Obesity - Avoid it or Fix it!
Obesity plagues so many of us women, There is hope, no matter how far it has gone!
There is an amazing show called "Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition" that is one of the most emotionally-moving TV shows I have watched. This incredible and compassionate trainer, Chris Powell, takes individuals who are extremely overweight - so overweight it takes a dock scale to weigh them - and over the course of a year helps them in a transformational journey to a fitter, healthier and totally transformed person.
Chris Powell, Trainer
Obesity is basically a condition where the body has so much excess weight and fat that it starts affecting the systems of the body and deteriorating the health of the overweight person.
Really, this condition limits you in so many ways - the clothes you wear,what type of help you may need getting around, not being able to participate in sports, having low energy not to mention all of the health problems that come with it.
Getting to this place doesn't happen overnight: it is a gradual process and buildup that happens from:
- Overeating
- Genetics
- Lack of exercising
- Certain medications
- Endocrine disorders
The best ways to start combating this problem in an individual is:
- Start eating foods high in fiber and low in sugar and fat
- Take weight loss pills that suppress the appetite and stop the body from absorbing fat
- Start an exercise or fitness training plan
How do you know if you are overweight?
An average person (I hate when we say average...ugh) is about 19-25% BMI or body fat. An overweight person might have a BMI of 26-29% and an obese person may reach a BMI of 60%. It's like carrying around 200-400 pounds of weight more each day. Imagine the stress that would put on one's heart and systems.
There are real challenges for a women who is this overweight who wants to get fit - first of all, if this is you, there is hope! Do not give up. Starting to move, to exercise, to get your circulation going and stressing your muscles in good ways is an excellent way to get started.
Cutting out salts, sugars, fats from your diet is a huge step and replacing your meals with whole, raw and unprocessed foods will start to cleanse your digestive system and feed your body good things like vitamins, mineral and protein.
It takes an enormous amount of commitment to embark on a journey like Chris takes his clients on. He takes them on a year-long journey with goals set at different increments like to lose so many pounds by certain dates. On of the ways he keeps them motivated is to commit to finishing each workout before they ever start.
It is very, very important to get a physicians clearance before you start any diet and exercise program regardless.
