You are fat ! A line that can shake the confidence and self esteem of most people. Simple line, no foul language but, can penetrate the soul of any individual. Here we would, take a glance at what is the magnitude of the problem, and what is it’s significance and possible solutions.
Obesity is a term, you usually come across in many medical journals and magazines. So what does obesity mean ? It means the fact of being extremely fat, in a way that is dangerous for health. Worldwide obesity has tripled since 1975. According to a statistical study, more than 32% male and 35 % female in the USA, are obese.
To understand the problem better, a basic idea of BMI (Body Mass Index ) would be helpful. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height(In metres) and weight(kilograms), that applies to adult men and women. To find your BMI, divide your weight in kilograms, by your height in metres ; then divide the result again by your height in metres to get your BMI. If your BMI is less than 18.5, it falls within the underweight range. if your BMI is between 18.5 to 25, it is within the normal range. If your BMI is between 25 to 30, it falls within the overweight range. If your BMI is above 30, it falls within the obese range. If you have BMI over 40 or more ; or 35 or more but have associated health problems, then you suffer from Morbid Obesity.
The general idea is that obesity is caused by eating too much of high calorie diet (the average physically active man requires 2500 calories a day and a average physically active woman requires 2000 calories a day), and burning less calories, by moving too little. Although that is certainly true, to a great extent, but it is a oversimplification of much complicated process. Some of the overlooked facts, which causes obesity are
Excess weight and fat is not just a cosmetic unacceptable problem, but also gives rise to serious health problems. Some of these are –
The first fact you should always believe is that, there is always a solution. You should never lose heart and focus on the solution, rather than on the problem. The remedial measure would depend on -- the place you stay, the money you have and finally your determination. Some of the strategies, that will give you dividends are –
You can exercise for hours, but if your daily calorie intake from food is more than what your body uses daily, you will not lose weight. Have a healthy and balanced diet, containing sufficient vitamins and micronutrients. Drink sufficient water. Less intake of water has shown to contribute to obesity. Try to reduce free sugar as much as possible. Avoid junk foods as much as possible. Adequate intake of vitamin C is very important, for secretion of carnitine, a compound that helps the body convert fat into energy. Having a glass of warm water with lemon juice and honey, is a popular advise for weight loss.
Relax, you do not have to go to expensive gyms or do laborious workout from the beginning. You can start, from something as simple and as cheap as Walking. A study has shown that if you walk an extra 5 kilometre daily, then after a year, there would be a very good probability of you losing 14 kilograms (Of course, speed variables are also important).
For the more adventurous, swimming is also a good alternative. Swimming burns calories (up to 700 calories per hour), and helps in weight loss and by using all the major muscles in the body, also provides cardio vascular health benefits. So if you have a swimming pool around your home try the option of swimming for weight loss. It always works (Except maybe for the whales in seas --reason unknown )
Finally if you want for some inspiration around you, try the neighbouring gym. All exercises, should be done under the supervision of the gym instructor. Some of the exercises which may prove useful are – Push Up, Crunches, Squat, Reverse dip,lunge, planks, bicycle exercises are to name a few.
Other measure like – Zumba dance workouts helps you in achieving general fitness while giving you a feel good feeling. it also relieves stress, increases energy and improves strength. All dances, relevant to place and culture are useful.
Dietician are health care professionals, who provide counselling about diet, food and nutrition. They advice patient about special diet modification, like what food to eat for breakfast /lunch/dinner and how to distribute vegetable and meat and other dietary products, in each meal. So if you think, that wrong choice of food is responsible for your obesity, consult a dietician near you.
As previously mentioned, there are many health conditions or diseases, which may cause weight gain. Some of the probable causes are --
So if there is any doubt in your mind, consult a Physician (Medicine specialist)
A) Bariatric Surgery – Also known as weight loss surgery, is one of the last resort for the people, who have tried other weight loss measures like dieting and exercises, but failed. It encompasses, different type of surgeries, which aims to reduce the size of stomach. They may vary from simple manoeuvre like introduction of temporary balloons, to reduce the size of stomach to complex surgical techniques like – Removal of a portion of stomach, or resecting and rerouting the small intestine to small stomach pouch. These surgeries have ensured remarkable loss of weight and improvement in co morbid condition like – better cardio vascular status and better sugar control.
B) Liposuction Surgery – Liposuction is derived from two words – lipo ( fat) and suction. So here the excess fat deposit in body is sucked out, but it should be remembered that, liposuction is not a weight loss procedure ; but a body contouring procedure ie, it is done to bring the body to better shape. So the ideal patient for liposuction, would be a patient who is close to his/her body weight, but has localised excess fat deposit. Liposuction and other body contouring plastic surgery may also be needed in patients undergoing bariatric surgery, once their weight loss stabilises.
Obesity is usually taken in a very casual way in our daily life. It is only when a person develops some serious health complain, that arises suddenly, that people understand the gravity of the situation. The whole point of this article, is that you would understand the commonly, overlooked complain of obesity & would take help of expert professionals, if you or anybody else suffers from the same.