Nothing has received much emphasis as being fit or losing weight for your health. Your goal might be to lose 20 pounds this year. Few people, however, realize the extent to which this is critical to their physical well-being and ultimately their life expectancy.
In January 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association featured a study finding that obesity appears to lessen life expectancy, especially among young adults. The study showed an obese 20-year-old white male, (5’10”)178cm and weighing (288 pounds) 130kg was estimated to lose 13 years of his life as a result of obesity. You can beat obesity by choosing to lose 20 pounds this year.
What happens if you don’t lose 20 pounds or some weight?
It is now well researched that a Western diet that leads to obesity may actually act to stimulate the growth of cancer cells. It is never too late to improve your health through healthful eating and adopting a more health-giving lifestyle. Here are simple steps to follow which can make an immediate improvement to your health and vitality.
1. Check to see if you are overweight or obese.
To find out your BMI you need to divide your weight (measured in kilos) by your height (measured in metres) squared. If the result is greater than 25, your health may be improved by losing weight. You can chose to lose 20 pounds or a reasonable amount based on your current weight.
2. Match your diet to your body’s requirements.
If you eat and drink more calories than your body requires you will put on weight. Learn to control calories and portion sizes, make recipes leaner, and eat infrequently from fast-food restaurants. Also, learn how to snack with healthful choices. You can join my Eat Your Way To Fit where I help you learn about your body food needs and requirements, through my proven meal plan.
3. Colour your diet with a large variety of colorful, cancer-fighting fruit and vegetables.
There are seven different color ranges of both fruit and vegetables and by choosing between 5 to 9 daily serves from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, we are extending our consumption of cancer (and other diseases) fighting nutrients.
4. Eat lean protein with every meal.
Protein provides a powerful signal to the brain providing a longer sense of fullness. The right source of protein is essential to controlling your hunger with fewer calories and necessary to maintain your lean muscle mass. Choices of protein should be flavored soy shakes with fruit; the white meat of chicken and turkey, seafood such as shrimps, prawns, scallops and lobster, and ocean fish or vegetarians may prefer soy-based meat substitutes.
5. Rev up your metabolism with activity.
If you want to enjoy a lifetime of well being, exercise is a key ingredient. Thirty minutes of activity each day that takes as much effort as a brisk walk is recommended for adults. Children should be active for an hour each day. You can join other moms in Monday to Friday LIVE workouts in my Facebook Group.
6. Get support to ensure you develop a healthful eating plan and reach your goal weight.
A study, “Effects of Internet Behavioral Counseling on Weight Loss in Adults at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes” shows that participants who had the support of weight loss coaching lost more weight than those who didn’t. The study concluded that the support of a weight loss coach can significantly improve weight loss results. In my group, we support each other through this process.
Being overweight or obese has been identified next to smoking, as the most preventable major risk of developing cancer. Even small weight losses have been shown to have beneficial health effects. So it’s never too late to start and you can never be too young or too old to be concerned about your health and do something about achieving a more healthy weight.
You can subscribe to my YouTube channel to have free access to my free LIVE workouts.