Weight Loss & Obesity Affect Life Expectancy!

Written by Kim Beardsmore


We hear it allrepparttar time…lose weight for your health. Few people however, realizerepparttar 138127 extent to which this is critical to their physical well-being and ultimately their life expectancy.

In January 2003,repparttar 138128 Journal ofrepparttar 138129 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 stimulaterepparttar 138130 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. Ifrepparttar 138131 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.

Weight Loss: Why Do We Gain Weight?

Written by Kim Beardsmore


There are many factors that cause us to increase body weight, yet three stand out fromrepparttar rest.

Our genetic make up: Every cell in our body has a central control panel, that is a nucleus that contains our genes and chromosomes. This isrepparttar 138126 instruction manual for your body and this is inherited from your parents. It is this instruction manual that is largely responsible for how your body, and even your mind, behaves.

The environment in which we live: Our personal environment may also contribute or cue you to adopt poor eating or exercise habits. This is especially true in today's society, which is dominated by speed and convenience. For example, escalators, elevators and remote-control appliances make us less physically active. Also, greater availability andrepparttar 138127 constant marketing of foods that are high in calories, fat and added sugars, and larger portion sizes promote unhealthy eating behaviors.

There may also be personal reasons why you are consuming too many kilojoules from food and drinks, or not being physically active enough. For example, when feeling down or bored you may eat more than you need, or if you are feeling depressed it is more difficult to get active.

Knowingrepparttar 138128 reason why you may be consuming excess kilojoules or not participating in physical activity, is an important first step in changing your lifestyle habits to help you reach a healthy weight.

Our lifestyle: What we eat and drink and how active we are. This isrepparttar 138129 gradual gain in weight as a result of eating food and not exercising enough.

The extent to which we can affect our genetic make up and our environment are limited. However, lifestyle isrepparttar 138130 area in which we can significantly manage and if need be, improve our body weight to ensure we maintain a healthy weight for our height, age and gender. This is why learning a healthy nutritious eating pattern and adopting it for life, that is, lifestyle changes has a significant impact on our ability to reach and maintain a healthy weight.

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