Whats with the weight?

A person's weight in recent times has become an obsession with many people around the world.
To add to the hype, the female actresses and models around the world are making women even more conscious by reducing their weight to such an extent where they start looking like starved skeletons. This effects not only women but also the men who start expecting that their wives should look just as slim as the woman on screen, not realizing that those women are actually paid millions to look the way they do.

This over hype has resulted in thousands of products cropping up that are promoted to ensure that you will become socially more acceptable if you use their product. These products include medicines, oils, liposuction, stomach banding, herbal products, sauna belts and the list goes on.

Wanting to lose those unnecessary kilos becomes such an obsession with some that they start using any product that comes their way. Sometimes, these have such horrifying side effects that people end up facing serious health problems.

The World Health Organization's facts about being overweight are quite startling. Its a fact that if you are overweight, that is weigh over and above your acceptable, healthy weight, you are part of more than one billion people around the world. And if you are clinically obese, that is at a stage where your weight is causing serious health problems, you are part of 3 million people around the world. Obesity causes serious health hazards like diabetes, heart problems and strokes.

Another major concern in present times is the increase in child obesity. Children nowadays are eating foods rich in carbohydrates but not getting enough exercise. Being burdened under the pressures of extensive school work, spending evenings in tuition centers and the remaining on the computer or on play stations are not giving children enough opportunities to shed the calories they gain. Furthermore, the present trend of eating fast foods from many restaurants also encourage the use of fried food and foods rich in carbs. This is further effecting healths of our younger ones.

The present life styles is the major reason attributed to such a rapid rise in obesity. Eating energy rich foods but low in nutrients has become the call of the day. Furthermore, our more than busy lifestyles do not give people enough time to exercise. With more education and development, people are preferring jobs in the tertiary sector, where most jobs are white collared. Such jobs are less physically demanding but more stressful, resulting in further weight related problems. The use of automated transport and present technological developments is further reducing the need for walks. Imagine in present times, we do not even like walking to the TV to change the channel and gradually over time, we might even stop using the remote altogether and just speak a single word or show a hand gesture to change the channel.

The important aspect is that what are the safest ways of losing weight:

Firstly, at least half an hour of exercise everyday. Although, in present times, exercise is available in many forms including gyms and home exercising equipment but nothing beats the usefulness of a 'morning walk'. Furthermore, a bicycle may be used to travel to nearby places. Its refreshing, a good exercise and also helps to save fuel.

Secondly, change your diet patterns. Reduce the use of fried food. Reduce the intake of animal based fats and move towards vegetable based facts. Reduce the use of sugary and fatty foods. Eat more fruits, vegetables and nuts. Include foods in your everyday diet that are high in fibre but low in fat. You may also consult a nutritionist to develop a balanced diet plan. Use of products like green tea is also considered extremely helpful in absorption of fats, although green tea has multiple benefits to keep the body healthy.

The most important aspect to losing weight is to educate yourself in 'what foods contain what?'. Understanding ingredients and nutritional information is extremely important to know what you are eating. In present times, many companies write chemical formulas in their ingredients instead of the actual term. Especially, with the present discouragement of doctors in use of animal fat and other harmful ingredients, companies are adopting this practice which misleads the consumer. Its always better to search out the term on the Internet and find out what it stands for.

Take care of your own good self and start moving towards a healthier life style!