Obesity! It's Epidemic
When I was a young child, we didn’t have sugar-free, fat-free, low carb, gluten free. There were few fitness magazines.
No celebrity trainers (Richard Simmons doesn’t count).
A few gyms here and there and certainly not fitness gear and dvds all over the TV.
Obesity wasn’t an issue.
What happened???
This week a headline read,
“World’s Obesity Rate Predicted to Reach 20% by 2025”!
Whaaaaaat!
If that doesn’t scare you, it should.
This is not a vanity issue; it’s a health issue. Obesity goes hand in hand with so many health problems. Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, joint issues, just to name a few.
One day we’re watching Jane Fonda, then the 20 Minute Workout, then ab rollers, then there’s baked “low fat” everything, and now we see an explosion of obesity of epidemic proportions.
I’m not blaming Jane Fonda.
She had the right idea.
The diet and fitness industry has never been bigger. There have never been more “diets” .
Yet people are getting fatter.
Is it portion size? Is it the increase of portable, fast crappy food? GMO’s? Laziness?
Whatever it is we need to fix it.
The fact that you are reading this blog is a good sign. Your interest in fitness brought you here.
My point is we need to make a change. Change for yourself, maybe a family member or friend.
Health & fitness is an integral part of my life. I don’t expect everyone to live like me, but I will share my basic tips.
- I keep it simple. I never eat from a box or can. I eat lean protein, some fruits, lots of vegetables, some complex carbs and whole grains.
- I move every day. Even on an “off” day, I stay active. I take a walk. I go to the park with my son. I just move!
- I lift. If you look at anyone who has had a body transformation, they started incorporating resistance training into their routine. Your body burns more calories maintaining muscle than it does fat. So basically it increases your metabolism. It will not make you bulky! Don’t worry; you don’t have to run down to the closest gym and start power lifting. You can start with body weight exercises. Lunges, squats, etc. You can get a great workout at home without weights and progress when you’re ready.
- I practice portion control. I never overload my plate. Portion sizes today are ridiculous. I eat small portions of lean protein, lots of veggies.
- I eat often. There are several theories on this, but I personally eat about five small meals every day. About 2 ½ - 3 hours apart.
- Watch your labels! Too many people read a nutrition label, think the food is okay then consume double the serving size.
- Get fat! You have to eat fat to burn fat. Seriously, incorporate small amounts of healthy fats into your diet every day. A couple of slices of avocado, a few nuts or seeds, a drizzle of olive oil on your salad.
- Drink lots of water.
- Try to keep stress levels low. Stress increases the release of cortisol in your body. Cortisol is a hormone which leads to many negative effects such as inflammation and increased body fat retention.
- I live! I believe in moderation. I don’t have cheat days. I allow myself cheat meals (when I’m not training for competition). When a person on a restrictive diet falls, they fall hard, they binge, the binge derails them, and they’re back to square one. We have lives and vacations and family events. If you follow a balanced eating plan, you can go out for dinner and enjoy yourself. You can live! Everything in moderation.!
Finally, our house is a healthy house which means we make healthy food choices for my son. We teach him the importance of nutrition and keep him active.
Do you have someone you’d like to help?
You can’t run up to a person and yank a burger from their mouth, but you can try to share your healthy tips. They may appreciate it.
Keep in mind whether this is for you, or someone else, one of the first things I learned in my health and nutrition coach training was that the people that need the most help, can handle the least change; at least in the beginning.
If improving your health and fitness seems daunting, pick one small change at a time.
Begin with switching out a bad food habit and substituting a healthier choice. i.e. chips to air popped popcorn, soda pop to water.
Next, a daily walk.
Next, maybe get a food plan and plan your meals.
Each small change builds on another and before you know it, you’re on your way.
Help yourself, help others, help the next generation.