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Prevention of Obesity

November 4, 2010 By Karen Hiser Leave a Comment

Whether you’re at risk of becoming obese, currently overweight or at a healthy weight, you can take steps to prevent unhealthy weight gain and related health problems. Not surprisingly, the steps to prevent weight gain are the same as the steps to lose weight: daily exercise, a healthy diet, a long-term commitment to watch what you eat and drink. The solution to weight gain is an age old as much as is for prevention of weight gain.prevention of obesity

Always Be Moving

Exercising regularly will maintaining your weight or in fact cause weight loss. Staying fit is an extremely important aspect to prevention of obesity. Your metabolic rate will stay up causing you to not store fat. This is  a key ingredient in managing your weight.

Watch What You Eat

Eating a healthy well balanced diet has always been the key to a healthy body. Additionally snacking well is a major part of preventing obesity. Even regular exercise may not be able to combat the poor choice of eating and snacking.  Eating well balanced meals, at the proper times will contribute greatly to your weight. Snacking is a must in order to feed your body regularly so your body will not store fat. Snacking properly will decide on your prevention of obesity. This is the most instrumental part of the commitment to lose or maintain your weight.

Know You Patterns

Identifying what cause you to seek out those foods that are bad for you, or perhaps a late night raid on the refrigerator. If stress is your motivator in over eating  channel your anxiety elsewhere. Knowing what triggers you to make consistently poor choices in what and when you eat can be your ultimate weapon to prevent obesity.  Many people let emotions run their eating habits. The inability to process any emotional upheaval will leave you open to turning to food for comfort. If you are able to decipher this pattern and control it before it gets out of hand, you will not endanger yourself with obesity.

Monitor your weight regularly. People who weigh themselves at least once a week are more successful in keeping off excess pounds. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working and can help you detect small weight gains before they become big problems.

Be consistent. Sticking to your healthy-weight plan during the week, on the weekends, and amidst vacation and holidays as much as possible increases your chances of long-term success.

Many people have said that their weight gain had snuck up on them. They woke up one morning and realized their weight had gotten away from them. Don’t become a statistic, a person who doesn’t know how their weight got away from them. Taking preventative measures with your weight will make a difference for your whole life.

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Low Calorie Diet – Good Or Bad

August 16, 2010 By Karen Hiser Leave a Comment

What Is A Low Calorie Diet?

When we look for a diet plan we tend to look for one that is going to give us the fastest results possible.  Many diets out there promise the world and say you will lose a ton of weight over night.  These type of statements can be very appealing to anyone looking to lose unwanted weight fast.  The reality is that most diets the results are NOT TYPICAL as you will probably notice on the ads.  This is why you must be very careful when you looking for a diet that is suitable for you.  The last thing you would want to do is end up with a severe medical issue or have hundreds of dollars lost in unusable products.

One of the most common diets for fast weight loss will be a low calorie diet.  How these diets work is you typically reduce your daily calorie consumption per day.  These low calorie diets are also formulated with the recommended daily requirements for multivitamins, minerals, trace elements, fatty acids and protein. Carbohydrate may be substituted with some protein for important metabolic effects.

Most low calorie diets will contain around the 800 calories per day based on your gender.  Males generally will need a few hundred more calories per day depending on the diet plan.

Low Calorie Diets Can Be Safe

Can A Low Calorie Diet Be Right For You?

If you are researching to find out if a low calorie diet is right for you the first thing to know is are they effective.  Think of it this way, if your daily consumption currently consist of 3000+ calories with a high volume of fast food and unhealthy snacks then going to 800 calories is a massive reduction. By doing this it will cause your body to burn your stored fat. This is how they are effective diet plans, they literally force your body to burn stored fat. By reducing your body fat percentages you can also help with medical conditions,such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Combining a low-calorie diet (like Medifast) with proper education and exercise may increase weight loss and help keep it off for the long-term.

How Do You Know If A Low Calorie Diet Will Be Safe

The issue with low calorie diets are they are argued between doctors, medical experts, and researchers whether they are safe or not. Before you begin reducing your daily calorie intake so a low amount we would encourage that you see your physician for at least a general exam and to test your BMI standings. Although low calorie diets are generally safe when used under proper medical supervision they could also be unsafe to someone with a lot of medical issues.

Low Calorie Diet plans may not be always be suitable for everyone. Low calorie diet plans should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Low calorie diets may not be suitable for someone on medication for any pre-existing conditions.

Are There Any Side Effects Or Symptoms Of Low Calorie Diet Plans?

Most people on a low-calorie diets typically use them for a short term. There are reports of minor side effects such as fatigue, constipation, nausea, and diarrhea, but these conditions usually improve during the term of the diet plan. Often the fatigue symptoms may be seen very quickly due to the major reduction in calorie consumption but tend to go away as your body adjust.

While typically most reported symptoms are generally minor there have been reports of more severe side effect such as gallstone formations. . The cause of  this may be the fast weight loss and the decrease in the gallbladder’s ability to function as it once did. It is debatable whether a low calorie diet plan is the direct cause of gallstones or whether the amount of weight loss is responsible for these gallstone formations.

Some Additional Things To Think Of For Low Calorie Diet Use

In order for us to stay healthy, we need to make sure we get the proper nutrition. It can be hard to get the proper daily nutrition with as little as 800 calories. This is why these diets have been created for short terms use.  While using your diet it is essential to make sure you are properly hydrated by drinking plenty of water and maintaining a good balance of vitamins.

The most common issue of low calorie diets are typically when coming off them.  Generally people who do short term diets do not change there habits and continue them post diet.  This is why it is extremely important to practice proper nutrition habits and develop good exercise schedules to follow when discontinuing your diet.

What Low Calorie Diet Do We Recommend?

Rachael West Designs is involved with many diet plans and research of them.  The low calorie diet plan we have seen a lot of success with as well as great success through the transitional phase after the diet period is the Medifast Diet Plan.  The Medifast Plan has been backed by 20,000 doctors since 1980 and it continues to grow as a successful diet plan.  You can go ahead and read our Medifast Diet Review and  decide for yourself.  If you do choose to try out the Medifast Diet plan we have created some on the best Medifast coupons available.  So be sure to use one if this low calorie diet is right for you because everyone loves to save!

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The Obesity Cure

June 9, 2010 By Karen Hiser Leave a Comment

I spent a large part of my life under the wrath of obesity, which has brought about so much misery and despair over the years. I truly believed that it is something that I inherited from my Parents and as such is an irreversible medical condition. But about a year ago I had a revelation. I realized that the reason why I was obese was merely due to all the negative programming that had trickled through over the generations and that I was just being yet another self-determined victim of the obesity stigma. I would no doubt hear many objections to that bold statement of mine and had I not known what I know now, I would probably be amongst one of those objectors myself.

I had truly given up hope about ever losing weight since my last attempt at dieting 17 years ago, which left me with a sagging belly, bony arms and extremely vulnerable to numerous illnesses. I remember catching a cough around that time which literally took me well over 6 months to get rid of. And I was only able to do that by coming off my unhealthy diet altogether. Around that time, I was accustomed to skipping as many meals as I could and whenever I ate something it would always be a combination of greens, vegetables and an occasional fruit. I had no knowledge whatsoever about losing weight but I had somehow given into the notion that carbs were the culprit behind it all.

My Parents had always been somewhat health conscious about what we ate. I wasn’t quite sure if it was due to the fact that they both had high blood pressure or whether it was because my Father had been subjected to a few heart attacks within a short lapse of time. They were health conscious to the point of avoiding table salt, a few unhealthy fats and loading up on more fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. They didn’t have the entire formula, but had it not been for their partial awareness back then, I simply cannot imagine where I would be today. So for the next 15 years I never tried any form of dieting or exercising, as in my mind I had decided that this is how I was meant to live the rest of my days.

Then about 7 years ago I hit a turning point. I got married. And as with most married men I started slacking even more. As you may or may not know, men have this genetic tendency to get too comfortable after they get married and any form of exercise ritual or active lifestyle they may have been a part, tends to go completely out the window. And in my case, although I wasn’t engaged in any form of exercise regime at the time, I had a fairly active lifestyle as I had to juggle between numerous things on a daily basis just to make ends meet. But after I got married much of that changed.

I could afford to sit back a bit more and munch on those crisps and donuts while flicking through the channels. And at other times I was sitting in front of my computer, working on some major project with a deadline to meet. Around about the 2 year mark I had started to receive a numerous hints from my Wife about getting my duff off the chair and becoming a bit more active, but none of those messages seemed to be reaching the conscious part of my brain. The separation that followed a short while later was inevitable and it was only then that the message finally began to sink in.

In one last effort to save my marriage, I decided to reach out to the leading Relationships Expert in the field, Dr Ellen Kreidman. I bought all of her programs and even consulted her on a 1-to-1 basis, but I wasn’t able to revive my marriage given the fact that my Wife had taken refuge well beyond my reach.

Dr Kreidman directed me to the program called “The Secret” which in turn led me to Anthony Robbins. Tony Robbins gave me the tools and the techniques to recover from my depression and low self-esteem and got me to start each day with a brisk walk lasting around 30-45 minutes. And as with any form of exercise I made it a point to accompany some entertainment with my Wireless MP3. Mine entertainment was Audio Books and seminars. I didn’t want to change any of my eating habits however, since I associated far too my pleasure with the process. But what I didn’t know then was that although eating the wrong foods gave me a quick burst of pleasure, the long term negative impact that it had on my physical wellbeing and especially how I felt a few hours after, wasn’t really not worth the price. I still didn’t think that losing weight was a viable option for me given the state that I was in, but I did want to regain control of the emotional aspects governing my life, which was why I started those daily brisk walks in the first place.

I then decided to take it a step further and started replacing some of my meal options. And with the guidance of Tony Robbins, I managed to up my game a bit further and replace all of my meals with raw alkaline foods. I started snacking on raw almonds throughout the day as Tony had advised. I lightly stir fried some broccoli for breakfast and drank a series of juice extracts off just about any alkaline food I could find. This wasn’t all part of the Tony Robbins’s meal plan, but since I wasn’t a big fan of his green drink, I had to find some better appealing alternatives. Within a few short weeks I started feeling different about myself. I wasn’t any longer the emotional sob I was a short while after my Wife had left me and as an unexpected benefit I had also lost quite a bit of weight during the entire process, 10 inches off my waist in fact and 50lbs of baggy body weight. Although still overweight, I had officially stepped off the obese scale.

It was then that I started seeing the faint glimpse of a newer me. What if, I could chip off another 10 inches off my waist and find other alternative meal plans that I could enjoy just as much and feel absolutely fabulous? And, if I were to attain this, who better a raw model is there than an athlete or a leading sports figure? So, I took the challenge and after reading into the lifestyles of some of the leading sports figures and I soon realized that they all had a common thread. First of all they all refrained from sugar, flour and salt products at all costs and just about anything that came in a can, jar or a readymade pack. They ate 5-6 small regular meals throughout the day 2-3 hours apart and placed an enormous emphasis on Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, Legumes, Greens, Salads and lean proteins such as Eggs. They all had a balanced workout routine between aerobics training and muscle building, where a typical aerobics program would occupy a 30-90 minute session every Monday, Wednesday and Friday whilst Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays were the focus for the strength and muscle building program. Sunday was generally considered as a rest day.

Every training session normally started off with a 10-15 minute abs and a warm up session. But since I am the sort of person who prefers shortcuts, I always tend to improvise on the ordinary. And I did this by substituting the strength training program with a Resistance Bands Training routine. The unique thing about the Resistance Band Training Set is that it provides the same benefits as a full blown Weight Lifting Set but with less hassle, fewer repetitions, less space utilization, less of an investment and not to mention a lifetime warranty on most band sets. I personally use the Bodylastics Resistance Band set and its accompanying DVD training program, but I’ve heard some great things about the P90X Resistance Bands and the Aylio Resistance Bands that are said to be equally good. So that’s a personal preference really. If you prefer to use Weights instead, that too is a personal choice. I am not a big fan of running or jogging either, since I know this tends to be boring and not as effective as some of the alternative options. So my aerobics training routine involves a 30 minute session of speed interval or HIIT training as it is often referred. HIIT training is said to be up to 10 times more effective than a typical jog and is far much more exciting. For me to gear into this new lifestyle it took me an additional 2 months. I don’t really believe that you can get such results within 30 days or the 60 days as many would claim. If your starting point is moderate and you’re already physically active and health conscious it might be possible, but I really find such generalized and highly inflated claims to be somewhat dubious.

I would one day like to be able to return to my raw alkaline food regime and carry on with my current workout or perhaps take it up a notch. The bottom line is that this stuff works. And all I ask of you is to give it a try. If the principles I mentioned above seem somewhat daunting, what I would suggest for you is to very simply go by the underlying principle that Mother Nature cares for you and will never cause any harm to you or your body. And what I mean by that is if you were to stick to any eating plan of your choice and only consume all Natural foods as previously stated and combine it with a daily brisk walk, your life will take on a whole new meaning. And you’ll never need to use tape measures or scales to determine where you are and what your progress is. It’s a bit like if you board a plane heading to New York and stay the course all the way; it’s highly unlikely that you’ll end up elsewhere. As Socrates once said, if you were to stay the course and ensure that every step you take is in the direction of your destination, you’ll surely get there.

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The Facts About Obesity

May 11, 2010 By Karen Hiser Leave a Comment

Scary Stats

Some startling statistics have come to light recently with regards to what surely must be termed an epidemic of obesity in America. The most recent Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index indicates that as of February, 2010, 63.1% of Americans were either overweight or obese. Though slight, it represents an increase over the previous year in spite of well-publicized and ubiquitous information about the dangers of this condition. The study was well-designed and was the result of telephone interviews with 673,000 adults over the 2 years between January, 2008 and December, 2009.

Of that percentage, 36.6% of us are overweight and 26.5% are obese. The United States is the fattest country on Earth, by a sizable margin. Rates in Canada are about half of those in the U.S. The Japanese rate stands at about 3%. It is as if we are intent upon doing everything possible to reduce our lifespan and increase our costs of health care.

Potential Results

While the consequences of obesity are well-documented, the message does not seem to be resonating as it should. Once again, here is a list of the prominent repercussions:

  • Coronary artery disease
  • Type II diabetes
  • Breast, endometrial and colon cancers
  • Stroke
  • High blood pressure
  • Sleep apnea
  • Liver and gall bladder disease
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Gynecological complications

Causes of Obesity

Though it seems overly simplistic, when you reduce it to basics, excess weight is simply a matter of more calories going in than being used up. Certainly this can vary somewhat among individuals, but in general we eat too much and exercise too little.

Naturally, it isn’t just a quantity issue, but one of quality. Very few would argue that they would not lose weight if they replaced some of the meat, dairy, sugar and processed grains in their diets with vegetables, fruits, legumes and nuts.

While genetics certainly plays a role, there is a tendency to write off weight concerns if it seems to, “run in the family.” Much of the reason for excess weight among several members of the same family can more realistically be explained by similar diets and exercise regimens. We tend to emulate our parents and our parents tend to feed us the same types and quantities of foods they consume themselves.

We are inundated constantly with advertisements from every food company on the planet about the wonders of eating high fat, high carbohydrate foods. Wonders indeed. It is time that as a nation, we make some decisions to change our lifestyles to a significant degree in the simple interest of self-preservation.

Solutions

You must first commit to a change in lifestyle. Weight control requires a lifelong commitment to making significant adjustments to habits that have been ingrained for years or even decades. Change is difficult, at first. But after several weeks, it is amazing how much easier it becomes; to the point where you can’t imagine ever returning to your previous diet and lack of an exercise routine. You begin to crave healthier foods and feel less accomplished if you miss your workout, even if it is just a brisk 30 minute walk.

One of the best ways to make dietary adjustments is with a guided program that will enable you to meet your customized targeted goals, without leaving you feel that your diet is inadequate in any way. You had a lot of help getting into these unhealthy habits and you will need help to abandon them.

Finally, commit to a program of change and involve your family members, partner, close friends and anyone else who cares about your well-being. Your odds of success will be greatly increased if you don’t try to do it alone. A great way to achieve success is when one of them also chooses to embark on the same journey. It is always easier and more fun if you aren’t the only one participating.

Make that commitment today. You will never regret it.

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The Connection Between Depression and Obesity

April 29, 2010 By Karen Hiser Leave a Comment

The link between obesity and depression has been studied extensively by health experts. Researchers are confused as to whether obesity leads to depression or depression causes obesity. They explain it as a “chicken and egg case”. This is because various studies have shown that obese people are likely to become depressed while people who are suffering from depression have a high probability to turn obese. Researchers have tried to give various reasons to explain the connection between obesity and depression and the causal pathways that lead a person from obesity to depression and vice versa.

Psychological reasons

Experts believe that obese people are more likely to become depressed because they feel bad about themselves. They find themselves in poor health and are discontented with their appearance. The connection between obesity and depression was found to be more pronounced amongst women and people belonging to a high socio-economic status. On the other hand, those suffering from depression are at risk of becoming obese because of physiological changes in their hormonal and immune systems. Depressed people are generally less likely to take care of themselves and have problems adhering to a fitness regimen. They are likely to develop negative thoughts and overeat to derive a sense of satisfaction.

Hormonal link

One theory states that obesity and depression are linked by hormonal imbalances. Obesity causes hormonal imbalances, one of which is an increase in cortisol production. This leads to an increase in stress levels which stimulates the body to store more body fat. Healthy individuals are able to take care of any hormonal balances that occur. This explains why obesity leads to depression and why obese individuals find it hard to resist the urge to eat excessively.

Biological reason

Some scientists suggest that the extra weight in obese individuals causes additional stress on the bones, muscles and joints, leading to more injuries or pain. Because of this constant pain, they are unable to exercise to lose any weight, which leaves them feeling depressed.

Social and societal pressures

Social and societal pressures are the key factors that explain the link between obesity and depression. Modern culture glamorizes ultra-thin models while obese people are often ridiculed. This makes obese people unhappy and it even turns them into a recluse. It has been observed that obese people are scared to socialize and often remain at home; a lack of self-confidence and constant loneliness makes depression a common phenomenon.

Obesity and depression should be treated together

As obesity and depression are strongly linked together, experts suggest that the treatment of both conditions should also be integrated. For instance, exercise and stress reduction treatments can help eliminate both obesity and depression. Regular exercise will make you burn excess calories and release positive hormones that reduce depression. Stress reduction will make you adopt a positive attitude towards life and encourage you to eat healthy, which will help you reduce weight. Experts also suggest that dieting and use of antidepressants should be discouraged. This is because dieting has the potential to worsen mood while antidepressants can lead to weight gain.

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Growing Child Obesity Epidemic – Can it Be Fixed?

April 28, 2010 By Karen Hiser Leave a Comment

Childhood obesity is becoming a problem of huge proportions in this country. Childhood obesity is better understood if you consider the facts: 80% of children born to obese parents eventually become obese themselves, while only 14% of children born to normal weight parents have this problem. The majority of children adopted by obese parents also turn out to be overweight, illustrating that the problem isn’t genetic, but environmental.

What Can Be Done to Fix Child Obesity

Children’s bodies are still growing and developing and cannot handle the same low calorie diet that an adult can. Severe restrictions in a child’s calorie intake can impair his or her health and normal development. Instead, children should be steered toward healthy food choices and encouraged to be active. The goal should be to slow down the weight gain by healthy eating and wait for your child’s height to catch up with his or her weight.

Attempting to place children on a strict diet can lead to binge eating; they don’t have the self-discipline required to stay away from temptation. It’s the parent’s responsibility to provide healthy food choices instead of junk food. Home cooked meals that have a high proportion of fruits and vegetables are vital to healthy children.

Exercise is the other vital ingredient for a healthy child. The biggest roadblocks are television, the Internet and hand held game systems. Parents need to limit access to no more than an hour a day; or use it to your advantage. The Nintendo Wii gives children the games, but is an active system.

Signing children up for sports is important. Get them involved in school sports, or find a community team. Get the whole family involved by taking walks, playing at the park, or going hiking. A healthy lifestyle will help the entire family and set your child on the right path for a healthy future.

On average, people today weigh more than their parents and grandparents did at the same age. This relatively recent obesity epidemic is a serious problem; the statistics on child obesity are really shocking and we need to do something to protect our children’s future. An obese adolescent has a higher risk of suffering from heart attack, stroke or Type II diabetes much earlier in life.

Some Child Obesity Statistics

The numbers show that 19.6% of the children of 6 to 11 years of age are obese. The percentage of extremely overweight adolescents between 12 and 19 is 18.1%. These are the numbers from the main child obesity statistics, but there are independent studies that claim the percentage of obese children is over 25%. These figures are way too large and they are expected to increase in the coming years.

One of the biggest factors is the lack of sufficient physical activity. In the past kids used to play outdoors almost all the time irrespective of the season. The games usually involved a lot of exercise. At present the children are obsessed with computer games which require no physical activity at all.

Poor diet is also a factor in child obesity. Busy parents stop for a quick dinner of fast food, and stock the pantry with unhealthy snacks; children are allowed to eat whatever they want, whenever they want. Parents need to encourage their children to eat fruit or wheat crackers for snacks instead of candy and chips.

Families in general have terrible nutrition;  frozen meals and fast foods have become staples of the American Diet. Nutrition educational programs in schools don’t help when the family doesn’t eat healthy at home.

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Medifast Liquid Diet: Is It a Safe Treatment for Obesity?

February 19, 2010 By Karen Hiser Leave a Comment

 Use of very low calorie, liquid diets to treat obesity  instead of  conservative diet plans that  have failed to work is becoming a popular choice. One of the most popular liquid protein diets available to the public is the Medifast Liquid diet. Low calorie diets that are  liquid typically provides the individual with 400 to 800 calories a day in the form of high protein liquid shakes that can be mixed where ever and when ever. The very low calorie portion of the program needs to be maintained for a period of three months . Once this is achieved, sensible well balanced meals are gradually added back to the individuals diet to give them a reduced calorie diet of around 1000-1200 calories per day.During this period, the individual learns how to eat a well balanced diet in preparation for maintaining their initial weight loss which is crucial once the goal weight is reached. This poses a bigger question though, with all this rapid weight loss  is the Medifast Liquid Diet safe?

It’s important to note diets such as the Medifast Liquid Diet are not suitable for individuals who have only a few pounds to lose, due to their very low calorie composition. The ideal individual who will benefit from this would be someone who has struggled with weight loss and has become morbidly obese .Or someone who has substantial weight to loose  and has failed at other weight loss methods. Other good candidates would be patients who are moderately obese with underlying medical conditions that necessitate rapid weight loss to avoid worsening of their underlying health problems. Obesity is hard to get under control, and for some when it is life threatening it can be difficult to over come.

Potential Side Effects of the Medifast Liquid Diet

The Medifast Liquid Diet plan should never be initiated without a complete medical consultation to rule out medical conditions . This precautionary measure should be taken by anyone who is embarking on a weight loss endeavour such as this. The reason behind this is the obesity may preclude participation including a history of stroke or heart attack, depression, or pregnancy. The diet should only be followed while under the close supervision of a medical doctor to ensure the safe treatment of the Medifast liquid diet. Participants may experience occasional dizziness and lightheadedness, increased sensitivity to cold, constipation, and hair loss. There’s also an increased risk of gall bladder disease due to the rapid weight loss so it’s extremely important for this diet to be followed in conjunction with medical supervision.

Maintaining Weight After Completing Medifast Liquid Diet

One disadvantage to the program is it does cause the metabolism to slow, meaning the patient will quickly regain the lost weight if she returns to her previous eating habits which is detrimental to the diet plan itself. The importance of promoting healthier eating habits and stressing the importance of exercise for long term weight control in this plan is essential. If used under close supervision by a medical professional, patients who are morbidly obese may benefit from using the Medifast Liquid Diet to achieve  large amounts of weight loss which would otherwise not be  achievable . This provides long term positive effects on their health and well being.

Learn more about the Medifast Diet here with our Medifast Diet Review.

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