Lose Weight With Meatless Mondays

With all the recent problems with horse-meat in burgers etc, you may find the following interesting reading!

Have you ever considered going meatless as a way to lose weight? I'm not suggesting a full-fledged vegetarian lifestyle. I'm talking about taking the meat off the dinner table one night a week - Mondays for example. Besides weight loss, there are many health benefits associated with substituting plants for meat. Check out this week's feature article to find out more about the benefits of going meatless on Mondays.
According the Meatless Campaign, going meatless once a week can have the following health benefits:

1. LIMIT CANCER RISK. Hundreds of studies suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables may reduce cancer risk. Both red and processed meat consumption are associated with colon cancer.

2. REDUCE HEART DISEASE. Recent data from a Harvard University study found that replacing saturated fat-rich foods (for example, meat and full fat dairy) with foods that are rich in polyunsaturated fat (for example, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds)reduces the risk of heart disease by 19 %.

3. FIGHT DIABETES. Research suggests that higher consumption of red and processed meat increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

4. CURB OBESITY. People on low-meat or vegetarian diets have significantly lower body weights and body mass indices. A recent study from Imperial College London also found that reducing overall meat consumption can prevent long-term weight gain.

5. INCREASE LIFE EXPECTANCY. Red and processed meat consumption is associated with increases in total mortality, cancer mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality.

6. IMPROVE DIET QUALITY. Consuming beans or peas results in higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron and magnesium with lower intake of saturated fat and total fat.

Ideas for Meatless Monday Meals
• Tacos or burritos filled with beans, textured vegetable protein, or tofu rather than meat
• Salad topped with beans in place of chicken or beef
• Pizza with or without cheese and topped with vegetables, tofu or soy crumbles
• Whole-grain pasta with tomato sauce plus vegetables including mushrooms, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and onions
• Breakfast for dinner - oatmeal with fruit and walnuts, whole grain cereal with soy milk (or lowfat milk), or whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana
• Chili with beans, textured vegetable protein and (soy or rice)cheese
• Vegetable burger with lettuce, tomato, and guacamole on whole-grain bun
Bottom line
December is winding down and the New Year is right around the corner. It's the perfect time for a fresh start. People are more likely to begin an exercise program or start a diet in January than any other time of the year. Why don't you join in and make a move to get healthier in the upcoming year? By eliminating meat from your diet - just one day a week - you will take a huge step towards improving your eating habits and shedding some pounds. Say YES to Meatless Monday. In fact, why wait until January? Get started next Monday with this terrific meatless recipe from Mark Bittman.

Mark Bittman's Simple Bean Burgers
Makes 4 -6 Servings
Time: 20 minutes with cooked beans
14-oz. can of beans, drained (black, garbanzo, white, lentils)
1 small onion, quartered
1/2 c. rolled oats
1 tbsp. chili powder or spice mix of your choice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg
1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the beans, onion, parmesan cheese, oats, chili powder, salt, pepper, and egg in a food processor and pulse until chunky but not puréed, adding a little liquid if necessary. With wet hands, shape into whatever size patties you want (You can make the burger mixture or even shape the burgers up to a day or so in advance-just cover tightly and refrigerate). Bring everything back to room temperature before cooking. Film the bottom of a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with oil and turn the heat to medium. Cook until nicely browned on one side, about 5 min.; turn carefully and cook on the other side until firm and browned. You can refrigerate or freeze any extras for later use.

If you're looking for some heat, simply add cayenne pepper, hot red pepper flakes, or the like. If you want some texture, you might include 1/4 cup or more roasted (or canned) green or red chili peppers.

Author:	Lorraine Matthews-Antosiewicz, MS RD, is a food and nutrition expert specializing in weight

 management. She is committed to empowering people through education, support, and inspiration to make real changes that lead to optimal health and lasting weight loss. 

 Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Lose Weight Quick with this Exceptional Weight Loss Advice: Just 3 Simple Steps!

Lose weight quick, what everyone with weight problems wants to achieve. The quickest way to do this in a healthy and maintainable fashion is to speed up your metabolism to the point that your body simply cannot hold onto your fat reserves. This is exactly what I’m going to show you. It’s so quick you’ll have lost a couple of pounds by the end of this article. What is your metabolism? Your metabolic rate is the rate at which your body uses up the energy it creates. Ideally, you want a high metabolism so that your using the energy faster than your body is creating it. This prevents fat storage and causes you to lose weight quick. Speeding up your metabolism so you lose weight quick can be done in the following ways. Listed in order of precedence: Build muscle through a weight training or resistance program Eat small meals regular Eat foods that take longer to digest Building muscle This is the most important aspect of speeding up your metabolism. The goal is to create a high muscle to fat ratio. This means your body is comprised of significantly more muscle than fat. Weight and resistance training are the best methods of building muscle. I recommend you do a 20 minute intensive session every other day. However, you must train with weight loss in mind. Check out the best exercise for weight loss page to find out how to do this properly. Eat small meals regular Overloading your stomach is one of the best ways to put on weight quick. In contrast, eating small amounts regular is a great way to speed up your metabolism and lose weight quick. Therefore, you should try to eat 5-6 small meals per day. The more often you eat smaller meals the better. You might think, well, isn’t a calorie a calorie no matter what time I eat it. This is traditional thinking and is simplified to the point that it’s plain wrong. You see, calories are used up in the digestion process so the longer you keep your digestion running the more energy you use and weight you lose. This is called the thermic effect of food and leads nicely into point 3. Eat foods that take longer to digest Foods that take longer to digest and use up more energy in the digestion process have a high thermic effect of food. Eating more foods with a high thermic effect and less food with a low thermic effect will speed up your metabolism and help with weight loss. Protein burns 25% of the calories consumed in the digestion process and fibre burns a little less. Carbs burn 15% of calories in the digestion process and fat burns hardly any. Therefore, you should consume more fiber and protein, a moderate amount of carbs and virtually no fat, to get maximum effect. 3 relatively simple alterations to your lifestyle and you’ll begin to lose weight quick with very little effort. So In black and white you should: Weight train for 20 minutes every other day Eat 5-6 small meals every day Eat more protein and fiber Follow this advice and you’ll lose weight quick and keep the weight off for life.
Author:  Mick Bulmer Author Resource:- http://www.weight-loss-programs-and-diets.com/weight-loss-advice.html Article: From Free Reprint Articles

The Best Foods for Natural Weight Loss

When you are trying to lose weight, there are some foods that are more conducive to natural weight loss than others. Diet and nutrition are crucial to healthy weight loss, and, if neglected, can severely stall your efforts. That said, it can be difficult to know when you are in the grocery store exactly which foods will support your new way of living and which will work against you. Following are a list of healthy, nutritious foods that are good choices for natural weight loss or any healthy diet in general. Meat Cold Water Fish - Fish is one of the healthiest forms of meat that you can eat, and cold water fish tend to be even better. They contain a particularly high content of omega 3 fatty acids, a heart healthy fat that occurs in other forms of protein in much lower amounts. Omega 3 fatty acids help combat insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes that is very common in people who are overweight. Salmon, sardines, herring, tuna, and anchovies are all examples of cold water fish. Vegetables Salad Greens - High in fibre and vitamins, salad greens make a great addition to any diet. Add on a bit of nuts or healthy salad dressing and you can build a thousand dishes on the same leafy base. The great thing about salad greens is that they are also very high in water content, allowing them to fill you up without adding a great deal of calories. Cabbage of Various Forms - There are many vegetables in the produce aisle that are healthy, nutritious, as well as cabbage in disguise. Broccoli, cauliflower, and kohlrabi are all variations of cabbage that each have their own distinct appearance and flavors. Where they are similar, however, is that they are all low in calories, high in fiber, and very high in vitamins and minerals. Grains Flaxseed - Other than being very high in fibre and manganese, flaxseed is also an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids, which are severely lacking in the diets of most people. Omega 3s reduce inflammation, protect against heart disease and diabetes, and promote healthy bones. Bulgur Wheat - Bulgur is low in fat and calories while at the same time being high in protein and fibre. It makes a great replacement for plain white rice and can be made into a risotto or pilaf that satisfies those carb cravings every time. Fats Olive Oil - Of all the fats you can use, olive oil is among the very best. This is due to the high content of monounsaturated fats that make it up, which are known to be good for promoting heart health. Consuming small amounts of olive oil regularly are linked to improving blood chemistry and reduced instances of colon cancer, possibly due to its high antioxidant content.

Author Tim Goodman.  Resource:- Visit http://naturalweightlosssystem.com

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I want To Lose Weight and Get Healthy? Here’s How!

The Ultimate Reset: Your Ticket to a Slim Body of Good Health

  

Elizabeth recently commented on the way she and her family have lost weight, as follows:

If you want a new lease on life, stop leaning on diet pills, promises of overnight weight loss solutions and starvation cleanses that deprive your body of what it really needs. Oh yeah, and stop making excuses! It doesn’t just have to be for you. If you worry about the health of someone you care about, don’t sit back and watch as their life gets taken over by poor health. Do something about it!

We all flip through magazines and daydream about having those legs like those women that essentially grow out of their necks. I’m shaking you virtually right now. Wake up. Let go of those images of emaciated lingerie models and start focusing on what your body needs to be healthy and the rest will just fall into place (and stop falling over the top of your jeans).

Today marks the end of week one for me of my second time doing the Ultimate Reset and I already feel brand new. What the frigg is that, you ask? The program that changed my life, thanks for asking. In May of 2012 I was ready for a change. My health was on the up after my new love affair with Shakeology, the first program that got my life back on track. I had adopted a new mentality of going for what I wanted and I was ready to put it to the test.

The Ultimate Reset is a 21-Day full body reset that brings your body back to its factory settings. If you are often dragging or tired, have a tough time digesting, feel like your metabolism has slowed down, want or need to lose weight, have high blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol, have diabetes or any other chronic illness or just want to get healthy again, this is it.

Without drugs, crazy juice cleanses, running to the bathroom, or starving yourself, you can have it all. It’s a 3-phase program that changed my life along with other members of my family and some great friends. With the help of all natural supplements that help rid the body of the toxins that we come in contact with everyday, Shakeology, and a very clean, whole food approach to eating, your body can do a 180.

My mother, uncle and I decided to do the Reset together. That was the first thing we did right. Making the decision to do it, and doing it together. I had already lost several pounds through Shakeology and P90X, so I wasn’t expecting to lose much on the Reset. This was more of my back door approach of getting my mom and uncle to do this program.

Real Results:
After week one, I was down 8 pounds, no longer needed caffeine, and I had more energy than I knew what to do with. I was sleeping like a baby, and waking up early ready to go. If you know me, you know that typically isn’t my style. By day 21, I was down a total of 15 pounds and over 12.5 overall inches. I went down 2 pants sizes, was digesting food like lettuce in a meat grinder, had incredible energy, clarity of mind, and could finally see all the definition I had earned during P90X that had been hiding beneath my outer layer.

They Got Their Life Back:
Sure, it was great to lose the weight. Do you know what was better? The fact that my mom and uncle got their lives back. My mother, who has been fighting off high blood pressure and cholesterol for years, lost 18 pounds in the 21 days. She was able to come off of her cholesterol medication and reduce her blood pressure medication. That’s still not the best part. Every other diet or plan she had done, when it was over, she gained back the weight. In the three months after the Reset, she lost an additional 25 pounds – at least! Not only was her body reset, but her mind was reset. Yes, her metabolism was working at the rate it was when she was in high school. Yes, she could now digest things that her body wouldn’t even touch before. But now she understands what her body needs! She knows how she will feel after eating certain things, she knows what the right foods are for her to eat at different times of the day, and what to stay away from.

Let’s talk about my Uncle Fran for a moment; a high-ranking man in a huge corporate company, with no time for health nonsense (or so he thought)… until the  Reset. He lost 20 pounds during the 21 days. Over the months to follow, he has lost another 15 – at least! My uncle had his 1^st full check up since the Reset. The last time he went into the doctor, they told him he had to make some serious life changes. He was on the cusp of diabetes and the dangerous fat surrounding his organs was putting him at risk for heart attack, stroke, and other dangerous weight related illnesses. He had very high cholesterol, high blood pressure and ulcers in his stomach. A few months after the 21-day program, his blood pressure was down to his ideal range. His total cholesterol went from 258 to 165, his LDL (bad cholesterol) went down from 140 to 90 and his HDL (good cholesterol) went up from 40 to 58. His triglycerides went from 259 to 75, and he was able to come completely off of the ulcer medication he had been dependent on for decades. The doctor was shocked, but mostly by the fact that my uncle had eradicated the dangerous fat around his organs, an often difficult thing to reverse.

“As a guy in my mid-forties it was time to get serious about my health, losing weight and taking back control of my exercise and eating habits.  The Ultimate Reset and Shakeology were the perfect start to that process. Four months later, 35 pounds lighter and off of ulcer meds I feel better, look better and have the motivation to maintain a rigorous workout routine that has made the process even easier. The Ultimate Reset provided me with a no-brainer approach to a healthy detox that taugh me the principles of eating whole foods and creating healthy eating habits.  Shakeology is an easy meal repalcement that guarantees me the balanced nutrients and protien that I need throughout my busy day. These programs have been great! ” – Francis Hyatt

 

So yes, I was happy with my results, but for those of us that worry about the health of a parent, spouse, friend or family member, this program can give them their life back. Talk to them about it or offer to do it with them. Life is far too short to hold onto the cookies that bind us (literally and figuratively)! Drop your cookie and help the person you love drop theirs too.

Author: Elizabeth Gemmell

Composition Of A Good Nutrient Rich Diet

For the human body to function well, it should be fed a good balance of vitamins and nutrients. There are three primary macronutrients which we consume namely protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Without these, our body won't be able to function properly. Since we cannot synthesize vitamins in sufficient quantities, they must be obtained from dietary sources. We also need several minerals for our body to function smoothly. Calcium and phosphorous, for example, aside from being important in the strengthening and lengthening of your bones are needed by your heart to pump efficiently. Salt, aside from adding flavor to your dishes, contain sodium and chlorine which help in maintaining fluid balance and producing digestive juices, respectively.

Mineral salts are ionic in nature, they help regulate pH levels in our blood and body. Maintenance of proper pH levels is crucial for the proper functioning of the body, a balanced supply of necessary mineral nutrients ensures that natural pH balance is maintained. There are also minerals which you require in lesser amounts of such as iron, iodine and zinc. While only minute levels are required, several ailments will emanate from not being able to meet the recommended dietary allowance overtime. You can get both macrominerals and trace elements from dietary sources. If your diet is deficient is essential nutrients, taking dietary supplements on a regular basis is recommended.

Beside mineral nutrients, the body needs water, you need to keep your body hydrated. 6 to 8 glasses of water a day is more than sufficient for the average person, if you have an active lifestyle, your requirement will be higher. Taking the adequate amounts of fluids is essential for the growth and maintenance of your body. It is also important in the elimination of unneeded and harmful substances from your system. Alkaline water, called so because of its slightly alkaline pH, is believed to benefit the body by reducing blood acidity.

This trend is brought about by the heightened awareness of the public to alkaline water benefits. The manufacturers of alkaline water additives claim that the regular consumption of alkaline water protects against cancer and may even slow down aging. Also called ionized water, this water preparation is mineral-rich and consequently keeps the blood pH at a neutral state. It is believed that certain food items, most notably carbonated drinks and junk foods, can make the blood acidic. When not neutralized, blood that is too acidic can have deleterious effects, like lethargy and abnormal heart rhythms.

Still there are those who do not believe in these alkaline water benefits saying further that these are overstated. The argument between believers and non-believers essentially fuels interest for the product. Ultimately, the users are the only people who can testify whether or not alkaline water works, and the present consensus is that it works.

 To ensure that your body works at maximum efficiency, maintaining a neutral pH is important. If your blood is acidic, you will feel lethargic and unwell. Hence, taking alkaline water is good for you.

 Author: Michele Tamez

Article Source: http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_12498.shtml

5 Frequently Asked Questions On Obesity And Weight Reduction

A lot of general questions are being asked daily concerning obesity and how to overcome it.

1. Does obesity affect my affect my overall general health?
Definitely YES! Obesity in itself is often regarded as a sickness. There are so many medical diseases out there that may arise due to excess weight such as cancers, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, heart diseases, to mention just a few. In fact, the growing prevalence of obesity and obesity-related diseases has become very important public health concerns these days. Obesity also reduces individual welfare and productivity.

2. What actually causes obesity?
A bad diet is a major cause of obesity. If you have wrong eating habits, then obesity is in your future. By the time you eat lot of foods that contain high fructose corny syrup (such as in most fast foods), you are very prone to having an obese stature. A bad diet is not the only thing that causes obesity. Bad diet is not the only reason why people get obese. A lack or insufficient exercise also contributes to the cases of obesity in men and women.

3. Are there other causes?
While improper diet and lack of regular exercise are major causes of obesity, obesity may also result from some diseases that have impact on your weight. An example of this is 'hypothyroidism'. This disease affect the production of hormones by your thyroid gland and in so doing reduces the body metabolism leading to excessive weight gain in a very short period of time. Do well to consult your doctor in this case.

4. What can I do to prevent obesity?
Prevention is actually much easier and I can tell you that you are fortunate if you are not obese yet. Hope you stay that way!. The key thing you should know in order to prevent obesity is that it results from the accumulation of excess unsaturated fats & oils in the body system. Hence, you should have a healthy meal plan that excludes those foods that make you fat and include lots of fresh fruits, veggies, fiber, nuts, & lean protein. Also remember to exercise regularly to keep your body in good shape.

5. Okay, I am already obese, how do I treat this?
The first thing you should realize is that it is very possible for you to shed that excess fat quickly and get back into a very attractive physique. All you may require is consistency and determination. One important step to this is admitting that obesity is a problem that needs to be solved. Since a poor diet and lack of exercise are major causes of obesity, there are certain remedies. By drinking lots of water to keep the body hydrated always, avoid junk processed food,whole fat dairy foods, sugary drinks, sweets, and exercising regularly, you will drastically reduce your chances of being obese. Introduce more natural cooked foods to your meals instead of processed foods. These lifestyle changes would help you immensely!

Author: David Ugorji

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7395568

Does A Sauna Suit To Help Lose Weight?

Weight is a pressing issue with almost all families in the US and, while some are trying to shed a few pounds, others are fighting with a few tens of pounds. Loosing weight is never easy; it requires determination, planning and the will power to stick to the plan, which can prove extremely difficult. Here is how a sauna suit can help you lose weight faster and also allow you to have fun at the same time.

The Effect Of The Sauna Suit

Saunas in general produce the following effects: increase the body temperature through the high temperature in the sauna room and thus eliminates the access water in the body through sweat. Through sweat you will also eliminate toxins and those impurities that clog your pores especially on the face, leaving you a health, bright skin in return. In a normal sauna session, you can lose anywhere from 300 to 500 calories through sweat and increased heart rate alone.

The sauna suit increases the effect of heat on the entire body and thus, helps you burn more calories in the process and lose weight fast. You can also wear the sauna suit to exercise in order to raise the temperature in your body and burn fat fast.

Other Usage Of Sauna Suits

AdChoices

Sauna suits are great if you have any outdoor activity in the cold weather as it preserves the body heat and will keep you warm. There is a large variety of sauna suits available to choose from, in all types of sizes, colors and shapes as well as materials such as, nylon, vinyl and PVC. You will find that most sauna suits will be full length, covering your entire legs and arms, leaving out your hands, feet and from the neck upwards. Choose the sauna suit of choice keeping in mind if you are allergic to any of the materials used in making it.

Helpful Sauna Tips

There are a few things you need to watch when you use a sauna and they are: because your body will sweat profoundly you will get dehydrated fast and you must ensure that you drink plenty water in order to produce the flushing effect and cleanse you body but also not to get dehydrated. If you are suffering from heart disease of are pregnant do not use the sauna, as you can get seriously hurt in the process.

Do not use the sauna is you administered strong medication that will cause you muscle spasms and/or drowsiness as well as avoid the sauna if you consumed alcoholic beverages.

Author: Ann Marier Ann Marier has written many articles on  health problems and useful house and garden topics. More articles about the Infrared Sauna and other types of saunas.
Article source: Articles Base.

4 Fat-Burning Foods To Eat For Fast Weight Loss

Foods that you should eat to burn fat fast are foods that are thermogenic in nature. By 'thermogenic', I mean foods that require the body to spend a lot of energy to digest them. Fat- burning foods do not necessarily mean those foods have to be 'hot' and spicy like peppers and other assorted spices etc. Not at all!
There are 4 fat-burning foods to eat to get rid of excess weight. They include;

1. Protein
The kinds of foods to eat for fast weight loss are these thermogenic foods and a very good example is protein. Protein is said to be the most thermogenic class of food. A lot of calories are burnt off while trying to digest them. The body's metabolic rate is increased and hence weight loss is achieved. Very good sources of protein are; turkey, chicken breast and other lean meats. Incorporate these in your diet for quick weight loss and sound health.

2. Green tea
You may or may not have heard about Green Tea. If you are a weight loss enthusiast, you probably would have come across it. Green tea works in such a way that it increases your body's metabolism significantly but unlike coffee and other caffeinated drinks, it does not increase your heart rate. This is very effective for quick weight loss. Green tea contains epigallo-catechin gallate (EGCG) and this is responsible to the increased metabolism. For anyone who wishes to lose weight fast, Green tea should be taken in place of other kinds of tea.

3. Fish
Though this is an amazing source of protein, it also contains what is known as Omega 3 fatty acids, which helps boost metabolism. Fish like salmon and tuna and most other fish, contain Omega 3 fatty acids. These Omega 3 fatty acids help to control the level of a hormone called 'leptin' in the body and this helps in reducing excess weight quickly.

4. Whole grain cereal and oatmeal
Intake of fibre and complex carbs help to lower insulin levels as these foods are digested slowly in the stomach. High levels of insulin encourage the body to store fat so it is important that you desist from eating sugary foods that increase insulin levels and instead make up your diet with whole grain cereal, nuts, fibre and oatmeal for effective weight reduction.

You can see that these are foods to eat for fast weight loss which should be incorporated in your daily diet. Stick to a meal plan today and make smart food choices so that you can quickly shed that excess fat.

Author: David Ugorji

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Ugorji

Knowing Whether You Are a Good Fit for a Tummy Tuck

A tummy tuck might be a good option for you. Most people do not realize how much skin they have until they lose a good amount of weight without giving it time to tighten up. When this happens so quickly, they are left with loose skin that actually has weight of its own. This type of plastic surgery is one way to get rid of this.
If you are in good physical shape but cannot seem to lose the extra inches in your belly or tighten up the skin that hangs there, you might be a good candidate for a tummy tuck. Most people probably think that the ones who need it are those who are overweight. It is actually only a good option for those who are at a good weight.
If someone still is overweight when they get a tummy tuck, it will defeat the purpose of getting rid of the loose skin because there will still be more after weight is possibly lost later. It is a surgery after all, so it is also important that someone be a healthy weight because some problems such as diabetes that is common with some who are overweight can cause problems for the procedure. With this in mind, be sure to give your plastic surgeon access to your medical records before your surgery. Most likely he or she will not even perform a surgery without access to these.
Part of the procedure can be liposuction to remove excess fat, so do not think that you have to have no fat to have the surgery. That would not make sense because everyone has some fat in their belly. During a tummy tuck, some fat will be removed by liposuction, muscles will be tightened up in the belly, loose skin will be removed, and the skin that is left will be tightened. Your navel will also likely need to be repositioned depending on the type procedure you end up having.
Besides being in good physical shape, it is also important that an individual have good skin elasticity so that the skin will stay tight as it should. Older individuals and people who smoke have less skin elasticity.
If you are tired of loose skin from weight loss or from a pregnancy, you may want to consider a tummy tuck. If you are interested, make sure to visit a few different plastic surgeons before deciding on one. Consult with them to see how much they charge for their procedures as well as to see if you believe you would like to work with them. Do not go with any doctor who is pushy and tries to persuade you to have a surgery or surgeries that you do not want. Make sure that he or she is educated and experienced in the area of plastic surgery in which you are interested.

Author: Aloysias Aucoin

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7389996

The Generation of Obese Teenagers

There are many articles in the press about obese teenagers and even obese younger children and so my article on this issue is nothing new but the fact that it is something I have in front of me everyday, motivated me as something I just had to write about. So I decided to write a series of articles on this particular issue. I see it everywhere, in the classroom, on the streets, in the shops, the village where I live... just everywhere. It is also an issue that really stood out to me when I came back from Spain some months ago to return to my position as lecturer at the college.

When we returned from Spain, my daughters who are 16 and 17 set about catching up with old friends after a 2 year absence and we all noticed that most of them, bar a few, had put on substantial amounts of weight during those 2 years. Now let me step back here to assure you... I was not being judgmental on these teenagers as people, it was just impossible not to notice the difference that this period of time had made
My job as a Health lecturer and also the fact that I have lived a large proportion of my life so far out of the UK in South Africa allows me the liberty of being able to look at different cultures and their eating habits and way of life. When I returned from South Africa to the UK in 2001 I immediately noticed the deteriorating eating habits of the younger generation and had a hard time convincing my daughters of the benefits of healthy eating. When we moved to Spain in 2010 and returned in 2012 some 2 years later..I think they got what I had been talking about all those years earlier!

The message really hit home when they were able to compare the eating habits and weight issues in the UK with a different culture where the eating habits were more healthy and overweight teenagers were infrequent and not common place.

So lets get the information right from the start. Many people think that being overweight is an appearance issue. Not so, of course no-one wants to look "fat" but being overweight is actually a medical concern because it can seriously affect a person's health. All of us have body fat and a few extra pounds are not going to do us any harm, but when experts use the term overweight they are talking about much more than just a few pounds. There are very few people who are not aware of the health problems like Diabetes and heart disease that come with people who are overweight, but the problems range much further. Being overweight can affect a persons joints, breathing, sleep, mood, and energy levels. All of these problems can impact a person's entire quality of life. More people are overweight today than ever before. We are experiencing an "obesity epidemic." So younger people are now developing health problems that used to affect only adults, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

So how does one become overweight? It's actually not as simple as you think... but then it never is. My next article will discuss the issues that result in weight gain.

Kathy is a Health and Social care lecturer with young adults Her website is focused on Health and lifestyle issues that effect teenagers.  http://www.myhealthbusiness.info 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathy_Davison
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