Why Are We Overweight?Written by (c) Anna “Overweight? NO MORE!”
Why are we overweight? This question has been asked many times and we all have different answers. The most common is because we eat too much, especially junk food, and exercise less. It is easy to say, I will lose weight and keep it off. Reality is that when we eat more calories than we can use for energy, our bodies store fat. The issue is whether we are seriously committed to change our lifestyle, adopt healthier habits and exercise more. After we gain weight, we find difficulty losing it. There is hope. Increasing our fat burning metabolism will help us lose weight. Most people have tried many diets, such as quick weight loss diets with hope of loosing that unwanted fat, yet failed to keep weight off. Why? Because quick diets are not answer. Think for a moment, we did not gain all that weight in one week, but gradually, right? Therefore, we can lose that unwanted fat gradually and keep weight off. This is why it is so hard to lose fat and to stay slim with those quick weight loss diets. Some of these diets are so extreme that leave you feeling hungry, weak, and end is that instead of promoting a healthy eating habit to lose weight, you end up cheating and eating until you satisfy those cravings. Back to our original question, why are we overweight? People are overweight for different reasons: eating too much, lack of exercise, slow fat burning metabolism, retaining water, eating too late, eating unconsciously while watching TV, eating wrong foods. We tend to eat for emotional reasons too, as we relate food as calming our nerves. Sound familiar? Sure, we feel fine while eating, but is this answer to calm our nerves? No. Definitely not. Anxiety can drive us to eat more and see food as an ideal comfort.
| | What Can We Eat to Avoid Obesity?Written by (c) Anna “Overweight? NO MORE!”
Obesity is becoming a global concern. The basic of losing weight is simple; consume less calories than you burn. Consuming more calories than we need leads to overweight. Although some foods indicate being "LOW FAT," "LOW CARBS," or "SUGAR FREE," this does not mean we can eat unlimited servings. These products still have calories despite being rated as “low.” It is imperative we modify our eating habits controlling what and how much we eat, and not food controlling our lives. Reportedly, Mediterranean diet, a combination of lots of vegetables, grains, fruits, olive oil, and wine is one of most balanced meals to help avoid obesity. Many researches indicate that people following a Mediterranean diet have lower disease risks and less obesity problems. On other hand, many research studies have indicated that wine taken in moderation is beneficial for our health. The secret is to drink in moderation. One glass of wine with our meals is fine; just be aware that a glass of wine approximately has 100 calories. You still can follow this diet even if not drinking wine. Moreover, Mediterranean diet is even consistent with new diet recommendations issued by U.S. Department of Agriculture in January 2005. You may check site at www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines Ideally, eat at regular intervals, every 3-4 hours. Why? It helps to keep blood sugar levels stable. Skipping meals will not help you lose weight in long term. Your goal is to keep that unwanted fat away, right? Hence, do not skip breakfast and add a cup of green tea to speed up your metabolism. One advice, do not follow rigid diets or extreme low carbs. Yes, I know, I know … there are low carb meals and low fat labels almost everywhere! Again, remember that low carbs and low fat DO NOT mean zero calories. Read food labels to know how many calories you are actually consuming. Me, reading labels? Yes, I am not kidding. Trust me, this habit will help you keep weight off and enjoy a healthier figure, as you will be in control of how much you eat -- not food controlling you. Furthermore, most of these quick weight loss diets and products offer only temporary weight loss. They fail in long term because you lose lean muscle mass and body water. Surprise comes when you resume eating normal, as you tend to gain that weight back, if not add even more. The reason is that those quick diets or extreme low carb diets can slow down your metabolism. Therefore, best way to achieve your weight loss goal without starving is to follow a balanced menu checking your calories intake, and exercise at least 3 times a week to lose body fat. Personally, I prefer a high protein and moderate carbs, as our bodies need carbs to function properly. I can proudly say that I lost 80 pounds of unwanted fat and have kept weight off for 3 years without starving, but eating a combined balanced meal. If I did that, so can you! The bottom line is to keep weight off, that unwanted fat, which is so hard to get rid of, and not just have illusion of losing weight when in reality we are losing mostly water with crash diets. So, you might be asking, then what can I eat? Again, you can eat a balanced meal. We should eat at least 3 servings of fruit and vegetables a day to keep a healthy figure. Remember our ancestors, our mothers, and grandmothers telling us, "Finish your vegetables!" Well, guess what? They were right! Vegetables are a good source of vitamins, minerals and are low in calories, unlike processed food. I love vegetables, especially tomatoes with fresh basil.
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