FITNESS Friday: A Look At Obesity
The Trojan Horse of a battalion of ailments
Obesity is not simply the result of an overeating-lead-to-overweight case. To quote the American Obesity Association's words, "It is now recognized that obesity is a serious, chronic disease. No human condition not race, religion, gender, ethnicity or disease state, compares to obesity in prevalence and prejudice, mortality and morbidity, sickness and stigma."
Obesity is a trojan horse. It brings a battalion of ailments, which are most detrimental to our health. To name a few, following are the complications that could arise out being obese.
1. Hypertension
2. Diabetes (Type-2)
3. Coronary heart disease
4. Stroke
5. Gallbladder disease
6. Osteoarthritis
7. Asthma
8. Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
9. Some cancers (endometrial, breast and colon)
10.High levels of cholesterol
This is an unending list in that the above ailments are capable of creating other complications, where no medication without side effect, could be comfortably used. Prevention, which is much less costly than traditional western medicinal treatments, is the best cure for obesity.
How to achieve this?
Shake Your Head
A doctor once told my friend, who is obese that it is very easy to lose weight. My friend became very interested and asked him to suggest a way. The doctor calmly replied that just shake your head from left to right, maybe ten times a day! My friend became very curious. What is the idea behind this? He asked. Doctor calmly replied, "Whenever anyone offers you something to eat, shake your head from left to right". Simple, isn't it? It is simple, but it requires discipline, which is not simple. But then, habit makes discipline. Avoiding junk food and fast food must be done with a discipline.
Is Being Overweight Obesity
Obesity is not just due to eating disorder unlike overweight. Genetics is a major factor in obesity, but it's not the only factor. Whatever the cause, obesity is measured by Body Mass Index or BMI. Adults with a BMI in excess of 30 Kg/m2 are considered to be obese; and any one with a reading between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2 is overweight, not obese.
Obesity poses a major risk to millions of Americans and the numbers are rising with each year. According to a recent survey (https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity), 35% of Americans are obese. This is also draining the state exchequer heavily to the tune of $25 billions a year.
What Causes Obesity
There are more reasons than one. Consuming more calories than you burn, how active or inactive you are, what you eat, and your genes. All these factors play a part in whether or not you are or will become obese.
Is There An Anti-Obesity Plan?
A variety of quick-fix plans are currently being promoted by the so called dieticians, self-help gurus, and personal trainers. What works is a calorie deficit with an emphasis on burning fat through exercise, changing your eating habits to root out processed and ultra-processed foods and include whole foods, drinking water equal to half your body weight and the elimination of sugary drinks. In short, to successfully move from obese to a normal, healthy weight requires a lifestyle change.
Talk to your trainer and dietician, pull-up your socks and get going. After all, it's your life.
Continuing Challenge:
I’ve been posting my weight at the end of each week’s FITNESS Friday article and will continue to do so each Friday until I achieve my goal weight. The intent is to accomplish two things: 1) It will serve to hold me accountable. And 2) It will show you that you’re not alone, that we’re all fighting the same battle.
Weight as of August 30, 2024 207.5 lbs. Weight as of August 9, 2024: 213 lbs. Life got in the way and I missed the last two weeks of posting my Continuing Challenge. However, I didn’t stop working out! And I’m oh so close to my goal weight. 205 here we come!!
Anyone else on a weight loss journey. Let us know in the comments section below. If we get enough responses, maybe we can start a special group centered on formulating specific and attainable weight loss goals while holding one another accountable.
dhf
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