With the number of overweight and obese people growing every year, it’s becoming a worldwide dilemma. Being overweight and obesity is defined as having accumulated excessive or fat that may be detrimental to one’s health.
To give some perspective, here are 2016 statistics from the World Health Organization:
- 9 billion people aged 18 years and older are overweight, while 34% of these people, over 650,000,000, are obese.
- Being overweight and obese kills more individuals than being underweight in countries where most people live in.
- There are 41 million overweight and obese toddlers aged 5 years old and below.
- More than 300 million children who are from 5 years old to 19 years old are overweight and obese.
The good news is that we can do something about it, and it can still be prevented. Here are some tips on how to fight and prevent obesity:
1. Change your mindset and behavior
Changing your habits is never easy, but it is not impossible. Why do you want to be healthier? Your reason for doing this needs to be strong to keep you motivated when you feel like giving up. Choosing to be healthier shouldn’t feel like a sacrifice. That’s the reason why most people fail at it. Who wants to keep sacrificing day in, day out? Shifting that mindset to you respecting your body and everything that goes into it.
2. Have a strict diet you can commit to
It’s best to consult a nutritionist before following any diet. Though you know yourself more than anybody out there, it’s advisable to have someone help lessen your calorie intake but still boost nutrition in your diet. Ease your way into it. Start by choosing the healthier options. It’s okay to have cheat days, but just do everything in moderation.
3. Lead a more active lifestyle
Leading a healthier lifestyle starts from your daily activities. Explore the different kinds of sports and exercise routines. There are so much to choose from. You can go hiking, surfing, or dancing. You can change it up per week and see which one makes you happy. Create a weekly routine of your different activities. Little things help as well. Instead of using an escalator or elevator, opt to use the stairs. Park your car at the farthest slot. Turn off the computer and television and spend more time outdoors.
4. Seek medical assistance
There is always this option where people use FDA approved weight-loss medication. There are some available over-the-counter supplements, but it’s better to consult a doctor first in case of side effects. Extreme cases of obesity would require surgery since they’ve been unsuccessful in keeping off the weight. This would require a very strict lifestyle change. Assess the situation if this is something you are willing to undergo, and of course, seek the opinions of the doctors.
Preventing obesity is not a walk in the park, but through the guidance of experts and imposing discipline everyday, it’s definitely possible.
