The fight against obesity

What is obesity?

Obesity is just an excess of body fat. Normally any person who is 20 percent or more over the normal weight for his or her height, sex and age can be considered as obese. Being overweight is a contributing factor to many preventable ailments.

Why does obesity have a negative impact on the body?
Here are just seven of the many reasons why obesity is bad for the human body:

1. Excess fat crowds the space of the internal organs so they can not function as they should.
2. It puts additional stress on the neck, back and legs and all the joints.
3. It increases the body’s resistance to insulin.
4. It increases the body’s susceptibility to infections by lowering the immune system.
5. It puts you at a higher risk for developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke and cancer.
6. It can eventually lead to premature death.
7. Obesity also lets one suffer psychologically because obese people are just treated differently than thin people.
   

There are some medical conditions that can cause obesity like glandular malfunctions, hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, but the most common causes for obesity are a poor diet and a lack of exercise.

Permanent weight loss is only possible when there is a lifetime commitment to a healthier lifestyle. Crash diets do not work. People who want to loose weight fast for whatever reason also gain it again just as fast, and they almost always gain more than they lost.

Here follows a few recommendations that can be implemented to start the lifelong fight against obesity:

1. Eat a variety of foods consisting of a balance of proteins, complex carbohydrates and fat. Those are the building blocks of the body.
2. Eat fresh fruits and lots of raw vegetables with each meal. It is recommended that each person consume at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. A good habit is to have one meal a day consisting of only fruit and vegetables.
3. Never eat fried or greasy foods.
4. Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of purified water per day.
5. Avoid saturated fat (mainly animal fat) and consume only unsaturated fat (plant oils) like olive oil.
6. Do not eat white flour products.
7. Avoid sugar. The best sweet product to use is raw honey.
8. Do not eat before bedtime.
9. Use extra fibre on a daily basis.
10. Be active. Use every opportunity to be active like rather use the stairs than the elevator.
    

Once you get into a habit of healthy living, it gets easier. It is always good to ask a friend to join you. It is sometimes very hard to say no to certain foods, but one needs to think ahead and consider you own health and try to make the best decision every time. The fight against obesity is not an easy one.