We hear it all the time…lose weight for your health. 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.
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.
" It's never too late to improve your health "
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.
BMI however does not take into account muscle mass. So if you are a weight lifter, checking you are the right body fat percentage would be a better choice for you. There is also a newer BMI calculation you can do that also incorporates waist circumference which is much more accurate.
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.
Tracking your diet with the free app MyFitnessPal can really help you monitor the calories you are taking in both from food, and those hidden calories you never consider in liquids. Get in touch with me to find out your calorie requirement per day based on your body stats.
" If you eat and drink more calories than your body requires, you will put on weight "
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 disease) 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.
Vegan style protein shakes are an excellent source of protein, and less harsh on the digestive system for most people, causing less bloating. They are also an easy, convenient and cost-effective on-the-go way of curbing hunger between meals and increasing your protein intake.
Food sources include 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 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.
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.
Being overweight or obese has been identified next to smoking, as the most preventable major risk to 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.
" Being overweight or obese has been identified next to smoking, as the most preventable major risk to developing cancer "
Get in touch with me today to get expert advice, coaching and support every week on the most effective science proven ways to lose body fat, and reach your ideal healthy weight.
121 Gym based Personal Training sessions are available, along with Online/Remote Personal Training & Nutrition Coaching.
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