Often discussed in context to stigma for the 21 century leisure lifestyle, obesity has taken a leap to become one of the most popular epidemics worldwide. The evidence of this is its rapid spread in association with globalisation. Obesity has thus become a very common health issue these days due to changes in physical activity, dietary patterns and lifestyle associated with diet and urbanisation to which we all have fallen prey.
Open any daily news report,magazine or even TV channels, advertisements pertaining to solutions promising quick weight loss as well as gain are in abundance! Body weight has become an Achilles heel in todays world; wherein personality is ranked in major arenas over intelligence or even zeal. It has become a self-esteem triggering issue! There is a hidden pressure among women to attain and maintain an "hour-glass" figure, while men seem to have a tough time tackling their "pot belly". The moment a little flab is seen; youngsters become nervous and start crash dieting and what not to shed those extra pounds off!
Suppose you???re on a diet and you have a banquet or a holiday party coming up. You???re expecting a big meal to be served for dinner, and there will be open bar with lots and lots of ???party snacks.??? You???re not sure if there will be any healthy food there, but you are sure that you???re going to be in a festive, partying mood! What should you do? Should you cut back on your food earlier in the day to make room for the big feast?
What I???ve just described is commonly known as "banking calories," which is analogous to saving calories like money because you're going to consume more later, and it???s a very common practice among dieters. If you???re really serious about your diet and fitness goals however, then the answer is no, you should NOT ???bank calories! Here's why and here's what you should do instead:
First of all, if you're being really honest with yourself, you have to agree that there's almost always something healthy to eat at any gathering. You know those tables you see at holiday parties that are covered with yards of chips, dips, pretzels, cookies, salami, candies, cheese, punch, liquor, and a seemingly endless assortment of other goodies? Well, did you also notice that there's usually a tray full of carrot sticks, cauliflower, celery, fruit, turkey breast and other healthy snacks too?
No matter where you are, you always have options, so make the best choice you can based on whatever your options are. If nothing else, you can choose to eat a small portion of "party foods" rather than a huge portion.
If you skip meals or eat less earlier in the day to bank calories for a big feast at night, you are thinking only in terms of calories, but you???re depriving yourself of the valuable nutrition you need all day long in terms of protein (amino acids), carbohydrates, essential fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that come from healthy food, as well as the small frequent meals required to.
Many consider their body frame to be perfect, when they fit in a particular sized jeans, shirt or dress. Knowledge about a healthy body weight remains limited to the appearance of the physical frame. However, body weight is a science on its own which needs understanding to identify a healthy individual
MY BODY STRONGEST!
Physics states weight as anything with mass and that which acts against gravity; well humans do occupy space and
have mass, thanks to the bones, muscle, fluids, etc. that build up our body composition. Body weight is a measure
of the metabolically active lean tissue and fat (adipose) tissue, and fluctuates based on cellular metabolism.
Metabolism in simple words works towards achieving a balance between intake and expenditure of energy. Apart from
this crucial aspect, others like genetics and certain environmental factors can also influence body weight.
Thus, you can easily see a medley of people with different sizes and shapes.
Our body is composed of water, proteins, minerals and fat (essential fat and storage fat) that majorly contributes to the body weight. Essential fat is present in the marrow of the bones, heart, various other visceral organs and the central nervous system; whereas storage fat is the one that accumulates in the adipose tissue (viz. skin, outer lining of organs etc.) acting as an insulation. Women generally tend to accumulate higher amounts of essential fat, due to hormonal interplay as well as child-bearing. The amount of fat is the critical component that determines ultimate weight and hence various assessing methods rely on fat and lean mass of the body.
Obesity is a medical condition resulting from excess fat accumulation in the body. It is a significant lifestyle problem we face, because of its contribution in increasing the burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) as well as mortality from them. Even before developing a serious disease, obesity leads to the development of at least one of the debilitating condition which would deteriorate the quality of life. It increases the risk of many chronic disorders, notably heart and liver disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, some types of cancer, sleep apnea, joint problems, infertility, depression, acidity, skin disease, etc. thereby posing a huge and growing financial burden even on national resources!
Obesity and overweight are the conditions which can be prevented through sensible lifestyle modifications. With forthcoming New Year, let's make a plan to shed those extra pounds to be fit and healthy. However, one thing to bear in mind is to not just make one more resolution, but also follow it religiously to achieve the desired outcome.
ASSESS YOUR WEIGHT Body Mass Index (BMI)
The most common technique, BMI estimates the body's fat percentage based on simple weight and height measurements.
Hydrostatic weighing
Also termed underwater weighing, based on Archimedes' principle of water displacement, the person is weighed while
submerged in a large tank of water. This gold standard method which measures mass per unit volume of the body has
however become an obsolete today.
Bioelectrical Impedance
It is used to measure body composition especially fat. It involves
measurement of impedance (strength and speed) of electrical signal as it passes through the body. This value
along with height, weight and gender is taken into consideration to predict the amount of fat.
Skinfold Thickness Measurement
It involves grasping a vertical fold of the skin to measure the amount of subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin).
Did you know?
Losing just about 5% weight can improve
blood pressure, decrease insulin and control triglyceride levels!!!
Ideal weight of an individual varies with gender and age. Extremely low levels of fat cause severe health complications increasing risk of fractures, loss in reproductive functions, dehydration and starvation; whereas high fat levels show dramatic correlations with illness and disease.
No doubt we are getting overtly conscious about our physique, but becoming reckless and fueling disorders such as anorexia (loss of appetite) or bulimia (obsessive disorder to lose weight) rings an impractical approach. Instead of neglecting the body, make note of its needs; being aware of the body constitution is a necessity. Gym and stringent diet plans may provide you with the desired physique, but a healthy body however can shine only with a healthy composition!
Simple ways to lose weight
It's the perfect opportunity for all those who have failed to
start making changes and have postponed their weight loss
resolutions to next week, month or perhaps when winter starts.
Following are a few simple ways which will make it easy for you
to lose weight quickly.
Limit the amount of carbs and processed foods Including excess amount of simple carbohydrates such as white breads, refined flours or its other forms like, cakes, burgers, doughnuts, pizzas, etc. in your diet instantly raises your blood sugar levels and promotes fat storage.
Eat good quality proteins When you cut back on carbs, you will require other foods to help you stay satiated. Foods such as fish, lean chicken, egg whites, soya, sprouts, skim milk, skim paneer, etc. should be a part of your daily meals to help with wear and tear and maintenance of muscles.
Reduce your fat intake Do not eliminate fats completely from your diet as it provides energy to your body's cells and tissues to function properly. It also absorbs essential vitamins and minerals and regulates your body's temperature. However, ensure to opt for good quality fats such as rice bran oil, olive oil, etc. and reduce the intake of bad fats such as ghee, butter, margarine, etc.
Never skip a meal Skipping meals will not only take a toll on our health, but going too long without eating will force your body to break down energy stores within the muscle, thereby slowing metabolism and further sapping your strength. This will also switch your body into a survival mode, conserving fat and bringing weight loss to a halt.
Consume 5-6 meals a day Instead of the typical diet of 3 large meals, eating 5-6 meals a day can prevent your hunger pangs and binges that follow, provides consistent energy and is an effective way to maintain your basic metabolic rate. With any good diet plan, ensure that your meals include a variety of healthy foods from all the food groups to meet your nutrient needs.
No shortcuts to weight loss Plenty of tips and secrets are out there to aid and conquer your weight loss goals quickly, but remember that these can last for a few months or two. To maintain healthy weight for the rest of your life, you need to make certain lifestyle changes too. Crash dieting may seem to be an easy way to lose all those extra pounds, but it is the water and muscle that one loses in the bargain. Fat still remains, and when off crash dieting, one tends to gain back all the weight that he/she lost.
Eat to satisfy your waistline, not your emotions Some people consciously or unconsciously turn to food for comfort when feeling stressed, facing a difficult problem, feeling bored or through influence of childhood habits and social circle. Do not consider binging on food as a comforting tool but consume a controlled balanced diet for your emotional, mental and spiritual problems.
Work out regularly Without the right exercise, you cannot lose weight. Incorporate cardio and weight trainings along with flexibility exercises in your routine to tone up your body and increase your metabolism. Start off with a simple walk at a moderate pace and eventually progress to running. People with any health issues may need expert advice, before initiating an exercise regime.
Also, practise yoga and different meditation techniques to overcome stress and sleep problems, to regain mental & emotional balance. This will reduce your cortisol (stress hormone) levels which promotes fat accumulation around your belly.
With healthy lifestyle i.e. by adapting a healthy balanced diet and performing exercises within one's capacity conditioned with behavioural modifications, weight loss is not a far-fetched goal!
Exercise is an activity that is planned, structured, and done repetitively for the purpose of conditioning the physical self Exercise is a tool to improve health, growth, maintain fitness and is an important means for physical rehabilitation
Exercise combats health conditions and diseases
Young hearts are at danger these days due to excess consumption of junk
food which are rich in oils, fats and sugars harmful for the entire cardiovascular
system. If the heart is at risk or being damaged, it will negatively affect growth.
Regular physical activity at least in the form of exercise can help prevent or
manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, which include stroke,
Exercise promotes better sleep
If you are suffering from insomnia (lack of sleep), exercise will definitely help in
getting better sleep without any of the external supplements aid.
In today's robotic and fast-paced life there is no time dedicated to a proper meal,
then how can one find time for an exercise? The answer to that - "Exercise as
you work" and modify lifestyle for better are the only two feasible options available.
- Exercising only in a gym or a garden is not a compulsion. Instead use of
staircases in the building, workplace, school and college will keep one
moving and aid in burning calories.
- Meditation and yoga calm the mind and are great stress busters. A light mind
will ease the weight of the body as well. Thus, exercising the brain is also important.
- Doing routine household chores like washing utensils, clothes as well as
cleaning and mopping are a part of exercising to the body.
- Routine health checkup is a must to understand the state of well-being of
the physical body. Changes in diet and exercising pattern can be done accordingly.
- Avoid binging on junk food and ensure proper sleep to reduce physical strain.
There is no iota of doubt that will prick our brain, to agree to the fact that
Exercise must be made an eternal component of our life to avoid as well
as counter the development of an array of disorders.
