| Obesity is an extremely big problem in the United | | | | When picking out grain sources, you should opt for |
| States and all over the world. In America, around 2/3 | | | | whole grains or multi grains. Stay away from the |
| of the population is overweight or obese, meaning | | | | white bread and other enriched or fortified sources. |
| that they have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or | | | | Whole grains take longer to digest and will leave you |
| greater. In our society, being overweight or obese is | | | | feeling fuller for longer. Protein is a key player in a |
| easier than ever before. There are fast food | | | | healthy diet. As we talked about at the beginning, |
| restaurants stationed on every corner, portion sizes | | | | people consume a lot of fast food. Things like |
| that are larger than necessary and unhealthy food | | | | cheeseburgers and Philly cheese steaks are loaded |
| that is less expensive than quality food. Our poor | | | | with protein; however, they are loaded with |
| diets and lack of exercise are the main causes of the | | | | saturated fats and calories as well. You need protein |
| rising obesity epidemic that is plaguing the country. | | | | in your diet because you cannot store any surplus |
| Obesity is a preventable disease that causes many | | | | that you might have consumed. When picking your |
| complications for those afflicted. Being overweight | | | | protein sources, you need to make your choices |
| (having a BMI of greater than 25), obese (having a | | | | wisely. Protein sources from animal products, if |
| BMI of greater than 30) or morbidly obese (having a | | | | consumed in abundance, can lead to obesity, heart |
| BMI of greater than 35) can result in a whole host of | | | | disease, diabetes and gout. |
| ailments that could eventually wind up claiming the | | | | Choose protein that comes from lean meat or a |
| person's life. Some of the side effects associated | | | | supplement such as a protein replacement shake. |
| with being obese are type II diabetes, high blood | | | | Sources of liquid protein are great for people of any |
| pressure, high cholesterol, high triglyceride levels, | | | | health level to choose to replace some of their |
| gout, hypertension, joint pain, atherosclerosis and | | | | unhealthy options. |
| more. So many issues can be linked back to obesity. | | | | Complications of Obesity |
| The Importance of Your Diet | | | | We have discussed that obesity is a trend that is |
| The human body needs a certain amount of calories | | | | reversible. Unfortunately, should you let it go on for a |
| to function on a daily basis. Each person's caloric | | | | significant period of time, some of the complications |
| requirements are different, which is why diets vary | | | | that arise might not be so easily reversed. Heart |
| from person to person. An estimation of how many | | | | disease, for example, is one such problem. If you |
| calories you need each day can be figured using the | | | | consume a poor diet then you are damaging your |
| Harris Benedict Equation. This formula uses variables | | | | heart with the plaque buildup in the artery walls. Even |
| such as age, height and weight to find a person's basil | | | | if you decide to change your diet for the better, you |
| metabolic rate (BMR), or how many calories your | | | | have already done the damage and the plaque is still |
| body needs in order to function at rest. It then takes | | | | there. Another complication of obesity is a condition |
| that number and factors in your activity level through | | | | known as gout. Gout occurs when your kidneys |
| another equation in order to find how many calories | | | | cannot flush out the uric acid fast enough into your |
| you need to consume in a day. It is extremely | | | | urine stream. This leads to a buildup of the uric acid, |
| important that people understand how many calories | | | | causing swelling and extreme pain. According to |
| their body actually needs compared to what they | | | | research, obesity is the main cause of gout. Along |
| consume on average. Knowing a few simple numbers | | | | with things such as gout, you have all of the usual |
| will really put things into perspective when meal | | | | suspects that you hear being discussed all of the |
| planning and deciding whether to go with a doughnut | | | | time. You have heart disease, high blood pressure, |
| or a healthier option, such as a bowl of oatmeal or | | | | the potential for type II diabetes and joint pain, |
| some eggs. | | | | among other problems. |
| After you understand how many calories you body | | | | With so much known about obesity, you would think |
| needs, you need to look at your own diet and try to | | | | that people would take a more proactive role in their |
| figure out how to optimize what you are eating and | | | | own lives and make better diet choices, yet they do |
| replace the unhealthy food sources with nutritious | | | | not. Each day many more Americans will develop |
| ones. The macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat and | | | | complications associated with obesity. Instead of |
| protein) are all important for your body to function at | | | | changing their diet and opting for healthy sources of |
| optimal levels. You need to consume a proper balance | | | | protein, they will pick up that unhealthy cheeseburger |
| of the three in order to maintain your weight and | | | | or, even worse, the extra value meal. What value |
| fight obesity. Excess amounts of any of the three | | | | does consuming 2000 calories in one meal present for |
| could result in you putting on the pounds. | | | | someone? |
| When you plan your diet, you need to look for | | | | When you are planning your diet and trying to fight |
| quality sources of food. Whole foods that are not | | | | obesity, go with the healthy food options. Pick out |
| processed are optimal choices. To combat obesity, | | | | those healthy vegetables and fruit. Eat the whole |
| you need to be consuming plenty of fresh fruits and | | | | grains and don't forget to consume plenty of quality |
| vegetables. Fresh is preferred over canned, as the | | | | protein. |
| fresh sources contain more vitamins and minerals. | | | | |