"In America, we've placed convenience and comfort as top priority.We've 'convenienced' ourselves into multiple patterns of poor health.If we don't change, we'll convenience ourselves to death."

Obesity: a nasty word no one likes to hear.Like it or not, obesity is an illness millions face each day.The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 1999-2000 reported that 64% of adult Americans were either overweight or obese.("Overweight and Obesity," 2004 as cited from "National Health" 1999-2000.)

So what, exactly, is obese?Although there are many scientific definitions, obesity is the generally accepted term for a person whose weight is more than 20% above expected for their age, sex, height, and build.

Some facts about your body you cannot change, but you can work to change being overweight or obese, and you can start now. Obesity is one of the few preventable contributors to many serious health conditions, so the sooner the change, the better.
Why are so many Americans overweight?

Look at restaurant row in any American town and you'll see more than a dozen cheap burger restaurants. It's hard to spot a convenient, healthy alternative for a fast meal at a good price. Americans simply eat too many of the wrong foods. We live in a time of supersized portions. Ready-made, high-fat, high-calorie foods are the convenient norm, not the exception.

Genetic and environmental factors play a strong role in adult obesity too, though these are often overlooked. Some people are genetically prone to weight-gain. Others face challenging environments, like sedentary work conditions or lack of support from family and friends. The intense effects these conditions have on an individual's motivation are often underestimated.

Inactivity is another contributor. The U.S. Surgeon General reports that 60% of U.S. adults do not exercise enough and 25% of adults don't exercise at all (paragraph 2, "Surgeon General" n.d.) Sparse physical activity combined with poor diet contributes to about 300,000 premature deaths in the U.S. yearly. ("Just the Facts," n.d. as cited from "Overweight and Obesity," 2004.)

Americans drive nearly everywhere. In contrast, most Japanese bicycle miles to work or to the train station daily. Why? Because parking is Japan is hard to find and expensive. Train stations welcome bicycles with hundreds of free, conveniently located bicycle racks.

In America, we've placed convenience and comfort as top priority. We've "convenienced" ourselves into multiple patterns of poor health. If we don't change, we'll convenience ourselves to death. But even knowing the health risks, we fail to stay fit. Why?

For millions, repeated efforts to lose weight yield few results. To succeed in losing weight, you cannot simply end poor health habits; many try this and fail. Instead, you must replace poor health habits with strong, good habits. The fastest way to do this is to require yourself to change; alter your circumstances so you have to live a more "fit" lifestyle to go about your day successfully. Make convenience take a backseat to the rewards of living a fit life.

Here are a few ideas to help.
What does it mean to be "fit"?

You do not need to be an athlete to live a fit lifestyle. Simply put, being fit means that you can perform common daily tasks and leisure activities without a struggle. Many health and fitness experts believe that 30 minutes of moderately intensive activity, like fast walking, five days a week, will gradually improve your fitness level.

If you have not exercised recently, check with your doctor first and start small: five minutes of exercise a day. You can work your way up. Start by replacing one or two convenience habits with healthy habits, like parking far away and walking to your destination, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

If you are a TV fan, require yourself to exercise while watching: for example, walk on a treadmill or do leg lifts.

Look for convenience habits you've adopted that sabotage your health and create healthy substitutions, one at a time. Once you look for them, you'll be surprised by how many you find and how many you have the power to change.

Once you have several healthy habits in place, consider scheduling exercise times. Often, health clubs offer convenient, 30-minute programs to accommodate those with busy schedules. If you opt for more vigorous exercise, such as jogging, 15-20 minutes at least three days a week will help you keep fit.
What about diet?

Although exercise is important for improving fitness, it isn't enough—diet is the other half to good fitness.

Dianne Esplin, a registered dietician from California, recommends that you gradually cut the size of your meals but eat four to six small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals. Remind yourself to eat at the right times, but don't snack on calories in between—try crunchy celery instead.

A cool class of water with lemon or a steaming cup of non-caffeinated tea helps to fill your stomach and hold cravings at bay. Ms. Esplin suggests keeping bottled water within reach all the time; take a swig whenever you feel hungry. You should drink at least eight cups of water each day (caffeinated drinks don't count, but juices do).

Pay attention to your portion sizes. Eat 3/4 to 1 cup of complex carbohydrates at each meal. (Complex carbohydrates are starches, such as potatoes, rice, and breads.) According to Ms. Esplin, "your portion of lean meat should be about the size of a deck of cards, not your palm, since some people have big palms!" Also, eat about a fist-full each of fruits and vegetables. This is an easy method to control portion sizes and eat the right foods combinations.

Gives your stomach that "full" feeling it craves. Grab a healthy snack for the road. If you always have fruit, carrot sticks, or another healthy snack handy you can fend off the urge for quick, high-fat food sources. Keep a stock of healthy snacks around your house and workplace.

And don't deny yourself all fat. While low-fat and zero-fat substitutes are a good alternative, a diet too low in fat will make you feel as if you are starving all the time. This leads to bingeing.

Whatever you do, don't give up. One bad snack or unsuccessful day doesn't mean you've failed.
What are the benefits of a "fit" lifestyle? What are the benefits of a "fit" lifestyle? What are the benefits of a "fit" lifestyle?

A higher fitness level will benefit you physically several ways. You will have more energy, a higher metabolism, more lean muscle and less fat. Your increased strength and energy will keep you going strong all day and evening long. You'll feel better about yourself and your appearance.

You'll also decrease your chances of developing cervical, prostate, colon or breast cancer, lower your risk for hypertension, type two diabetes and heart disease. You may even find that your sleep improves.

Social benefits of fitness include improved self-image and self-esteem. You may feel more confidence in social settings, and you may even make friends with similar fitness interests.
How do I begin?

If you feel overwhelmed by the daunting task of beginning an exercise and diet program, don't call it a "program." Just pay attention to what you do and gradually work to improve your good habits and replace bad habits.

Obesity is a problem that you can begin to control. Start with manageable goals, track your progress each day, and earn the benefits of a "fit" lifestyle.

3:41 AM | 2 komentar | Read More

Shame Off Due to Obesity

Have a super great body is not yearning Tillmon Webb, 33. Man from South Carolina, USA. He just tortured and embarrassed due to his weight continued to swell up to 250 kg.

During lamenting her fate, she chose to stay in his favorite chair for the past eight months. Even until his death arrived, he stayed in the seat.

Yes, Tilmmon who suffer from obesity, are reluctant to move from the seat. Because he was afraid of being ridiculed people around him when out of the house. In fact he did all the activities of the seat. Starting from eating, drinking, and even urinating and defecating in the seat.

Tilmmon wife, Ada, was forced to summon assistance via telephone lines 911, Wednesday (18/11) when her husband fell ill. When medical teams arrived at his house, how shocked they were. Tillmon body full of wounds and remove the bad smell. There is a saying in the medical team, if Tilmmon not want to move from her chair since last March because of shame will be the size of a jumbo body.

Need help firefighters to move Tillmon. They had sawed and dismantle the seat. Then they brought Tillmon to the nearest hospital.

Unfortunately, life Tillmon not helped. A few hours later he died in hospital. Though originally this day is a happy day for the couple. Understand it, that day is the anniversary of their second wedding.

Burlesque
There Tillmon met four years ago through the social networking site MySpace. He claimed to have never seen a guy who weighs over 250 kg. "I saw a man who loves God and has a big heart," he recalls.

For 15 years, Tillmon worked as bus driver. But as spike weight of his body, he decided to quit his job is.

11:35 PM | 0 komentar | Read More

Caution, Make Children Fat Chocolate Milk

Choosing chocolate milk as an additional source of nutrients for children are many old people do that it tastes more delicious and tasty. But the election should be considered more chocolate milk, because milk flavored potentially lead to obesity in children.

In the United States, one of the school nutrition services director even called for a chocolate milk removed from the school canteen menu. The reason, milk chocolate is higher in calories than plain milk that tastes fresh.

"If the kids choose chocolate milk instead of white milk all year, their weight will grow 2.5 to 3 pounds (1-1.5 pounds) and within 10 years, the weight can be 25 to 30 pounds," said Ann Cooper while attending a meeting with officials in Washington to discuss the quality of school meals.

"We're facing a crisis of obesity in this country," said Cooper, who has served as Director of Nutrition Services for the school in Boulder, Colorado, where he has taken away the milk chocolate and other flavored milk with organic milk and replace it with pure cold.

Most milk chocolate contains more than 50 percent of calories compared with white milk, and sugar which is equal to one ounce of soda. "Milk chocolate and soda just as bad," said Cooper.
  
Serving eight ounces of liquid (240 milliliters) low-fat Nesquik chocolate milk contains 200 calories and 30 grams of sugar - or more than the contents of cans 12 ounces (350 milliliters) of Coca Cola, which contains 27 grams of sugar and 140 calories.

Of course, the milk with flavor variations contain nutrients not found in soda. But whole milk contains the same nutritional value with fewer calories and sugar content is only a third of the milk with flavor varies.

At a conference on obesity earlier this year, Thomas Frieden, the leader of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said about half of the extra 250 calories consumed by the average American today - compared with 25 last year - comes from beverages and foods containing sugar.

Dairy industry can not remain silent with efforts to get rid of flavored milk from the school. They tried to reply to activists who contra-flavored milk with the action via the Internet, called "Raise your hand to make milk chocolate."

"Some schools and activist groups are trying to eliminate low-fat chocolate milk from the cafeteria, but this will actually contain more harm than benefit," said the National Dairy Council in networking pro-milk-flavored, which showed very many text boxes brown.

11:33 PM | 1 komentar | Read More

Stay away from Disease with Fiber Feasting

Not surprisingly, various studies say that many residents in major cities around the world - especially people who are always busy with work - generally lack fiber. In fact, on average, every human fiber needs only 25 grams to 40 grams per day.

So much in fact fairly small amount. In fact, not many urban people are able to meet the needs of fiber. In Indonesia, "Indonesian citizen only able to meet the needs of about 10 grams of fiber-15 grams per day. Residents of urban lower again," he said.

In fact, dietary fiber is easily obtained from vegetables and fruits. In sufficient quantities, affect fiber digestion. Namely, improving performance in the intestines to digest food. Perfect food nutrition can be absorbed, while the remnants of the digestive process can pass through the gut to be excreted.

From cancer, heart disease, to diabetes
But, because of an unbalanced diet, reduced supply of dietary fiber. Akibatya, the digestive process does not take place normally. "As a result, the remaining food difficult difficult to get out of the intestine and can cause constipation," said Susianto.

In the long term, not just constipation that will arise. Food scraps left in the intestines that would lead to inflammation or infection of the intestine. When this happens, you could be getting ready to go to the hospital because of various diseases can arise.

Various diseases, among others, colon and rectal cancer to heart disease. Colon cancer, for example, arise because of intestinal infections due to work when digesting food ekstrakeras less fiber.

In the notes the National Cancer Institute, one third of colon cancer deaths are caused by the wrong diet for not counting the needs of fiber. Lack of fiber also trigger hemorrhoids or hemorrhoids. Due minus fiber, which is the remainder of the faecal digestive process becomes hard. As a result, "Guts are near anus swollen forced to issue a hard stool," said Susianto. This is the embryo of rectal cancer.

Fiber in the right dosage can actually erode the fat. Hence, people who lack fiber will easily are obese or overweight. "Without fiber, the amount of fat will continue to grow and increasingly accumulate in the chart," added Haryati, nutritionists Mediros Hospital, Central Jakarta.

11:32 PM | 0 komentar | Read More

7 diseases that lurk Si Fat

Why? Because people who suffer from obesity are at increased risk of various diseases and health problems. Here are some of them most often a threat.

1. HEART AND BLOOD DISORDERS TUBE
Obesity is a major cause of heart disease and blood vessel (cardiovascular). Because obesity causes increased cardiac workload, because the bigger a person's body, the heart must work harder to pump blood throughout the body. When you've exceeded the ability of the heart, there was the so-called heart failure. Signs, and incidence of shortness of breath swelling of the legs.

People with obesity are also often suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension) due to narrowing of blood vessels due to fat deposits tongs. The combination of obesity and hypertension is of course aggravate the heart. Consequently, the resulting thickening of the heart chamber wall with a lack of oxygen. This situation will accelerate the emergence of heart failure.

2. LUNGS FUNCTION DISORDERS.
Again fat triggers the problem. In people with obesity, this heap can suppress the respiratory tract. This could lead to stop breathing during sleep (sleep apnea). Disorders such a long time can cause heart failure as well and ends with the death.

3. CAUSE DIABETES AND ENHANCING THE CHOLESTEROL
Obesity can cause diabetes (diabetes mellitus). This is due to interference with insulin action on infected.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the body. Its function, among others, include sugar from the blood into body cells to be used as an energy source. As a result of dysfunction of insulin, glucose can not enter the cells, so that it remains circulating in the blood. It can be seen from the increased blood sugar levels.

Impaired insulin function was also lead to disturbances of fat metabolism (dyslipidemia). It can be seen from the increase in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), triglycerides, but accompanied by a decrease in HDL (good cholesterol).

Increased levels of bad cholesterol accompanied by decreased levels of cholesterol lead to formation of the crust in the blood vessels (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis will reduce the diameter of blood vessels, causing coronary heart disease and stroke.

4. INTERFERENCE joints
Obesity will lead to increased weight load on joints buffer. For example, knee joints, so after a long time can cause inflammation of the joints (osteoarthritis). The symptoms include, pain in the joints, followed by swelling. Joints also become rigid immovable. The worst, sufferers can not walk anymore.

5. HORMONAL SYSTEM DISRUPTION
Obesity was also affect the hormonal system in the body. In girls, obesity causes the first period (menarkhe) come early. In adult women, obesity can cause hormonal balance disorders (hyperandrogenism, hirsutism), and disruption of the menstrual cycle.

Hyperandrogenism means the amount of the hormone androgen (male) increases. Resulting in hirsutism (sign masculinization). For example spotty, distribution of hairs on the face and body, maybe even change the sound to be heavy as a male voice.

In women, obesity also increase the risk of gallstones. This occurs because the liquid becomes more viscous bile.

6. INCREASE THE RISK OF DISEASE Malignant
The results showed, in women who are experiencing menopause, obesity increases the risk of cancer of the uterus (endometrium) and breast cancer. Whereas in men, obesity can increase the risk of prostate cancer and colon cancer (colorectal).

7. PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
People with obesity are also often experience psychological disturbance in the form of low self-esteem, depression, even isolated from social interaction. Moreover if the surrounding environment does not provide support, but more to mock obesity.

11:30 PM | 0 komentar | Read More

No Fat Healthy People

Fat is no longer a symbol of prosperity. Overweight or obesity would invite various diseases that shorten life. Therefore, before entering a new beginning this year the experts again warned that obesity could strip life. There's no fat people can be healthy in the long term.

Based on research for 30 years to the 1800 Swedish men who started when they were aged 50 years, the researchers concluded that obese people do not have a healthy metabolism. During the period of this study are generally those who are obese die of cardiovascular disease, such as stroke or heart attack.

In addition to the factors of obesity, the experts also measured the prevalence of metabolic syndrome, such as blood sugar levels, hypertension, trigiliserida, cholesterol, and waist circumference, which is one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Previously experts argue that the risk of heart disease is lower in obese people who do not have metabolic syndrome. This causes the grouping of the healthy obese.

However, latest reports said the study's generally not a long-term research because of health problems usually only appear after 15 years.

In a report published in the medical journal Circulation, the researchers noted that long-term risk of disease remains high despite obese people do not have metabolic syndrome.

Habit of eating high calorie fatty foods and exercise that is not balanced is a gateway to obesity or overweight who will invite disease. To reduce the risk of obesity, food consumption should be limited and balanced with regular exercise.

11:27 PM | 0 komentar | Read More

One in Five Baby Britain Potential Obesity

Britain's Health Ministry says one in five babies born in 2010 has the potential  are obese  or overweight when they begin entering the age of  school  if no preventive efforts against the  granting  of excessive eating. This is based on the increasingly high rates of  obesity  in children  in England.

British Health Minister Gillian Merron said, 300 more than 1500 babies born to coincide with the new year will be obese in the range of 5 years of age and their parents should apply a strict diet. "What happened in the first year of life infants have a very large effect, how the rest of their health. The level of obesity is still very high," said Merron.

He continued, obesity rates are increasing throughout the world are threatened. This threat led to the prosecution of high handling costs because of illness that may arise due to obesity, such as heart disease and cancer.

A report last December showed that one in ten children in Britain will be obese by 2015 with the condition, children from poor families are more at risk than children from wealthier families.

Merron emphasized, the need for a campaign that tells the mothers about how to build healthy eating habits for their children. This includes encouraging mothers to breastfeed her child and not giving solid foods too early.

11:22 PM | 0 komentar | Read More