Obesity is now being called an epidemic in the health community.
In fact, it will soon be the leading cause of preventable death
in the United States, even ahead of cigarette smoking. Obesity
leads to type two diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease
or stroke and even an increased risk of cancer. With all of
these health risks, as well as the general improvement in the
quality of life that can occur,
losing weight is one of
the best things that you can do for yourself.
No matter what we would like to believe, there simply isn't a
magic solution to losing weight. The body will shed excess fat
when it needs more calories to function through the demands you
place on it in a given day than the amount of calories that you
feed it. It's that simple. So, in order to lose weight, you need
to decrease the number of calories that you eat as well as
increase the amount that you burn.
There is a wide range of options to choose from when looking for
a
weight loss program. All of them often spend a lot of
time explaining what to eat, in what amounts and even at what
times or in what combinations. But few of them emphasize the
importance of exercise - not just for losing weight, but
for your general health and wellbeing. Exercise is vital when
trying to lose weight for several reasons:
* First, as you start to eat less, your metabolism will slow
down somewhat. Exercising helps to
elevate your
metabolism back to an efficient level.
* Second, as mentioned,
exercise burns more calories so
that you can lose weight faster and stay motivated in your
efforts.
* Third,
exercise actually releases endorphins, chemicals
that keep your mood elevated.
Exercise doesn't have to mean spending hours at the gym or
straining through exhausting workouts. In fact, in order for you
to stick with it on the long run,
exercising should be
something that you enjoy. Start by increasing your activity
level in an overall way. Take the stairs when you can. Park
further from the mall door when you go shopping. Go for a walk
in the park or through a neighborhood you love and bring a dog
or a friend along for company. Take dance or martial arts
lessons.
Once you become more active in general, you'll find it easier
and more natural to move into regular exercise. Which you'll
need to do eventually in order to get regular, noticeable health
benefits. You need to
raise your heart rate to a fat
burning level and keep it there for at least 20 minutes, 3 times
or more a week. However, if you don't want to go to a gym, there
are other options.
Videos and DVDs are now available in
all kinds of exercise types. That way you can change your
routine whenever you want so that you don't get bored with what
you're doing. Try a range of
aerobics,
kickboxing,
yoga, or pretty much any activity you want right in the
comfort of your own home.
If you have physical limitations that would keep you off from
exercising, you can still find a way to increase your activity
level.
Water aerobics is a wonderful option for those who
have joint problems or limited mobility because it relieves the
pressure on your body that your weight provides. But you still
get the resistance to challenge your muscles from the water.
There are even classes and videos available that let you
exercise in a seated position.
Whatever kind of exercise you choose, it's important to stay
motivated and keep it fun. Try gathering a group together to
make it a social event. Or get a
pedometer, a device that
tracks how far you walk, and see how many miles you can walk a
week. Make a competition amongst your friends or family members
and treat the winner with something special (not food related!).
Make the experience of exercising something that you look
forward to, and it will soon become a regular part of your
healthier lifestyle.
About the author:
Jane Flinders reviews some of the
most popular
diets and diet aids at
http://www.DietsIndex.com
where you can find different diet plans, sample menus, food
lists, diets classifications, tips and tricks on how to stay on
the diet you choose.
