economic conditions, diet, and exercise. Since we can’t control who our parents are, let’s focus on social-economic conditions, diet, and exercise.

Obesity & Social-economic conditions

Numerous studies have concluded that there is a direct cause and effect relationship between a person’s level of education and their odds of being overweight. The greater their level of learning is, the slimmer their odds of obesity are.

Dysfunctional Diets, Inadequate Exercise, and Bulging Belt-lines

Of course, two obvious causes of obesity are dysfunctional diets and a lack of proper exercise. Americans are exercising less and less while simultaneously consuming too much junk food. The average US woman is now consuming 335 more calories per day than the average woman in 1971. Calorie intake among men has increased to an additional 168 calories per day. Is it any wonder that America is increasingly becoming an obese nation?

Health Risks Associated with Obesity

Discomfort about one’s appearance, however, is not the only downside to obesity. There are numerous health risks associated with being overweight. Obese individuals have a higher-than-normal rate of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, high lipids, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, strokes, respiratory disease, some types of cancers, heart disease, and other chronic and deadly conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts obesity will soon be America’s number one killer. In 2000, tobacco was linked to 435,000 deaths while obesity was close behind at 400,000 deaths.

What to Do About Obesity

There are primarily three things that most experts recommend to help maintain a healthy weight level: 1) Getting the proper amount of exercise, 2) eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, and 3) supplementing one’s diet with nutritional products.

The Value of Exercise

If you’re considering going on a diet to lose weight, remember that the important thing is not just to lose weight, but to keep it off. In order to lose weight and keep it off, there is no substitute for exercise. One study reported by The National Weight Control Registry shows that out of 3,000 individuals who lost a minimum of 30 pounds and kept it off for more than a year, only 9 percent lost weight without exercising.

How much exercise should an individual get?

The proper amount of exercise that an individual should get of course varies from individual to individual. To make certain you are getting the proper amount of exercise, consult your family physician.

Melissa Tennen, HealthAtoZ writer, says: “Get at least 30 minutes of activity on most days. To prevent weight gain, 60 minutes a day may be necessary.”

What is a Healthy Diet?

The short answer to the question, “What is a healthy diet?” is to eat a well-balanced diet that is as close as possible to the way nature intended. Fast foods and highly-processed foodless foods have been proven to have ill-effects on one’s health. Many are high in calories and low in nutritional value.

Yet not everyone has the time, the money, or the ability to eat “The Perfect Diet.” So what’s the solution?

The Importance of Supplementing Your Diet

No doubt, in a perfect world, we would not need vitamin pills, diet pills, and other nutritional supplements. We’d simply get everything our body needs from our food. But let’s get a reality check: This is not Eden. And getting everything your body needs from your diet alone is almost impossible. Plus, if you are overweight, you need extra help.

What to look for in a Weight-Loss Pill

If you’re looking for “The Perfect Weight Loss Pill,” there are a number of things to consider. Here are just a few:

Does the product’s formula utilize nutrients in the most absorbable and potent form available?

Most companies compromise on their nutrients. They use poorly absorbed forms or synthetically derived fractions of nutrients.

Does the product use ephedra stimulants or dangerous fat blockers?

For accelerated fat-loss support and increased performance, you need help with reducing hunger, utilizing fat, enhancing metabolism, and increasing true energy levels. Insist on a weight loss product that delivers all natural support for healthy weight loss, without using ephedra stimulants.

Also, avoid dangerous fat blockers. The perfect solution is to find a weight loss pill that works by helping support healthy digestion of stored fat and a healthy metabolism. Lipase is the enzyme responsible for breaking down fat, making it available for utilization as energy. Without lipase, fat is stored as excess body fat.

Does the product contain Citrin K™ and CLA?

Research shows Citrin K™ and CLA as two powerful ingredients in helping maintain healthy fat burning. Also important are Guggul lipids and chelated minerals. They help maintain a healthy thyroid and will reduce cravings. Weight loss pills containing these ingredients make for a healthier, safer and more effective body fat reduction formula.

Don’t forget the importance of fiber

Special types of fiber will expand in your stomach and will reduce your hunger without stimulation and drug-like effects. This, in turn, will help to nutritionally support healthy body fat levels.

Your body needs energy to burn fat

Finally, the most needed factor in losing body fat is keeping your energy levels up so you have the energy burn more fat.

Are there really any nutrients available today that help promote healthy and safe fat reduction? YES! Although there are many supplements today containing herbs like Guarana, MaHuang and Ephedra that can have potentially harmful side effects, there are still many that safely help the body reduce its fat stores.

Here are just a few of the most powerful nutrients which have been well-documented:

CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)

A study published in The Journal of Nutrition (December 2000, V12) established that the natural dietary supplement conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) reduces body fat. Jan Wadstein, MD, PhD, associate professor at Lund University in Sweden states, “CLA may be a valuable weight management supplement to any diet regimen. Keeping lean body mass and speeding up fat loss are the keys to a successful weight program.”

Garcinia Cambogia

Another supplement essential for weight loss is natural organic acid extract from the rind of the Malabar tamarind called Garcinia Cambogia. This compound has been associated with gradual decrease in body fat, nutritionally supporting healthy cholesterol levels, and suppressing hunger cravings frequently. A study performed by Katts, et al, concluded the administration of Garcinia Cambogia reduced deposition of body fat and promoted increased weight loss in human subjects. Citrin K is a proprietary formula proven to suppress appetite. The best and most researched form of Garcinia Cambogia can be found in our proprietary blend called Citrin K. Citrin K also supplies potassium, which plays a major role in maintaining the body’s fluid balance. There are other forms of Garcinia Cambogia on the market, but they don’t have the potency guarantee that Citrin K does.

Other micronutrients needed to support body fat metabolism include vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C and Zinc and Chromium. Look for a weight-loss supplement that will supply you with the highest quality of whole food vitamins and amino acid chelated minerals. This will help to nutritionally support a healthy metabolism, further enhancing your results.

Theobromine

Theobromine is an extraordinary nutrient found in chocolate. It helps maintain healthy levels of stress, giving you a confident and powerful feeling of health. This is a vital component to look for in a weight control product because it nutritiously supports the body in appetite suppression and provides an energetic, euphoric effect. This is very important, as many people scrap weight loss programs because of irritability and their inability to curb cravings.

So if you want to lose weight and keep it off, get the proper amount of exercise, eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, and supplement your diet with a weigh loss pill that meets the aforementioned criteria. The final word on diet pills is this: “The Perfect Weight Loss Pill” should contain the most powerful and safest nutrients available to help you nutritionally support healthy fat burning metabolism without harmful stimulants.

Are Kid’s Growing Bellies Increasing Their Odds of Alzheimer’s?

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:29:22 +0000

Best Ways to Get Your Kids Active

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:51:39 +0000

Video games, television and computers have become an American pastime for our children. It’s no wonder so many young kids are struggling with their weight, but the actual statistics might shock you. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight or obese and the number continues to rise. It’s truly an epidemic in America, and you’ve got to take action if you want to improve the state of your child’s health. It can be truly difficult to get your child off the couch with all of the technological distractions, but if you’re creative, you should be able effectively persuade your kid to get up and out of the house.

1. Set a good example. Yes of course you should be worried about the health of you children, but you should also be concerned about your own. If you don’t have a regular exercise plan, then can’t expect your children to have one. Don’t be hypocritical and start working out if you haven’t already. Kids often learn by example, so show the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the amazing results that can occur through dedication and hard work.

2. Change the way they think about exercise. Rather than telling your child that they need to exercise, you should be trying to promote fun through physical activity. There are simple ways to do this. You can make it into a game by getting whole family involved in tag or a jump-rope contest. You can also plan an activity party. Rather than loading up on cake and junk food for your child’s next birthday party, plan a bowling outing or take the kids rock climbing.

3. Let them try out some extreme sports. This is the perfect alternative for kids that aren’t necessarily great at traditional sports. Ask them which sport they want to try, whether it is snowboarding or paintball, then load up on all the supplies they might need. You can also easily rent a snowboard or paintball gun, if you aren’t ready to invest a lot of money before your son or daughter gives the sport a try.

4. Establish a routine. There should be some form of physical activity everyday. Whether it be taking the dog for a walk or going for a bike ride after dinner. If they only exercise sporadically, it’s unlikely that they will be able to keep their weight down. It will also be harder for them to maintain an exercise routine later in life.

Keeping your kids active can be a challenge, but the hard work is necessary for your child’s physical and mental health. By altering the way they think about exercise and physical fitness, you will be able to keep them active for the rest of their lives.

Lose Weight With a Friend

admin — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:36:53 +0000

Are you a woman who is looking to lose weight? Whether you are interested in losing weight to improve your physical appearance, your health, or both, you may be feeling a little bit hopeless. While many women are able to lose weight when they want to do so, others have a little bit harder time. If you are finding it difficult to lose weight, it may be because you are trying to go about losing weight all on your own. When it comes to weight loss, there are many women who find it easier, as well as less embarrassing, to doing their own weight loss program from home. While it is more than possible to exercise and workout by yourself, do you know that you don’t have to? In fact, many women who have a workout partner or a workout buddy find it easier to lose weight than going at it along. Two popular reasons as to why those who have a workout partner or a workout buddy see success is because of support and motivation. As nice as it is to hear that you should think about getting a workout buddy or a workout partner, to help you exercise and to help you lose weight, you may be wondering where that person may come from. Unfortunately, many women do not realize that they don’t actually have to look very far. If you are married or if you have a romantic partner, you may want to think about asking them to join you. Even if your partner isn’t a fan of exercising and working out, you can place a “quality time,” spin on it. In fact, if your partner is a little bit overweight or out of shape themselves, they may even want to join you in your weight loss adventures. This is the ultimate show of support. In addition to a romantic partner, you may want to think about asking any of your friends or family members if they would like to be your workout buddy or workout partner. When approaching your friends or family members, it is important to not focus on their weight or their physical appearance. Unfortunately, many women make the mistake of assuming that those that they know who are already in perfect shape wouldn’t have any reason to exercise, but you may be surprised. For that reason, you are advised to ask any friends or family members that you know to join you when you workout. If you have asked those that you know to join you as a workout buddy or a workout partner and you have still come up empty handed, you may want to consider joining a weight loss program. Locally operated weight loss programs are ideal, as you often get membership perks, like access to proven exercises, as well as healthy meals. Another benefit to joining a locally operated weight loss program is the support from other members. There is a good chance that one or more of your other weight loss program members would love to join you when you exercise. If and when you get a workout buddy, it may be a good idea to “spice up,” your exercises a bit. For instance, you may want to let your workout buddy or partner choose your exercises or activities for one day and then you choose for the next. This may help to keep your exercises fun and exciting.

The Basics of Being of the Atkins Diet

admin — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 07:09:14 +0000

The Atkins diet is not a new phenomenon. The diet first appeared in the late 1970s and has grown popularity in recent years in response to the low-fat diet craze. As dieters had trouble with low-fat plans, they searched for a new solution and Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution book found a new audience. A lot of people have jumped on the Atkins bandwagon and there has been a lot of hype as a result. But what are the basic principles of the Atkins diet? The Atkins diet is based on a theory of why we get fat. According to Dr. Atkins, the over-consumption of carbohydrates and simple sugars leads to weight gain. The way your body processes the carbohydrates you eat have more to do with your waistline than the amount of fat or calories that you consume. In his book, Atkins outlines a phenomenon called “insulin resistance.” He theorizes that many overweight people have cells that do not work correctly. When you eat excess carbohydrates and sugar, your body notices that sugar levels are elevated. Insulin is released from the pancreas in order to store sugar as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells for extra energy later on. However, your body can only store so much glycogen at once. As soon as your body reaches its limit for glycogen storage, the excess carbohydrates are stored as fat. This happens to everyone who eats too many carbohydrates. However, insulin resistant individuals have an even harder time of using and storing excess carbohydrates. The more insulin that your body is exposed to, the more resistant it becomes. Overtime, the pancreas releases more insulin and cells become insulin resistant. The cells are trying to protect themselves from the toxic effects of high insulin. They create less glycogen and more fat. As a result, insulin resistant individuals gain extra weight. The carbohydrates get converted into fat instead of energy. Other side effects include fatigue, brain “fog” (the inability to focus, poor memory, loss of creativity), low blood sugar (which can leads to hypoglycemia), intestinal bloating, sleepiness, depression and increased blood sugar. There is much more than weight at stake when you are insulin resistant. The remedy for people who are insulin resistant is a diet restricted in carbohydrates. The crux of the Atkins diet is a limitation of carbohydrates in all of its forms. The foods restricted on the Atkins plan include simple sugars (like cookies, sodas and sweets) and complex carbohydrates (like bread, rice and grains). Even carbohydrates that are considered healthy, such as oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat bread, are restricted on the program. The diet has you restrict your carbohydrate intake to less than 40 grams a day. This will put your body in a state of ketosis. While in ketosis, your body will burn fat as fuel. According to Dr. Atkins’ research, the ketosis state will also affect insulin production and it will prevent more fat from being formed. Your body will begin using your stored fat as an efficient form of fuel, and you’ll lose weight. Another benefit of the Atkins plan is that ketosis will end your cravings for carbohydrates. If you’ve been living on a carb-heavy diet, you may have found that you simply cannot get enough carbohydrates. With carbohydrate restriction and ketosis comes a reduction in carbohydrate cravings. People who have been on the Atkins diet for some time report that they do not crave carbohydrates as they once did. Although the initial phases of the Atkins diet are rather strict, the program teaches you to restore balance to your diet in the long run. People who use the diet slowly reintroduce minimal amounts of carbohydrate into their eating until they find a comfortable balance between their health and carbohydrate use. The basic principles of the Atkins diet have been adapted to many other low-carb diet plans. However, Atkins popularity still remains strong as one of the most effective low-carbohydrate solutions for those who are insulin resistant.

Some Tips to Lose Weight

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 07:39:23 +0000

Are you interested in losing weight? If you are, are you in a hurry to do so? While it is advised that you do not rely heavily on fast weight loss, also commonly referred to as rapid weight loss, there are many individuals who do. If you are interested in losing weight, as quickly as possible, you will want to continue reading on. One of the many ways that you can go about achieving a fat weight loss or rapid weight loss is by reducing the foods that you eat. When reducing your food consumption, it is important that you only reduce your consumption a little bit. Unfortunately, many individuals who want to achieve fast weight loss think that they need to stop eating altogether, even if it is for two or three days. That is something that you do not want to do. Once you resume eating again, you will likely gain all of your weight back, almost automatically. It is also important to mention that starving yourself is dangerous to your health. In conjunction with reducing your food intake, it is advised that you reduce the amount of sweets or junk food that you eat. For fast weight loss, you will want to completely eliminate junk food from your diet, even if it is only for a short period of time. This means that if you want a snack, you should grab an apple or an orange instead of a chocolate bar or a bag of chips. With candy and other sweets being high in calories, you may see a significant decrease in your calorie consumption by eliminating them from your diet. Exercise is another way that you can go about achieving fast weight loss. The thing about using exercise to achieve fast weight loss is that it is a little bit tricky. With exercise, you may not notice a significant weight loss right away. For instance, it typically takes most individuals at least a week or two to notice an improvement in their appearance with the use of exercise. With that in mind, the more overweight you are, the sooner you may see a decrease in your weight, often quickly. In keeping with exercise to lose weight, exercise is important to losing weight, as it helps to limit your calorie intake. When you burn off calories, with the use of exercise, your body absorbs less calories. This is what makes it possible for you to lose weight. Although your first though may be to start exercising as much as possible, right away, you may want to refrain from doing so. If you aren’t usually physically active, it is best to start out slow. This should significantly reduce your risk of injuries. Another one of the many ways that you may be able to achieve fasts weight loss or rapid weight loss is with the use of a cleanse. These cleanses are commonly referred to as colon cleanses or weight loss cleanses. Cleanses work by removing toxins and extra weight, actually waste, from your body. It has been said that most individuals have at least seven or eight pounds of waste stored in their bodies. A weight loss cleanse or a colon cleanse should help remove those toxins from your body. Should you decide to try a colon cleanse or a weight loss cleanse, to help you achieve a fast weight loss, it is important that you read all directions given to you. Some cleanses have a strict diet that you must follow. For the fastest weight loss, you may want to examine liquid cleanses, instead of those in pill formats, as they often produce the quickest results. The above mentioned fast weight loss tips may help you achieve fast weight loss, even if it is only a small weight loss. As a reminder, it is important to proceed with caution. While it is more that possible for you to achieve your fast weight loss goal, it can also be dangerous to you and your health.