Why Am I Fat?

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Obesity is one of the most common and most dangerous illnesses of the 21st century, and it affects millions of people all around the world. The causes of obesity are many: while some claim that some people are born with a genetic predisposition to becoming overweight during the course of their lives, others say that the underlying cause is purely nutritional and that we are what we eat. One thing is for sure, though: the first step towards reaching a normal weight is getting the necessary ambition and determination, as these are the key ingredients to losing weight.

Making The First Step

Losing weight is all about the attitude and the mindset: after all, you are in a battle with your extra pounds and you need to acknowledge that only you can take over the situation, no one else can do it for you. This is why you need to get that positive mindset that will keep you going. Losing weight is not an easy task: it is a lengthy and exhausting process, especially if you want to shed pounds the natural, safe and healthy way. However, trust a person who was obese her entire life: nothing compares to the satisfaction you get when you look in the mirror and you see the image you only dared to dream of in the past.

Consult A Doctor

Now that you have decided to lose weight, the next thing you need to do is to consult a doctor who will evaluate your overall health status and fitness level, just to make sure that you can safely lose weight. It is essential to seek medical attention, as this is a big step that will involve some physical effort and you must be sure that there are no risks. The doctor can also determine whether the cause of your weight is related to nutrition or if there is a serious medical problem underneath it, such as thyroid problems.

A Brief Overview Of Obesity

Obesity affects children and adults, men and women. In a nutshell, the notion of obesity refers to being fatter than you should be, according to your age and height. The Body Mass Index (also known as BMI) is the most commonly used instrument to determine whether somebody is overweight. A Body Mass Index that is equal to 25 or greater than that is overweight, while a BMI equal to 30 or greater than that is considered obesity. As studies have revealed, almost three million people die all around the world every year, due
to obesity or illnesses that are related to it.

As mentioned above, there are many causes of obesity: inactivity, overeating, pollution or different drugs are only some of the most common causes. On the other hand, increased urbanization is also linked to obesity. The risks associated with obesity are not a secret to anybody: if you are obese, you are at high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases like stroke or heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer, mainly breast and colon cancer.

The World Health Organization keeps an eye on the obesity rates all around the world. Some of the countries with the highest obesity rates include the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Greece or Australia. As a matter of fact, a 2005 study (which is commonly referred to as the Australian Obesity, Diabetes and Lifestyle Study) has revealed that no less than 1.7 million Australians suffer from diabetes, and approximately 0.8% of the adults develop diabetes every year in this country, which means around 275 adults every day. At the same time, approximately 19% of the Australians suffer from long term cardiovascular condition, and this makes CVD one of the leading causes of death in this country.

Changing Your Diet Habits

One cannot lose weight without changing his diet habits first, and this is the golden rule of weight loss. It is important to lower your daily caloric intake, to reduce the amount of carbohydrates and to eliminate sugar, sweets and other sugary products from your diet. At the same time, it is important to focus on foods that are rich in fiber as they will make you feel full, to eat more fruits and veggies and to drink more water. The secret lies in stimulating your metabolism, in boosting it so that it will burn fat faster and more efficiently than it normally would.

It is important to avoid fatty foods, and the top 10 foods that wreak havoc on your weight are:

1.Pizza

2.French Fries

3.Cheeseburger

4.Desserts

5.Pancakes

6.Sodas

7.Chocolate

8. Fried Chicken

9. Potato Chips

10. Macaroni & Cheese

Although diets do play a pivotal role here, one of the main reasons why diets do not work for most people is that people want to lose a lot of weight in a very short amount of time, therefore they go for crash diets. Crash diets involve starvation and eating foods with very low nutritional value, foods that will not deliver your body the nutrients, minerals and vitamins it needs. For this reason, many people experience the Yo-Yo effect once they go back to eating normally.

Getting Ready To Lose Weight

Now that you understand the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle, it is important to clean your fridge and your pantry. Get rid of all the fatty foods mentioned above, throw away that icecream and that Nutella and replace them with oatmeal, vegetables and season fruits. You will not only lose weight, but you will also feel better and more energetic given the fact that you will reduce your sugar intake.

Moreover, it is very important to be careful what you order when you are dining out. You might be tempted to tell yourself “I can spoil myself just this once”, but keep in mind that you are not fooling anybody but yourself. Choose a salad with a light dressing over that pizza and replace the cola with a lemonade. You will certainly be thankful to yourself later: keep in mind that you never know how many calories you are eating at a restaurant, given the fact that most menus do not list the nutritional value of dishes!

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that losing weight is not mission impossible, and thousands of brave people have proven this to us numerous times before. You must want to lose weight first of all: where there is will, there is always a way!