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James T. Lane, M.D. |
What is even more troubling is the growing number of children who are also overweight and at risk of developing or who already have type II diabetes.
While there are many diet pills on the market, both prescription and over the counter, there is no better way to lose weight and keep it off than through diet and exercise.
Simply put, a person must reduce the number of calories they eat and increase the amount of physical activity they engage in.
That doesn’t mean making radical lifestyle changes, such as completely avoiding all foods containing carbohydrates.
It does mean incorporating more whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, fruits, vegetables and leaner cuts of meat into your diet and taking the steps at work instead of the elevator.
It also means watching how much you eat by controlling portions, avoiding fried foods and cutting back on sweets and other sugary snacks.
Reading food labels is another way to help reduce the amount of fat in your diet, as well as eating regularly scheduled meals.
It is well known that eating a healthy breakfast that includes protein and whole grains helps people maintain a healthier weight than skipping meals.
Planning meals ahead of time helps a person avoid those all-too-easy trips to the drive-through for fast food, which are often excessively large and high in fat and calories.
But watching what you eat and portion control is just one half of the equation. Engaging in 30 minutes of moderate to high-intensity activity most days of the week will help shed unwanted pounds and maintain a healthy weight.
Fortunately, studies have shown that even breaking that up into three ten-minute segments spread throughout the day still has a beneficial effect.
Walking, mowing the lawn, biking and light aerobics are all categorized as moderate intensity activities.
Keep in mind, though, that safe weight loss means losing one to two pounds a week. You didn’t put on those pounds overnight and any kind of weight loss should be gradual as well.
Also, anyone with high blood pressure or heart disease should talk to their doctor before beginning an exercise plan.
The benefits of leading a healthier lifestyle far outweigh any excuse one might have for not making the commitment to eating healthier or making the time to exercise.
Even a 5 percent to 10 percent reduction in weight has significant effects on reducing one’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease and other significant health problems.
Find physical activities that you enjoy, enlist the help of a friend to keep you motivated by asking him or her to join you for an evening walk, plan weekly menus that include easily prepared meals for those nights when you need a quick supper and keep a daily log of what you eat and the type of physical activity you engage in.
By making changes gradually it will be easier to drop those unwanted pounds and maintain a healthier weight.