Weight Problems and Obesity

Today, 7 out of 10 Americans are overweight, and 3 of them are obese. Those are very alarming facts, especially if you know that obesity is a known risk factor for diabetes ( both types ), high blood pressure, different heart diseases, breathing problems and more.

Being overweight and being obese are two different terms.

Overweight is considered to be the excess amount of body weight, fat, bone and water.

Obesity is the access accumulation of body fat.There are few ways of measuring body fat, but body mass index( BMI ) is the most popular one, because it’s easy to calculate and everyone can do it. Doctors use this method for determining if the individual has a desirable body weight.

Body mass index is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared. ( For example, if a person has 65 kilograms and is 1, 70 meters tall, we determine the BMI like this: 65/1,702 = 22,49 which means that their BMI is 22,49.)

The range is:

1. less than 18 – underweight
2. 18-25 - desirable, healthy weight
3. 25-27 - mild obesity
4. 27-30 - moderate obesity
5. 30-35 -severe obesity
6. 35-40 - severe obesity ( BMI 40+ )

When people are trying to lose weight, they usually want to lose it in the shortest time possible, which is very dangerous and not recommendable. Losing weight healthy needs time, strong character, a great amount of will and self control.

Weight control experts call this well known expectation the false-hope syndrome - when dieters have unrealistic expectations about exactly how long it will take to shed excess pounds. Mostly women try to lose pounds right before some big event, like big social parties, summer vacation or just when they feel like they have to do something with their bodies.

But, experts are warning – losing weight is a long process that cannot and should not last a week or a month. It should be a lifestyle, happier future and healthier lives.

There are few steps that are considered to help people lose weight with lot more success than when they try to do it by themselves and without any perception of how to lose those unwanted pounds properly.

1. You have to set realistic goals that will not contrast to your logic – losing 20 pounds in a month is very silly and immature to expect, isn’t it? Instead, it would be the best if you could concentrate only on losing 1-2 pounds per week. It’s healthy, realistic and possible.

2. It’s really a great feeling of success. So, try to track your results and weight yourselves not more than 1 a week. For every lost pound try to reward yourself by doing something you like – buying a new piece of clothes, trying new make-up…
3. Don’t think only about losing those pounds for the charity event you’re going to next week. Instead, try to see it as a totally new perspective and way of life. Losing weight is a big deal – and every lost pound should be celebrated by changing the way your mind thinks. Be happy because of the strong character you posses, because of the will power and let this be your encourangement for healthier future.