healthy body tips

Obese people who went through a weight-management program based at community health centers lost and kept off a couple more pounds than those who didn't do the program, in a new study.They were also more likely to have their blood pressure under control up to two years out, researchers reported this week.

The participants were largely minorities and poor -- representing the Americans most affected by obesity and obesity-related health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, and some of the hardest to reach with prevention efforts.

John Memmer said his light bulb moment occurred when he couldn't fit on an amusement park ride with his son.

The 39-year-old auto insurance underwriter from Bloomington, Illinois, was on a family outing at a theme park in Missouri and his son, Alex, desperately wanted him to share a seat next to him.

"The attendant tried to push and squeeze me into the seat, but to no avail. I was too big to fit," said Memmer. "So there I was with hundreds of people staring at me as all of this was going on, and then I heard my son start to cry as I had to climb off the ride," he said.

A stranger in line agreed to sit with his son, but at that moment, Memmer knew it was finally time to lose weight.

"All the shoulda, coulda, wouldas catalyzed into an intense desire to finally do something about it," he said.

Memmer had noticed before the trip to the amusement park that he would get winded walking up the stairs in his home and had trouble keeping up with his kids while they were playing. And this depressed him. But the incident at the theme park was the "straw that broke the camel's back."

He started his weight loss program during the summer of 2009 and eventually lost about 115 pounds over the course of a year. His initial weight was 300 pounds. Memmer said he kept his plan simple: eating less and consuming fewer calories.

"While I was losing the weight, hunger was always a factor," he said. "So to counter that, I worked in lots of fruits and vegetables, as they provide lots of nutrients and have a lot of fiber and bulk per serving -- it really helped to satisfy me when I was hungry."

Memmer rediscovered his love for soup during his weight loss campaign and has learned his local grocery store stocks a large variety of options to prevent him from getting bored. Although many soups contain a high amount of sodium, Memmer says "this does not weigh on his mind and a recent check with the doctor showed a clean bill of health."

It took some time to adjust to his new eating habits. Snacking became a rare event because he knew he was eating fewer calories and wanted to make each calorie count.

He didn't want to go on a crash diet, so instead he decreased his daily caloric intake so he'd shed about two pounds a week, which many dietitians consider safe.

Memmer changed his mind-set about food, too.

"I realized early on that I would just eat absent-mindedly, and all those calories have to go somewhere," he said. He now makes a conscious effort to be aware of what he's consuming and mostly selects nutritious foods to eat.

"I'm not on quite as strict a regimen as I was when I was losing my weight, but I've found a nice balance that has allowed me to maintain my current weight level and I don't feel deprived at all."

The main staples of his diet are vegetables, whole grains and lean meats, but nothing is forbidden.

"I may have a cookie here and there, or even a piece of pie, but I consider it a special treat instead of a daily food item."

Memmer does not think in terms of "going on a diet" when he eats, either.

"Dieting implies that you're making a temporary change, and what is essential is making a commitment to a different way of living," he noted. "Once you've made the mental leap over that hurdle, you've taken the hardest step."

In moments of weakness, Memmer reminds himself to try to stay focused on his goals -- and thinks of his family and how he wants to stay healthy for them.

Memmer does not consider himself an athlete and doesn't have a regular workout routine. But he has found ways to incorporate activity into his life. He'll use the stairs at work and parks his car farther away from his office than before his weight drop. Work in his garden keeps him active, too.

"If you want an upper body workout, I highly recommend wrestling with a gas-powered tiller on unbroken ground," he chuckled.

He enjoys taking walks and appreciates the fact he can get around without his knees hurting or back aching, which wasn't the case before he shed pounds.

Memmer says his weight loss has inspired those around him and sparked a lot of conversation around his workplace. In fact, some of his colleagues have started their own campaigns to lose weight and achieve a healthier lifestyle.

"Sometimes, all it takes is a spark, someone you can point to and say -- if he can do it, so can I," he said.

As for amusement park rides, Memmer has "upped his game" and recently spent a family vacation at Walt Disney World's theme parks in Orlando where he was able to comfortably get on any ride he wanted with his children.

"Space Mountain and Tower of Terror were my favorite rides."

Having more calories from food, than you need to maintain your weight can lead to obesity. If food is consumed in excess of requirements, the excess is converted into fat and stored in the adipose tissues. Normally adipose tissues constitutes about 10 to 15% of the body weight. In obese people, it increases up to 30%. 

One can assess if one is over weight, by knowing your required body weight and estimation of the total body fat. If your body weight is 40- 50 % in excess of the required weight you are severely obese. Your total body fat should be less and no more than 30% of the overall diet and about 50% of that fat itself should be vegetable oils rich in Essential fatty acids (EFA). 

Obesity can lead to several complications - metabolic disorders such as Diabetes, atherosclerosis, cardiac disorders; low life expectancy, physical disability etc. 

In order to loose weight you need to reduce your calorie intake but only slightly below your maintenance level. Alternatively, You can keep your calorie - intake the usual and increase your activity level. You can raise your metabolic rate (the basic rate at which you burn calories) by increasing your exercise. So if you want to lose fat, maintain your energy level and improve health, get active and take regular exercise. Aerobic exercise burns a lot of calories. Exercise combined with eating fewer calories promotes weight loss.

A reducing diet should normally provide only about half the daily calorie requirements. But remember that a minimum amount of at least 1200 calories of nutritious food is needed for an adult. Fewer than that would lower iron level and actually slow down metabolism. The goal is to get maximum nutrition with minimum calories. So increase your intake of low calorie, health enhancing fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans etc and avoid excessive and frequent eating of foods rich in calories and poor in nutrients like fried and fatty foods, sweets and nuts. Eat fish and poultry instead of red meat, limit your egg intake to four per week, include adequate fiber in your diet. Use unsaturated oils such as corn, sunflower, safflower etc as the cooking medium and cut down on your overall salt intake. Take a multivitamin tablet along with your reduced diet

The rule should be to maintain your body weight constant at the normal level by adjusting the calorie intake. Here is the distribution of food stuff in two calorie reducing diets.

The adult age height weight chart shown below is for adults over 18 years of age and gives a relative range of ratios. Maintaining your own healthy bodyweight throughout adult years is essential to avoid illness and diseases.

If you discover your current condition versus the adult age height weight chart below is outside of the general target range, gaining or losing weight to achieve your healthy weight range can strengthen your overall health, level of energy, self-confidence and sense of well-being. Need to lose a few pounds, or more?

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. - Carl Bard

Congratulations...!!! if your adult age height & weight falls within the general chart guidelines above but remember, it is only a guide and specific body types such as well-muscled and/or heavy boned individuals will not be fairly reflected.