Health for life

(Article first published as Prevent Obesity, Achieve Weight Loss Success for Life on Technorati.)
Obesity rates continue to increase at a staggering rate, increasing the risk of heart attack, diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and many cancers. In fact, obesity has surpassed smoking as the leading preventable cause of death in America. A study presented to the International Congress on Obesity reveals an even more sobering statistic – men who enter adulthood obese face a twofold increased risk of dying prematurely.

This underscores the critical importance of maintaining a healthy weight through childhood and into our teen years, as fat which is stored during the developmental years has a direct impact on our risk of illness and longevity as we phase through adulthood. Fortunately, by adopting a healthy lifestyle and weight loss program, we can reverse the risks which lead to an early demise, and avoid becoming a grim statistic.

Phase 1: Educate Children from an Early Age
Information from this study makes it clear that the growing epidemic of overweight and obese children is leading to a shortened lifespan for our next generation. This problem is simply rooted in poor diet and lifestyle, as children are being raised with the notion that fast food through a drive thru window, sweetened beverages and sugary snacks make up a healthy diet.

The average family eats 4 or more times a week at a fast food restaurant, in many cases consuming more than twice the calories they should for a single meal. Couple this high calorie, low nutrition eating style with virtually no physical activity, and you have the recipe for a health disaster.

Children need to be educated on how to eat healthy and stay active in much the same way as they are taught to read. This class must be taught at home. A child’s mind is pliable, and adopting a diet of nutritionally balanced, reduced calorie meals prepared at home will become a life skill they’ll retain as they get older. Reserve dining out for special occasions only, allowing you to control meal ingredients and portion sizes. Limit television and video games while encouraging regular physical activity.

Phase 2: Use Motivation to Solidify Your New Lifestyle
In order to hit your ideal weight loss goal, you need to master the mechanics of proper weight management. The tools are provided by eating a nutritionally balanced, calorie restricted diet with no junk food and participating in a regular exercise regimen. Beyond the basics, you also need to reward yourself for your accomplishments, and this requires motivation, driven by the knowledge that you’re working to improve the quality and length of your life.

The best motivation is to track your progress. Keep a daily record of the foods you eat, caully recording portion sizes, total calories and weigh food when applicable. When you estimate portions, you set yourself up for failure. Finally, weight yourself using a digital scale no more than twice each week, keeping a log of how you’re proceeding toward your weight loss goal. Remember, the excess weight didn’t suddenly appear overnight, and losing those extra pounds will take some time and effort.

Weight loss can be a matter of increased lifespan for many overweight and obese people. Depending on the amount of weight you need to lose, and when in life those extra pounds appeared, you may be able to make a significant impact on how long you live. Diet and exercise are important components to achieve your weight loss goal, and harnessing your psyche provides the necessary motivation to experience enhanced quality of life for many years to come.