Obesity is a disease that affects approximately 60 million people in the United States, where women are especially affected. Over one-third of women between the ages of 20 and 74 are obese, the majority of them being African American or Mexican American. With more and more pre-packaged food and less and less activity, the number of obese people in America has steadily increased since the 1960's.
But what is obesity? Many people think obesity means that a person is overweight, but that's not exactly true. An overweight person has a surplus amount of weight that includes muscle, bone, fat, and water. An obese person has a surplus of body fat. Most health professionals concur that a man is obese if he has over 25 percent body fat, and a woman is obese if she has over 30 percent. Women physiologically have more body fat than men, so that why there's a difference in percentage.
It is difficult to determine the exact percentage of body fat a person has, but estimates can be made in a number of ways. First, using a tweezer-like tool called a caliper, you can measure the thickness of skin folds on different points of your body and compare the results with standardized numbers. You can also use a small device that sends a harmless electrical current through your body and measures your body fat percentage. The most commonly used method to determine if a person is obese is to look at his/her Body Mass Index (BMI). A person with a BMI over 30 is considered to be obese, and a BMI over 40 is considered to be severely obese. It's important to remember though that BMI could be misleading in pregnant or lactating women and in muscular individuals. There are some free tools to find your body fat percentage at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/body-fat-calculator.html.
With obesity, comes the increased risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and breast, colon, and prostate cancer. In addition, obesity has been linked to mental health conditions such as depression or feelings of shame and low self-esteem. Health experts say that even losing 10 to 15 percent of your body weight can dramatically decrease the risk of developing these serious conditions. In addition, many obese people are discriminated against and targets of insults and other verbal abuse. Find out if you are at risk for health disease using the health calculators at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/high-blood-pressure.html.
A number of factors, such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, genetics, and certain medical disorders, cause obesity, but it can be conquered. One major obstacle to being more physically active is motivation and accountability. Find a friend with similar fitness goals and begin a simple exercise program together. It takes time to see the results, but your health is worth it!
Written by Shelley Hitz, Licensed Physical Therapist and Certified NASM Personal Trainer.
Sign up for her free Exercise Advice journal at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/journal.html or read more of her articles at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/journal.html. Get your free unbelievable abs ball workout http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/journal.html
The best way you can get rid of your pop... Read More
Stop Weight From Creeping Up By Staying AwareEveryone has small... Read More
There have been endless numbers of fad diets over the... Read More
Lets face it, most of us live pretty busy lives... Read More
You may be considering a low carb diet program, but... Read More
More and more people are starting to recognize that they... Read More
I learned about gaining weight when I heard the question... Read More
A very interesting story was reported recently by WebMD.com. A... Read More
One of the hardest aspects of getting yourself into shape,... Read More
The market is flooded with weight loss supplements that make... Read More
Dieting and Exercising ? Results all the time!To be successful... Read More
It seems like everywhere you turn, there is someone trying... Read More
Who'd have thought healthy eating could be so controversial? Lunching... Read More
Making the Decision:Whether you are interested losing ten pounds that... Read More
Think for a moment about the highest mountain you ever... Read More
Now that the holiday season is here, holiday foods and... Read More
To lose weight and get in shape you must have... Read More
Hot dang! If a few hundred other folks can peddle... Read More
Maybe you've heard about body dysmorphia ? it's a mental... Read More
Whew! So how did you do on that last lesson?... Read More
It's been called the world's oldest medicine, the miracle fat... Read More
There's a dirty little secret in the diet industry. The... Read More
I would like to introduce you to an incredible new... Read More
One may think that on a website called "LivingAfterWLS" you... Read More
FACT: Obesity accounts for 300,000 deaths a year in the... Read More
family-safe home cleaners Arlington Heights ..1. Drink plenty of water. Our body needs a lot... Read More
Are you one of the 90 million Americans who are... Read More
Our bodies only require a small amount of salt for... Read More
To achieve your goals you need a diet that takes... Read More
Wow! You must be on fire by now burning and... Read More
Every day, it seems, a new study pertaining to weight... Read More
A very interesting story was reported recently by WebMD.com. A... Read More
CancerCoronary heart diseaseStrokeOsteoporosisMajor Depression from Brain StarvationHeadlines.WASHINGTON, Jun 22, 2004... Read More
You are not a kid any more and becoming a... Read More
When the DSHEA (Dietary Supplement Health Education Act) was passed... Read More
Have you ever seen an overweight rock climber or yoga... Read More
Atkins diet was unknown 35 years ago. Though it seems... Read More
One may think that on a website called "LivingAfterWLS" you... Read More
Name a diet...any diet. It doesn't work. Try to name... Read More
It's easy to lose sight of our goals, "Do I... Read More
Are you up to a cave man diet? You won't... Read More
To see the "low carb" diets on the way out... Read More
If you have been eating as usual and the pounds... Read More
Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. Blood pressure... Read More
Yes it's true- and so unfair. As we get older... Read More
To upgrade the current software in your brain you can... Read More
Many critics in have attacked low carb diets for only... Read More
Are you one of the many who may be tempted... Read More
If I Want to Lose Weight, What Can I Do... Read More
One thing's for sure, in this day & age, if... Read More
Weight Loss |