Obesity can be treated by dieting and exercise programs, or by the use of drugs and surgery. The best way to figure out which one is best for you is to consult a doctor who will have a good idea of what type of diet or weight loss program will best suit your specific condition. A qualified doctor’s prescription is much safer and effective than what you usually find in diet magazines. As an added advantage, you can have your condition monitored by the doctor who can take you off of treatments that do not seem to be working. If your obesity is the result of hormone imbalance, an endocrinologist’s advice is called for.
Simultaneous exercise with dieting often works well. Here also, it is better to consult your doctor to learn which forms of exercise may be more useful for you. But be sure that you can handle the exercise you have been recommended to do. If overeating is your problem, try to resist the temptation by following suitable methods and say ‘no’ to food when necessary. Consult a psychiatrist if your eating problems are more psychological than physical.
Drugs for weight loss fall into several categories; appetite-changing drugs like Sibutramine, metabolism-changing drugs like Orlistat, and energy-boosting drugs like Ephedrine. A doctor must be consulted before you use any of them because they might produce serious side-effects if taken arbitrarily.
Two types of surgery have been recommended to treat people having severe obesity. The first one is gastroplasty, which surgically reduces the size of the stomach and gastric bypass surgery that creates a small stomach pouch and connects this pouch to the second portion of the intestines. Liposuction is no more than just a cosmetic method that removes fat cells at certain points of the body.
November 30th, 2007
Obesity is a big problem facing the United States today that some has considered it an epidemic. Approximately, over 58 million Americans today are said to be suffering from obesity - 26 million of these are men, and 32 million of these are women.
Obesity is defined as having an excessive amount of body fat. So a person who is overweight is not necessarily obese if that person’s body mass comes not only from fat, but muscles or bone mass.
Some medical experts have assessed that one way to find out if a person is obese is to determine if that person contains more than a certain percentage of body fat. Men who exceed 25 percent body fat are considered to fall into this category. While in women, those who possess body fat that exceeds 30 percent are also considered to have this condition.
It is extremely difficult to measure body fat accurately. Perhaps the best way to get an accurate result is to measure a person underwater, although this can only be done in a professional environment with the supervision of medical experts.
Causes of obesity
Many factors lead to obesity, one of which is genetics. Obese parents are likely to have children who will develop obesity.
Those who are extremely inactive, and live a sedentary lifestyle are also at risk of developing obesity. This is because when the calories that have been consumed are not burned into energy, they turn into stored fat.
An unhealthy diet is one of the leading causes of obesity. A diet rich in foods high in fat, carbohydrates, and sugar is extremely harmful to a person’s health. Regularly having foods like donuts, pastries, burgers, fries, and pizza, not to mention snacks that contain a high amount of sugar, are all contributing factors to a person developing obesity. The problem with obesity.
The problem with obesity is that people who are suffering from this condition are at a high risk of developing various illnesses consequently. Almost 70 percent of individuals who have some form of cardiovascular disease attribute this condition to obesity. Also, those who are obese are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure as a result of this condition. Twenty-six percent of individuals who suffer from obesity also suffer from high blood pressure.
Cure for obesity
There are no over-the-counter pills that can make obesity go away overnight. Fortunately, some things can be done to control obesity. Switching to a healthier diet will go a long way in combating obesity.
Those who are suffering from obesity might want to hire the services of a nutritionist. A nutritionist will help guide obese people to a healthier eating plan. They would also be able to devise a dietary plan that will help such obese individuals lose fat, while maintaining their good health through the introduction of properly balanced meals that are high in nutrients but low in fat!
Exercising is good for the body. It promotes good health, and will help individuals lose weight. Increasing one’s activity will go a long way in combating obesity. Taking a stroll in the park or around the neighborhood is a good alternative to going to the gyms, for those who have an aversion to gyms.
For those who can’t squeeze exercising into their busy schedule - parking their car some distance away from where they have to go will also allow them an opportunity to walk and have some physical activity for the day.
Making some conscious effort to make some lifestyle changes will go a long way in battling obesity. Individuals who suffer from this condition have to dedicate themselves to a healthier lifestyle and eating plan, in order to attain better health.
October 30th, 2007
Ponzu Sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tablespoon)
1 serrano chile, stemmed and sliced (with seeds)
1 scallion (green and white), thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds, optionalVegetables:
1/2 bunch broccoli, cut in large florets
1/2 bunch cauliflower, cut in large florets
2 carrots, cut in thick slices
1 yellow or zucchini squash, cut in thick rounds
1/2 to 1 head fennel, cut into thin wedges
1 bunch asparagus
8 cloves garlic
1 bunch scallions
For the sauce: Whisk all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.For the vegetables: Pour 1- inch or more of water in a wok or skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Place the vegetables in a bamboo or collapsible steamer. Set the steamer over the boiling water, cover, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or just until the vegetables are crisp tender. Serve warm or at room temperature with the sauce.
August 18th, 2006
The BMI formula is an equation used to calculate Body Mass Index, a number which is referenced to evaluate a person’s health risk in reference to weight and height.
Everyone has a unique BMI number. Use the steps below to determine yours.
1. Multiply your weight in pounds by .45
2. Multiply your height in inches by .0254, then square the answer.
3. Divide step 1 by step 2. The resulting answer is your BMI.
Here is an example for a person who is five feet seven inches tall, and weights 135 pounds.
1. 135 pounds x .45 = 60.75
2. 67 inches x .0254 = 1.7, then 1.7 squared = 2.89
3. 60.75 / 2.89 = 21
The next step is to evaluate your BMI number with the following standards.
- Less than 18.5 - Underweight
- 18.5 - 24.9 - Normal
- 25 - 29.9 - Overweight
- 30 - 34.9 - Obesity class 1
- 35 - 39.9 - Obesity class 2
- 40 and greater - Obesity class 3
An easier alternative to the BMI Formula is the BMI Chart. Below is the BMI chart in inches and pounds.
To find your BMI, locate your height from the far left column, then move across the same row to your weight. The number at the top in the same column is your BMI.
The BMI Formula and BMI chart are supposedly more accurate weight evaluation methods than the older ideal height weight chart.
However, it still has its limitations. BMI still bases its calculations on the ideal that a person can accurately assess weight based on height.
Another limitation of the BMI is that it can overestimate in people who are more muscular than average, such as athletes. On the other extreme, it can underestimate body in people who have less muscle than average, such as the elderly.
Don’t rely solely on the BMI or ideal height weight chart. Instead, to get a more accurate assessment of your weight, consult a licensed health professional and get a body fat percentage test.
August 9th, 2006
Burgers:
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 pound ground lean chicken
1/4 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, for brushingFixings:
4 whole wheat buns, toasted
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
Lettuce
Heat the olive oil in a skillet, add the onion, cinnamon, coriander, pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and parsley and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 more minute. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Stir in the chicken and yogurt until the onion are evenly mixed. Season with salt and pepper. Shape into 4 1/2-inch thick patties.Cook in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the sides of the burgers registers between 165 and 170 degrees F. Brush burgers with the pomegranate molasses and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Serve on toasted buns with fixings.
August 6th, 2006
The goal of many athletes and exercisers is to “get cut” or to lose excess fat while at the same time retaining muscle mass and power. Unfortunately, it is not possible to lose copious amounts of fat without incurring some loss of muscle mass. The reason for this is because at any given moment during a day and even during exercise, the human body does not exclusively make use of a single substrate or energy-producing substance such as carbohydrate, protein or fat. As mentioned in previous articles, substrate utilization is exercise intensity dependent ? that is higher intensity exercise will rely more heavily on carbohydrate but will still metabolize small quantities of protein and fat. Likewise, during low intensity, extended duration exercise the body will rely more heavily on fat utilization yet still receive a percentage of the energy yield from protein and carbohydrate.
The key to fat loss that spares muscle mass and power is to shift energy balance in the favor of increased expenditure. In my opinion, the source of this energy expenditure is irrelevant - as long as a negative caloric intake is achieved. Here’s why: long periods of extended cardiovascular exercise tends to metabolize more fat but a major drawback is that it has a muscle wasting effect (look at the build of any marathoner). This is due to the fact that cortisol (a protein catabolizing hormone) levels are increased for long periods of time. Also, during endurance type exercise, amino acids from muscle tissues are required to keep blood glucose levels normal should liver glycogen (stored carbohydrate) levels deplete. Lastly, during endurance-type exercise, only the low threshold Type I muscle fibers will be activated, resulting in little to no stimulation/training of the larger and more powerful Type IIA and B fibers.
Therefore, the best advice for individuals wanting to “cut” while preserving muscle mass and power is to perform high intensity interval training (HIIT). Interval training is a unique form of training that utilizes short periods (3-5 min.) of intense running (close to maximal capacity/VO2max) separated by rest periods of the 2-3 times the same duration. The intensity of interval training allows for a greater power output (greater energy expenditure in less time) and the activation of the large Type II muscles, thus preserving power and strength gains. Also, since Type IIA fibers exhibit some of the qualities of Type I muscle fibers (endurance muscle), performing interval training will actually lead to greater increases in fitness, since a larger quantity of muscle will be stimulated by the increased power output.
August 4th, 2006
A few months ago, I set on my “healthy dieting” plan to lose 22.6 pounds, then to put back on at least half of it. Huh? Anybody who’s ever found herself stuck on a yo-yo diet is probably thinking that I am either crazy or planning way too hard for the inevitable yo-yo heartaches. However, my dieting plan is more sneaky than that.
First, I want to lose this rubber tire I’ve been carrying around my waist. Have you ever gotten stuck inside a rubber tire? It’s not a pretty site. This was as much a waist loss plan, as a weight loss plan.
Then, I want to put back some of that weight in the form of muscle. It’s my grand master plan to change my shape from looking like a silly pear to looking like an upside down silly pear.
Will it work?
So far, I think I have the “silly” part figured out. And I have lost 14.6 pounds, but I think I really lost more than that, because I have already taken a jump-start on adding those muscle pounds.
I would love to share with you my current weight, but that is very private information. Why should it be so private? I am not 100% certain, but I believe it is to help people easily move between Earth and the Moon without being detected by hidden scales.
Free dieting tips – my top ten list
While there is much more to healthy dieting than a few tips, these ten dieting tips should help you laugh away a few pounds (What a great way to lose!). Hint: the tips are serious; the explanations are not.
Healthy Dieting Tip #1: Never eat before bed. This is just common sense. It is so much more fun to eat in bed.
Healthy Dieting Tip #2: Bake, don’t fry. This is also common sense. Baking allows you to retain more friendships. When you bake in the sun, you get a nice tan and go for a dip in the pool to cool off with your friends. But when you fry, you get a sunburn and don’t dare go in the shower for a week…which scares your friends away.
Healthy Dieting Tip #3: Drink five gallons of water before every meal. This will help you eat less during the meal. Let’s face it, very few people can over-eat consistently while dashing to the bathroom.
Healthy Dieting Tip #4: Don’t taste-test while you cook. Many cooks taste their dishes several times while cooking to make sure the flavor is just right. Over a lifetime, a typical cook might put on 13.4 pounds just taste-testing food that will eventually be taste-tested by the entire family – with sometimes entertaining results! (Remember that laughter is a great way to burn calories?)
Healthy Dieting Tip #5: Don’t eat what your kids leave behind. Admit it, after your kids leave the table and are busy pinning the tail on the cat with epoxy glue, you gather up the food they leave on their plates. You just can’t bear to throw it away because you know that there is enough to feed a small, famished African country. So you eat a “second supper” just out of guilt. How can you be so heartless?! Send the leftover food to that small, famished African country.
Healthy Dieting Tip #6:: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches don’t have all that many carbs, if you eat them in moderation. But stay away from those dreaded peanut butter and jellyfish sandwiches.
Healthy Dieting Tip #7: Blot your pizza to remove 17% of the saturate fats. If you blot it really well, you can remove 100%. Of course, an empty plate might require a spicier sauce…
Healthy Dieting Tip #8: No snacking in front of the TV. Get up. Right now. No snacking in front of my TV. I don’t want crumbs on my living room carpet.
Healthy Dieting Tip #9: Schedule your exercise. It’s true, if you don’t schedule it, your exercise will get pushed aside by things you do schedule. I suggest scheduling it during office meetings, dental appointments and reality TV shows. You wouldn’t want to miss anything important, would you?
Healthy Dieting Tip #10: This is a good one. Why, because #10 on any top-ten list is always a good one. Ten is a great number. So tip #10 is to celebrate every ten pounds lost by preparing a triple chocolate double-dip cheesecake supreme ice cream parfait deluxe. Go ahead and drool. You deserve it. And if you think preparing it is fun, just wait until you lose another 50 pounds … and have permission to actually eat it.
I hope these free dieting tips help you. On a serious note, most people will lose a significant amount of weight if they follow these ten healthy dieting tips along with watching their calories, according to any popular healthy dieting plan. Well…almost. You might not want to follow tip #6. You will probably lose fewer pounds eating jelly than you would eating jellyfish.
August 3rd, 2006
We all love chicken, but BBQ chicken is probably the worst thing we could eat. Why not try this skinless baked chicken recipe..
1 ( 2 1/2 to 3 pound) frying chicken, cut into serving
pieces, or 3 to 4 chicken breasts
1 cup low-fat milk
1 to 2 cups cornflake crumbs
1 teaspoon rosemary
Black pepper
Remove all skin from chicken; rinse and dry thoroughly. Dip in milk; mix cornflake crumbs with rosemary and pepper and roll in the seasoned crumbs. Let stand briefly so coating will adhere. Place chicken in an oiled baking pan (line pan with foil for easy cleanup). Do not crowd pieces. Bake at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes. Crumbs will form a crisp “skin.”
June 28th, 2006
First of all, you need to understand, that your body needs a proper Balanced Nutrition Diet, with a proper daily amount of: vitamins, proteins, minerals and carbohydrates.
Get into a habit of eating exactly 3 Meals a day.
1. Eat breakfast within one hour of rising.
Breakfast provides at least 30 percent of the total energy and nutrition needed to sustain the human body during the whole day. And therefore it is very important to have a proper breakfast and not to skip it.
2. Have a healthy low-fat lunch snack.
Have a healthy snack in your lunch time, low fat yogurt for example, to keep your energy running.
3. Have your dinner three hours before your bedtime.
Have a Proper dinner three hours before your bedtime; never go to bed on a full stomach.
Drink at least 2 liters of water a day.
2 liters of water a day would help your body to burn calories more effectively and to get rid of toxins.
Exercising is a KEY.
By exercising, your body gets an advantage of many physiological benefits such as:
- Weight Control by elevating your metabolism so that you burn more calories daily.
- The Boost in your energy level
- Strengthening of your heart and lungs
- Improvement in your self-image and self-confidence.
So, don’t forget to exercise at least 10 minutes a day.
Try to avoid using fats.
Try to keep the fat level in your cooking as low as possible.
Make Calcium your friend.
Include as much calcium as you can in your daily diet by eating:
- Oranges
- Broccoli
- Soybeans
- Tofu
- Sunflower Seeds
- Papaya
And other sources of calcium.
Calcium is a crucial element for bone metabolism. Calcium deficiency is very common. The “Average” American diet does not even come close to meeting the normal calcium requirements:
425 mg. a day for Men
450 mg. a day for Women
So, to sum it up:
1. Have exactly 3 meals a day
2. Drink at least 2 liters of water a day
3. Exercise at least 10 minutes a day
4. Avoid fats
5. Make calcium your friend
By following these 5 simple rules, you will be losing weight in no time.
June 25th, 2006
Today why don’t you try our low fat Rotini and Tuna Salad, or the tasty low fat Frijoles!
LOW FAT FRIJOLES (MEXICAN BAKED BEANS)
1 pound dried pinto beans
5 cups water
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon salt
Rinse beans and clean debris. Place beans and onion in a large pot with the water. Cover and simmer over low heat for at least 2 1/2 hours. Or use a slow-cooker such as a crock pot for overnight cooking. (Note: Do not soak beans prior to cooking.) Add salt when the beans are done cooking.
10 servings Serving Size: 2/3 cup Exchanges: Starch/bread 2 Per Serving: Cal 161 Fat 0.6 (gm) Na 219 (mg) Fiber 9.1 (gm) Pro 10 (gm) Cho 30 (gm) K 634 (mg) Chol 0 (mg)
Rotini and Tuna Salad
Salad:
12 ozs tuna in water, drained and flaked
2 1/2 c rotini pasta, uncooked
1 c frozen green peas, thawed and cooked
1 c celery, sliced
1/2 c bell peppers, chopped
1/2 c onions, chopped
Dressing:
1 c fat-free mayonnaise
3 tbsps lemon juice, bottled
1/2 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Cook pasta according to directions on package. Rinse pasta with cold water and drain. For the salad combine pasta, tuna, peas, celery, bell peppers, and onions in a mixing bowl. Mix well. For the dressing combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Mix well. Gently stir dressing into the salad. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
8 servings; 197 Calories; 1g Fat; 16g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 13mg Cholesterol; 599mg Sodium
June 8th, 2006
Previous Posts