How Doctors Say You Should Shed The Weight
More than 35% of Americans are currently considered obese. This situation has contributed to all kinds of health conditions like osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. There are many reasons someone becomes overweight ranging from everyday stress to medical situations out of their control.
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However, the prescription for all involved is to lose weight and the majority of doctors are saying the same thing. Below are some suggestions your doctor would give you on how to lose those extra pounds and gain a healthier life.
Eat Smaller Portions
When was the last time you went to a company picnic or a church social? The food at both tends to be out of this world delicious. Then there are the countless buffets and fast foods restaurants that constantly encourage you to upsize your order. Hungry yet? Let’s face it. We love food!
We need it to live, it is the centerpiece of most social gatherings, and it can just plain make us feel better. However, it’s those extra calories in that larger size meal or that second and third trip to the buffet that stick around for the long haul. In fact, most doctors will tell you that if you intend to lose weight, your caloric intake should be reduced to between 1200-1500 calories.
The best way to accomplish this is to cut your portions in half. Understandably, this means less tasty food in your life, but it also means the chance at a longer, more healthy life.
Exercise
How many times have you come in from a long, hard day at work and felt like doing anything but exercising? If you’re like most, that happens pretty often. There’s just no getting around it. Exercise is necessary. Not only to lose weight, but to maintain it and a healthy life. In order to shed the excess pounds, you must spend more calories than you take in.
When you do this, it causes your body to metabolize stored fat, thus getting rid of the extra weight. There are other benefits to exercise, as well. It will not only help you shed unwanted pounds, but will also help you get rid of stress, sleep better, and have more energy.
When Willpower Fails
Alas, all of us fail at some point. The willpower needed to turn away that second helping of Grandma’s slow cooked roast or those extra large spicy nachos at the game just isn’t always there. What do you do then? It’s not unusual to for anyone to need a little or a lot of help in this area.
Some of us simply do better with someone or something to keep us accountable. When you get to this stage, it’s a good idea to invest in a dietician or personal trainer. The monetary investment, alone, is usually enough to keep one coming back. There are also certain diet plans that cater to the ideas of most doctors and consider the exercise and portion control.
Losing weight can be a pretty daunting task, but if done right, the end result will always be a happier, healthier you.
Author: Anna Johansson
