Weight Matters
-Gee

There is no doubt that the United States of America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. It seems as though we have taken advantage of the free and are ignoring the brave…as far as weight loss is concerned. The temptations of unhealthy foods are easily being taken advantage of, as well as a technology-driven society keeping us sedentary. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), California is among many states suffering an obesity crisis. NCHS reports that over 60% of Americans are overweight and 34% of those are obese. Over the past 10 years these numbers have increased and continue to rise. Being overweight suggests that a person has more body weight than what is healthy for their age, height and build. On the other hand, being obese is when a person is extremely overweight and has a body weight that is more than 20% greater than recommended.   The fact is, whether you are overweight or obese, it is time to realize just how much it matters and what you can do about it.   We have all heard about B.M.I., or body mass index, but what does it mean? It simply is a way of determining whether a person is in a healthy range for his or her weight. By using a B.M.I. calculator, you can easily determine your B.M.I.; all that is needed is your height and weight. 
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an online calculator. Go to:  
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html   The chart below shows the four ranges you may fall under.
 
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The one thing to keep in mind is that B.M.I. may not be as accurate for those who are really lean or athletic. It really works well for the average individual. This is a great starting point to find out where you are, and making small goals from this point is up to you. The risks involved with such a lifestyle can bring chronic diseases and multiple health complications. So why are Americans ignoring the signs and warnings? There are a plethora of reasons or excuses, for example:

  • “I’m too busy and have no time.”
  • “My children come first.”
  • “I don’t have the energy.”
  • “It’s too expensive.”
  • “It’s not fun.”
  • “I hurt afterwards.”
  • “I don’t know how to exercise or what to do.”
  • “I love to eat.”

 If you have said any of these things or have more to add to the list, here are a few reasons to change your lifestyle:

  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Heart disease
  • Hypertension/High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Osteoporosis
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Insomnia
  • Depression/Anxiety
  • Stress and anger management problems
  • Headaches
  • Flexibility issues
 It really comes down to health and just how important is it to you. The first step is admitting that a lifestyle change needs to be made. The overweight and obesity issue is not going to go away unless you decide to change, so where do you begin? There are three components to consider: nutrition, exercise and recovery. The basics are somehow lost on us. Nutrition is simply eating healthy, knowing what to eat and how much. Staying away from fatty foods and keeping nutrient-dense foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals in your diet is paramount. A great tool to use is “MyPyramid” on the United States Department of Agricultural (USDA) site: http://www.mypyramid.gov/ Go to “Interactive Tools” and click on “MyPyramid Plan”. This will show the food groups needed to maintain a healthy diet. It will also give you advice on incorporating physical activity into your lifestyle.  The biggest issue with overweight and obese individuals have is that they do not burn enough calories. If you are eating and taking “in” more calories than you are burning “out,” then your calories “in” are overpowering your calories “out” and your body fat will increase. The last component is recovery, which simply is managing time to allow your body the rest it needs. It is realistic to say we put our bodies through stress, but do we allow the time to de-stress? It may simply be getting eight hours of sleep a night, massage therapy, reading or a walk on the beach. Whatever it is that gets you relaxed and centered should be routine in your daily life.  It’s not easy to make lifestyle changes, but being overweight and/or obese compromises your health drastically. The decision is ultimately up to you, but the results will give you the strength, self-esteem, positivity and good health that we are lacking. It’s time to step up and keep unhealthy temptations from controlling our health. America is the land of the free and indeed the home of the brave. It’s time that Americans take it back to the basics and not take advantage of the free, but remind ourselves we are brave.  The City of Long Beach’s website has a park, recreation and marine category with local activities and classes for all age groups: http://www.longbeach.gov/default.asp 
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