End The Trend of Obesity

It's startling. In an article written by Elizabeth Mendes for Gallup, the obesity rate is now higher than 20% for ALL 50 states in America. The state with the lowest obesity rate is Colorado at 20.1%. The state with the highest obesity rate is West Virginia at 34.3%. That means that the National Average is now 27.2 percent. Think about that for a moment; over one quarter of our country's population is now considered OBESE.
Let's just take a moment to look at some of the numbers for what they are. The current population of America is a little over 311 million people. If the national average is 27.2 percent, that means that roughly 85 million people in America are considered obese. Let that sink in for a minute; not over weight, but obese.

According to WebMD, obesity is an excess portion of body fat. A person is considered obese when his/her weight is 20% above normal. The most common measure of obesity is the BMI or Body Mass Index which measures a person's percent of body fat. A person is considered overweight if their BMI is between 25 and 29.9. A person is considered obese is their BMI is 30 or higher, and they're considered Morbidly Obese is the BMI is over 40.

Obesity occurs when a person takes in more calories than they burn. For many people, this boils down to eating too much and exercising too little. But there are other factors that play a role in a person's BMI. These can include: Age, Gender, Genetics, Environmental Factors, Physical Activity, Psychological Factors, Illness and Medication.

Obesity can lead to a plethora of health problems down the road; they include Heart Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and certain types of Cancer, Osteoarthritis and Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

The Problem
As stated above, there are extenuating circumstances that lead to some people's obesity, but for the most part, it just comes down to good old over eating. The recommended Daily Caloric Intake is 2,500 Calories for Men, 2,000 Calories for Women, and 1,800 Calories for Children ages 5-10. But not surprisingly, in a report from the United Nations tracked the Caloric Intake of Americans from 2001-2003 and found the average American consumed 3,770 calories per day. That report does not differentiate between Men, Women or Children; that's just the average.

Americans are eating more and exercising less. That's the problem. We have become a nation of sedentary lifestyle. Video Games have replaced kids playing in the yard. Automation in the workplace has replaced hard work. Fast food restaurants with their 1,000 calorie drive through death knell constantly jingling on the television or over their car's radio lure people to bad health and worse diets like the Sirens' Songs lured the sailors to crash into the rocks in the Sinbad Movies from years gone by. It's gone beyond a trend, it's an epidemic.

The Solution
There is in fact only one solution to this problem. Americans need to eat more healthy foods and get back to exercising. Diet and exercise are the mainstays in treating obesity. As your Grandfather used to say, "There's no replacement for good old-fashioned elbow grease." Obesity is the LEADING PREVENTABLE cause of death in the world, and yet, not many (comparatively speaking) seem to care.

Oh, it's for certain that many people say they care; last year alone over $35 Billion was spent in the healthcare/fitness industry. Gym memberships were up, but so were waistlines. We've all seen the 2:00 am infomercial for the "Tummy 1000", and people flock to these things and buy them in bulk, only to hang socks or towels on them within 2 weeks of their arrival.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for someone deciding to make a change and get their bodies back to being healthy again. The problem with some of these quick fix machines is that they're just designed to separate the fool from his money in hopes that they can see their toes again sometime soon. There is no quick fix for reversing the effects of obesity.

People today spend a great deal of money buying Gym Memberships, only to be frustrated by the people there, coupled together with the fact that they don't really know how to work out properly. So, after a few weeks, the gym membership goes the way of the Tummy 1000, only you can't hang a towel on it, it's just wasted money.

There are some really good programs out there however. But Caveat Emptor or buyer beware, only the programs that offer hard work, coupled together with proper diet and nutrition can be expected to help get them where they want to be. There's no pie in the sky promises that if you'll just squeeze this for 30 seconds a day you'll have abs like the Governator in two weeks. A real workout program only promises that if you'll stick with them every day and do the best you can in the workouts, you'll not only get slimmer and healthier, but you'll feel a lot better as well.

Now, obviously these types of workout programs are not for everyone. Some, because of medical conditions, are never going to be able to do the aforementioned workouts, but that's the exception not the rule. But even if those folks can't do the workouts, they still can watch their diet, and there are numerous vitamins and supplements they could incorporate into their diet. A person can also look into drinking a Meal Replacement Drink, which generally has all the vitamins and nutrients you need for a day, in one Meal Replacement Shake, with little to no fat, low carbohydrates and a fair amount of protein, and most times at very low calories.

If a person were to only drink one of these shakes per day, just imagine what that might do. If the average American is engulfing 3,770 calories per day, what would the results be by drinking one Meal Replacement Shake per day? If we only look at replacing one meal in their current dietary intake, then on average, they would shorten their caloric intake by 1,116 calories, which would result in 7,812 less calories in a one week period. Just by drinking one Meal Replacement Shake a day, it would be the same result at the end of a week missing 2 days of their normal diet. And since the FDA states that getting rid of 3,500 calories per week results in losing one pound, that would be 2 pounds per week, and that's if they did nothing else different.
There are alternatives out there to dying an early death just because one could not control their diet or just didn't care.

Hard work, a sensible diet and the proper nutrients; this is the only way to end the trend of obesity. Or you could just squeeze the Tummy 1000 while you're waiting in line at the drive-through.

Dan Gandee is a husband, father of five and grandfather of two. He is a Team BeachBody Coach who is passionate about ending the trend of obesity and helping others get in great shape through hard work and proper diet. He is also an authorized distributor of Shakeology Meal Replacement Shake. He can be reached with any questions at Dan@Hardcorefitnessnow.com

How to Achieve Weight Loss For Kids

Childhood obesity rates increase every year in the United States. Despite all the government programs and media efforts to push weight loss for kids, this problem is getting larger and larger, literally. What many haven't figured out is that you can't push the responsibility onto the government, schools or the fast food industry. Responsibility starts at home, with parents.

It's obvious that parents love their kids and they want what's best for them. But in many cases, parents just don't know how to give them the best. Weight loss, even for kids, is a step by step process. It can be done, but not overnight. If a parent is serious about helping their kids to be healthier, then they must be willing to make lifestyle changes for the whole family.

The first thing you should do is consult your pediatrician and let them know you want to make a lifestyle change for your kids. Seek advice and information about how to live a healthy life. After this, you must come up with a plan. It is best to write it down, with perhaps some goals, because then you are more willing to accomplish your desires.

It is good to do your own research as well. Find out what foods are necessary and beneficial for your kids. Find out how many calories they should be consuming every day. Learn about the ingredients in the foods you eat. Are they healthy or harmful? Search for a list of fun kids exercises to keep them active. It doesn't take that long to find out this information.

The hardest thing for parents to come to terms with is that in order for their child to be healthy, they will also need to be healthy too. The parents are a child's number one role model. They will eat what you eat and do what you do. It's not fair for parents to eat a bag of M&M's and not offer any to their children. The same is true for exercise. For them to want to change they will have to see a change in you.

Sitting down with your child and talking about health is very beneficial. Explain the bad food choices you've made and that in order for you all to live long, healthy lives you must make different choices. Together, come up with a weight loss goal. Create a chart to record your progress. Encourage your child along the way.
Whenever you do make your goals, celebrate them. It's typical to celebrate with dessert of a fattening dinner. Instead, celebrate with a fun day trip or take them somewhere they've wanted to go. Express to them how proud you are and they will feel good about their progress.

Weight loss for kids is possible and will benefit them the rest of their lives. Childhood obesity doesn't have to continue growing. If parents are willing to take charge and make changes, we'll start to see obesity decrease.

Remember that the reason to learn about weight loss for kids is to give you skills and knowledge necessary to help your children become the healthiest people they can be. Download a free report with tips and instructions you need to get started quickly with fitness by visiting Kids Exercise and learn how to have fun while playing exercise games.

Obesity: Health Implications

What's so bad about being overweight? Beside the fact that "the worse it gets, the worse it gets", there are a number of medical conditions that are precipitated or worsened by obesity. Obesity affects every organ of the body in one way or another. Let's look at a few of the major complications.

Cardiovascular Disease
Extra weight requires the heart to work harder because the additional fat tissue needs blood as surely as every other cell in the body. Therefore, the heart must pump more blood which means more pressure on the blood vessels leading to high blood pressure (hypertension). In addition, fat builds up in the blood vessels of the heart and can lead to heart attack or stroke.

Diabetes
Obesity interferes with the ability of the body to respond to insulin (the hormone which regulates blood sugar). As the insulin-glucose system becomes imbalanced, the blood sugar rises and diabetes, a chronic condition which may require medication or even insulin injections, develops.

Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is common among the obese. It is a combination of six risk factors conducive to the development of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. These components are: abdominal obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, blood changes which indicate inflammation, and elevated blood clotting factors.

Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition in which one stops breathing for periods of time while sleeping. This is caused by the weight of the obese chest on the respiratory system and is associated with high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.

Depression
In addition to health challenges brought on by obesity, the overweight individual is prone to depression because of feelings of not being able to meet expectations of others or of not "fitting in". Self esteem suffers because the obese individual is often viewed by society as weak and unable to control eating habits. (This is of course not true but it is often a result of misinformation.)

Unfortunately, there are no off-setting advantages to being overweight or obese. It is a dangerous condition which can, and should, be dealt with as soon and as aggressively as possible. Children of obese individuals are at risk of developing lifestyle and eating habits that put them at risk for disease also.
Obesity is a preventable cause of death. It needs to be addressed!

A trained Nutritionist developed the correct food plan for you and your family. A Registered Nurse has independently reviewed the plan from an overall health perspective and has approved the plan.
You have nothing to lose (whoops! Yes you do.) when you make the decision to follow this logical eating plan.
You can thank me later.
Sue Bristol, R.N.
http://how-to-loseweight-101.com/index1.html

Diet To Reduce Weight - Women's Guide To Blasting Fat From Your Arms, Belly, And Thighs Quickly!

A good diet to reduce weight for women has several key element that provide not only dramatic weight loss but also improved energy and overall health. The challenge is that most people are tempted to turn to hazardous diet pills or starvation-level eating plans to try and get skinny, even if it puts their overall health in danger. This is NEVER the right answer.

Instead, we can use some easy tricks and tips from the BILLIONS of skinny Asian women around the world who manage to look fantastic even right after having a baby!

Today I'm going to show you one diet to reduce weight that Asian women use each day to get and keep their ultra-lean figures, without working hard at the gym or eating terrible food.

Diet To Reduce Weight - The Skinny Asian Way

Whenever clients in my weight-loss classes ask me for suggestions on the best diet to reduce weight I always respond with plans that I know they'll be able to follow without too much trouble. It's not going to do them any good to try overly hard programs that are so difficult that they can't possibly stick to them.

And while you're not going to learn ALL of the best diets to reduce weight that Asian women use to burn fat and stay thin from just a single short article, you CAN pick up some tips that will allow you to get started on the road to a new you:

Tip #1: Before Every Meal You're Going To Drink a Cold Glass of Water

Not only does a big glass of water keep you from overeating because it help trigger your brain's own "I'm full" hormone production, but researchers have recently found that COLD water actually forces the body to burn fat and extra calories as energy.

It works because our bodies operate at an internal temperature around 98-degrees F, meanwhile a chilled glass of ice-water is around the 45-50-degree F mark...which means our body tries to force the water to a higher temperature through action and activity, which takes energy!

German scientists recently estimated that a tall glass of cold water may force up to 65 calories to be burned within you just from drinking it...what a perfect piece of a diet to reduce weight!

Tip #2: Your Body Evolved To Eat Fruit...Give It To It!

Despite fears about sugar content, nutritionists are now recommending something Asian women have known for thousands of years: Fruit is a key part of any diet to reduce weight.

Part of the reason it works so well lies in the fiber it contains, which helps your body not only process and remove waste (which can cause weight gain) but also because fiber requires energy to move through our system...which requires fat and calories be burned to do it just like the cold water does!

The other reason food is essential in a diet to reduce weight is that it actually makes you feel more full than the calories it contains should.

Meaning when you eat a single apple, and are taking in around 75 calories from its content, it actually keeps you as full as if you had eaten a 200-calorie bagel...or a 200-calorie plate of pasta.

Scientists aren't sure why this happens, but they believe it's part of our body's own ability to figure out that white refined carbohydrates ultimately convert to a lower nutrient profile than natural fruits and veggies do, and thus the brain commands us to eat again sooner until it gets the vitamins and enzymes it's after.

Try to mix in an apple and banana each day, or whatever fruits you enjoy, as your mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks. This will keep you feeling more full throughout the day while you're still on a perfect diet to reduce weight continuously.

What If You Still Can't Lose Weight?

If you're still struggling to get the body of your dreams, you'll need to learn one of the most powerful secret free methods that Asian women do to force fat off of their belly and thighs in less than a month...WITHOUT starving or doing crazy workouts.

This method works fast and is very simple, the full details on how to do it are in the free report here: Diet To Reduce Weight. I actually do it myself while relaxing on the couch watching TV, and it works amazingly well.

Click on the link and learn the trick yourself before it's gone: http://www.skinnyasiandiet.com/free-book.htm