Being overweight or obese is one of today's most prevailing health hazards. Both males and females of any age could be a sufferer of obesity. The excess weight of an obese person is the result of the accumulation of superfluous fats in the tissues of our body. It is a serious health problem that affects a large population all over the world. Obesity often brings upon undesired health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
How To Self Identify Obesity
Common symptoms of obesity in adults include:
- Fatigue which can range from mild to extreme
- Pain, especially in the back and joints,
- Pot belly
- Sweating more than usual
- Inability to perform simple physical tasks that could easily perform before weight gain.
Taking the body mass index of a person will help to understand one’s obesity level.. To determine your BMI, divide your weight in kilograms (kg) by your height in meters (m) and divide the answer by your height again.
BMI Categories:
Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
Overweight = 25–29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
Healthy Habits To Prevent Obesity
It's always advised to fight obesity naturally rather than through artificial methods. Following healthy habits is one of the most important things to keep in mind when considering natural methods as a way for preventing obesity.
Healthy habits to prevent obesity include incorporating both dietary changes and physical activities into your daily life. All the extra calories consumed have to be burned in order to maintain a fit body. Sedentary individuals need to reduce their energy intake even when consuming a healthy diet to achieve and maintain weight loss.
Follow a Healthy Eating Pattern
Scientific evidences show the most effective strategy to achieve long-term weight loss and good cardiometabolic health is shifting to a healthy dietary pattern, compatible with individual food preferences and lifestyle habits. A healthy diet is a varied diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low fat diary products and high-quality proteins and fats. This dietary pattern should have restrictions in added sugars, refined grains and highly processed foods. Most importantly, the best diet is a diet that people can comply with for a long period of time without significant weight regain.
Exercise Regularly
Regular physical exercise is important for maintaining ideal weight. Some studies indicate that exercise may increase life expectancy and overall quality of life. People who participate in moderate to high levels of physical exercise have a lower mortality rate compared to individuals who are not physically active.
Regular physical activity helps to:
- Promote physiological well-being
- Strengthen the immune system
- Regulate the digestive system
- Reduce surgical risks
- Build and maintain muscle strength, healthy bone density and joint mobility.
- Reduce many major mortality risk factors including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke.
Effectively controlling your body weight requires a reduction in energy intake and an increase in physical activity. While all physical activities burn down the calories consumed, 30 minutes of cardio like kickboxing and boot-camp workout helps a lot. Do push-ups for about 12 times every other day. Squats and sit-ups help tone your thighs, abs and hip.
Other Useful Tips To Stay Fit Naturally
- Ensure that you drink 2 to 3 liters of water daily.
- Avoid sweetened beverages and foods that contain trans and hydrogenated fats.
- Eat small meals every 4 hours instead of staying hungry for long time
- Be active and involved in regular physical activity.
- Minimize stress and tension
- Learn relaxation techniques
Behavioral Therapies for Staying Fit
Many different programs are available for helping people to fight obesity and stay fit. These therapies help a person to lose weight through lifestyle modification. Behavioral therapy brings a peaceful state of mind and stimulates the person to fight obesity through controlling eating habits. During the therapies, It's widely suggested to maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Continuous encouragement boosts them to overcome their stress during the course of change and the obsessive behavior towards unhealthy foods.
Setting realistic goals for weight loss is important. An even more important goal is weight loss maintenance and prevention of weight regain. According to registered data, only around 20% of obese people can preserve and stabilize the weight loss effect in the long-term.
The ideal weight loss maintenance diet should be continuous and easy to comply with and of low energy density. Predictors of successful long-term weight maintenance after initial weight loss involve frequent self-monitoring of body weight, consistency of food intake, eating breakfast, low-fat intake, low intake of unhealthy snacks and high levels of regular physical activity.
Sources:
Does Physical Activity Increase Life Expectancy? A Review of the Literature
- D. Reimers, 1 ,* G. Knapp, 2 and A. K. Reimers 3
Chrysi Koliaki,1,* Theodoros Spinos,2 Μarianna Spinou,2 Μaria-Eugenia Brinia,2 Dimitra Mitsopoulou,2 and Nicholas Katsilambros1,3
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Informative article.
Such an informative blog! Loved the Behavioral therapy part!