Treatment of Obesity and Weight Loss

Do you often eat for reasons other than hunger? Do you consume large amounts of food at one time? Would you say that many of your food choices are unhealthy? Do you have a fitness routine? Has your weight been an issue for as long as you can remember? It may be time to face the harsh reality that the choices you are making in your life, right now, have become life or death. If you are one of the many people in North America who fall into the category of “obese,” (approximately 60% of us are obese) perhaps it is time that you take a serious look at how you’ve been living. It may be time to make some changes for the health of your body, mind and spirit.

There are many reasons why we become overweight and obese. Today’s society has made it all too easy to eat tasty, unhealthy foods. It literally takes 60 seconds to order and pay for a hamburger, fries and a drink. To top it all off – the food is cheap too! It’s sabotage for those of us with no time, no extra money and who enjoy yummy food. Who doesn’t fall into that category? On top of the food situation, which would be hard enough to deal with – we’ve also become the most sedentary generation ever. Watching television and staring at a computer screen take up much of our time. How often do we walk anywhere? I feel guilty about not walking to work. I only live about a seven minute walk away, but somehow I always have a really good excuse for why I can’t walk today. My babysitter showed up too late. I need to get a coffee and I won’t have time if I walk. I have a bunch of stuff to carry this morning…The list goes on. At the end of the day, I know that they’re all just excuses and if my car didn’t start for some reason, I could be at work within ten minutes. The thing is, even though we all know that we’d be healthier if we were more active and ate better – it’s another thing to actually do.

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So how healthy are you? Would you classify yourself as overweight, or as obese? There are many factors that go into formally classifying and labeling people in accordance to their weight and fitness levels. However, the BMI (Body Mass Index) is a commonly used tool to calculate a person’s risk for certain health conditions like heart disease and diabetes, based on their current weight and height. There are lots of online calculators, and it must be stated that they are simply estimates and are not to be taken in place of a discussion with a physician. In general, a BMI in the high teens and low twenties is considered “normal” and a BMI over thirty is considered to be in the “obese” category. Those in the “obese” category are at a significantly higher risk of suffering from various health conditions. (If you’re interested in your own BMI, you can get a quick calculation at http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/)

Unfortunately, if you fall into the “obese” category, there are quite a few health conditions that can have a major impact on your standard of living and could even result in early death. Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and high blood pressure are three of the major health concerns for people who are overweight, but especially for those that are obese. Other conditions include, but are not limited to stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and other breathing problems, some cancers and depression.

All things considered, maybe it’s time for a major life change. You’re smart – you know that there’s no fad diet or magical pill out there that will fix the problem that you’ve made for yourself. The only way to lose the weight that you need to lose to improve your health is through proper nutrition and regular physical activity. Chances are that your eating habits and exercise routine haven’t been perfect up until now. So, here are some tips to help you take the first steps to lose those 40, 50 or even the 100+ pounds that you need to lose.

• First, you need to make the commitment to yourself to get healthy. Put this commitment in writing and stick it where you’ll see it every day.

• You need to get your eating under control. Many of us eat for comfort, to fill a void or as protection. Consider your own past and present. Is there anything that has happened that may be causing you to eat? Are there any unresolved issues/stresses with family or friends that may be at the root of your eating? If you can identify the root, you can begin to make some lasting changes.

• To aid with getting your eating under control, keep a food diary of everything that you eat (a week would be great). This will help you to identify problem foods and times.

• Make an appointment with a dietician. You need professional help to organize you in your new life. You need assistance and education about food. You need to know what a proper healthy diet looks like. What is a portion size? How much and what sorts of food should you be eating from the 4 food groups? If you skip all other tips, do NOT skip this one.

• Cut out the booze and pop TODAY. Also, limit your juice intake. These all contain empty calories and sugar. It is essential that you eliminate them or severely limit them from your diet.

• Start moving. It’s essential to your overall health to get active. Start with thirty minutes a day of moderate exercise. Walking is a great option to get started. Work it into your daily schedule if you can. 

If you really think about it, what have you got to lose? There comes a time when you realize, that the effort and sacrifices that you’ll have to make, are nothing in comparison to what your family and friends would have to endure if they lost you. How tragic would it be for you to become one of the many people who die pre-maturely, because they didn’t take the time to get healthy? And now, time’s up… Well it’s not too late for you. You can still decide to make the positive lifestyle changes in your own life that need to be made. You can change your future. It’s time to get healthy!

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