Weight Loss & Obesity Affects Life Expectancy
We hear it all the time?lose weight for your health. Few people however, realize the extent to which this is critical to their physical well-being and ultimately their life expectancy.
In January 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association featured a study finding that obesity appears to lessen life expectancy, especially among young adults. The study showed an obese 20-year-old white male, (5’10”)178cm and weighing (288 pounds) 130kg was estimated to lose 13 years of his life as a result of obesity.
It is now well research that a Western diet that leads to obesity may actually act to stimulate the growth of cancer cells. It is never too late to improve your health through healthful eating and adopting a more health-giving lifestyle. Here are simple steps to follow which can make an immediate improvement to your health and vitality.
1. Check to see if you are overweight or obese.
To find out your BMI you need to divide your weight (measured in kilos) by your height (measured in metres) squared. If the result is greater than 25, your health may be improved by losing weight.
2. Match your diet to your body’s requirements.
If you eat and drink more calories than your body requires you will put on weight. Learn to control calories and portion sizes, make recipes leaner, and eat infrequently from fast food restaurants. Also learn how to snack with healthful choices.
3. Colour your diet with a large variety of colorful, cancer-fighting fruit and vegetables.
There are seven different color ranges of both fruit and vegetables and by choosing between 5 to 9 daily serves from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, we are extending our consumption of cancer (and other disease) fighting nutrients.
4. Eat lean protein with every meal.
Protein provides a powerful signal to the brain providing a longer sense of fullness. The right source of protein is essential to controlling your hunger with fewer calories and necessary to maintain your lean muscle mass. Choices of protein should be flavored soy shakes with fruit; the white meat of chicken and turkey, seafood such as shrimps, prawns scallops and lobster and ocean fish or vegetarians may prefer soy based meat substitutes.
5. Rev up your metabolism with activity.
If you want to enjoy a lifetime of well being, exercise is a key ingredient. Thirty minutes activity each day that takes as much effort as a brisk walk is recommended for adults. Children should be active for an hour each day.
6. Get support to ensure you develop a healthful eating plan and reach your goal weight.
A study, "Effects of Internet Behavioral Counseling on Weight Loss in Adults at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes" shows that participants who had the support of weight loss coaching lost more weight than those who didn’t. The study concluded that the support of a weight loss coach can significantly improve weight loss results.
Being overweight or obese has been identified next to smoking, as the most preventable major risk to developing cancer. Even small weight losses have been shown to have beneficial health effects. So it’s never to late to start and you can never be too young or too old to be concerned about your health and do something about achieving a more healthy weight.
(c) Copyright by Kim Beardsmore
Kim Beardsmore is a weight loss consultant whose business operates across 60 countries. This world renowned, medically approved program will give you results you’ll love and all the support you need! Estimate your body fat percentage and register for a free phone consultation at http://leanmachine.org/?refid=cncrshrt-33181
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Weight Loss Surgery: A Last Resort
Thinking about weight loss surgery? You’re not alone. Over two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. Many are looking for ways to lower their bodyweight and enjoy a healthier, more active lifestyle. A fast surgical procedure seems like a great option. But, for the vast majority of people, weight loss surgery should be a last resort.
One of the most common types of weight loss surgery is liposuction, a procedure that removes excess fat from the waistline. Thousands of people – mostly women – undergo liposuction surgery every year. For many, it appears to be a much easier alternative to diet and exercise. Yet recent studies show that removing abdominal fat with liposuction provides almost none of the health benefits of “normal” weight loss: lowered levels of blood sugar, insulin and inflammation-related biomarkers, not to mention increased cardiovascular fitness, improved muscle tone, stronger bones, etc.
Another little-known problem with liposuction weight loss surgery: over 40% of patients regain the weight they lose from the procedure. Why? Simply because they make no healthy lifestyle changes. Some even believe that they can exercise less and eat more now that they have fewer abdominal fat cells. Obviously this isn’t true and thousands of people find that out the hard way.
Other types of weight loss surgery are designed for the severely obese – generally those people with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher. These surgeries, which include gastric bypass and various “banding” and “stapling” procedures, have helped many formerly-obese people enjoy a higher-quality of life. However, all of these operations involve a considerable amount of risk.
Some of the risks associated with weight loss surgery include:
Death – According to the Mayo Clinic, about one in 200 to 300 people who has gastric bypass surgery dies from the procedure.
Post-surgery complications – Some weight loss surgery patients experience severe complications such as internal bleeding, infections, and blood clots. Others have to undergo follow-up procedures to correct complications such as abdominal hernias.
Gallstones – More than a third of patients develop gallstones as a result of losing large amounts of bodyweight following a weight loss surgery procedure.
Nutrient deficiencies – Some weight loss surgeries disrupt the digestion process. Without careful dietary supplementation this can lead to deficiencies in many important nutrients, especially vitamins B12 and D, iron, calcium, and folate.
Anyone considering weight loss surgery needs to weigh the risks against the benefits. They also need to realize that these extreme procedures are not cosmetic. Most patients only end up losing about 30% of their bodyweight and remain overweight for life. Simply put, weight loss surgery alone will not make you thin and beautiful. Yes, if you are extremely overweight, it may provide tremendous health benefits. But if you’re just looking for a way to get thin without the “hassles” of healthy diet and regular exercise you better think again.
Jamie Clark is editor of fitFAQ.com, one of the Web’s top fitness information sites. Learn more about healthy weight loss options by visiting fitfaq.com
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