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Maintaining a healthy weight should be a concern for everyone. A study conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics stated that nearly 32% of all adults in America are obese. Obesity is defined as any individual that weighs thirty or more pounds above their recommended optimum weight. The epidemic of obesity that is sweeping across America is also reflected in our children. Although the percentages are slightly lower, the rate of increase is nothing short of alarming. Hence, it only makes sense that weight loss and weight loss solutions have become common topics of discussion across virtually all households in America. According to the 2001 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), approximately two-thirds of all adults in the United States are overweight. The survey also concluded that nearly one-third of all adults are considered technically obese. The increased prominence of overweight and obese adults has steadily risen over the years among both genders, all ages, all racial and ethnic groups, and all educational levels. Below are several overweight and obesity statistics related to gender, age, and medical costs that you may find startling:
Reasons to Start NowIn 1999-2000, over 10% of preschool children between the ages of 2 and 5 were overweight, up from 7% in 1994. In addition, approximately 15.3% of children (ages 6–11) and 15.5% of adolescents (ages 12–19) were overweight in 2000. An additional 15% of children and 14.9% of adolescents were at a high level of risk for becoming overweight based on their current Body Mass Index (BMI) results. The percentage of children and adolescents considered overweight has more than doubled since the early 1970s. Most studies show an increase in mortality rates associated with obesity. Individuals who are obese have a 10% to 50% increased risk of death from all causes when compared to individuals with a healthy weight level. A large portion of the increased risk is due to cardiovascular diseases. Obesity accounts for an additional 112,000 deaths per year in the United States when compared to individuals in the United States that maintain a healthy weight level. These figures are in spite of the fact that Americans spend more than $33 billion annually on weight-loss products and services.
Total Medical Cost: $117 billion Direct Medical Cost: $61 billion Indirect Medical Cost: $56 billion
Workdays lost: $39.3 million Physician office visits: $62.7 million Restricted activity days: $239 million Bed-ridden days: $89.5 million Obesity has been proven to facilitate the deterioration of the human body and is commonly associated with a large number of adverse health conditions. Individuals who are only ten pounds overweight are at an increased risk for diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, a variety of different cancers, sleep apnea, and an assortment of other life-threatening conditions. Knowing this, it is readily apparent as to why one should be conscious of their weight and take active measures to maintain it at a healthy level. Our website is designed to assist you in your efforts to lose weight and lead a healthier and more active lifestyle. While losing weight is not an easy task for some individuals, millions of Americans across the country are taking an active approach to controlling their weight condition. This is producing two primary results. The first result is that there are many individuals making the appropriate lifestyle changes, and are in fact achieving their fitness goals. However, the second and more prominent result is that the majority of individuals are not obtaining their optimum weight level. In order for an individual to be successful in achieving their optimum weight, they need to understand that there are fundamental changes that need to be made in relation to nutrition, exercise, and rest and relaxation. It is important to understand that achieving optimum health is a lifelong endeavor and not a short-term commitment. Lose Weight the Right Way.jpg)
It should be noted that there are appropriate and inappropriate ways to go about losing weight. While losing weight is likely to lead to an overall improvement in one's level of health and fitness, implementing unsafe methods and practices can actually cause adverse effects to your health. The goal is to lose weight the right way. Our website will provide you with countless articles and tips on how to achieve your weight loss goals correctly. Many individuals simply lack the necessary knowledge to effectively do this on their own. We recommend you use this website to enhance your education relevant to the various weight loss approaches, techniques, and lifestyle changes necessary to achieving your weight loss goals. It is our belief that each individual that has set a goal to lose weight should focus first and foremost on losing inches from their body, as opposed to actual weight. The reason for this belief is that muscle, by volume, is more dense than fat. Hence, a person would actually weigh more if they replaced the fat on their body with the equivalent volume of muscle. As with many individuals that set out to achieve their weight loss goals, they incorporate a specific eating program coupled with an exercise regimen. Although this is an excellent and highly recommended approach, it is likely that the individual will increase the overall muscle mass on their body. This will result in an overall lower level of weight loss. Since each individual's body is different in terms of structural frame and muscle density, two people that are the same height may weigh significantly different amounts. It is quite common for an individual that loses 5 to 10 pounds of weight to see a significant decrease in the number of inches measured around the arms, chest, waist, hips and thighs. The second area of focus for each individual desiring to lose weight is percentage of body fat. Table #1, depicted below, is a general guideline that can be used to determine the appropriate body fat content for women and men across varying age groups.
Table #1: General Guideline for Appropriate Body Fat Content A certain amount of body fat is vital for the body to function normally and healthily. In fact, maintaining a body fat percentage that is too low can be detrimental to one’s health. Measuring an individual’s body fat percentage actually calculates the total body fat present on the individual’s body. There are essentially just two types of body fat categories. The first type of body fat is storage fat. Storage fat primarily consists of fat deposited just under the skin or subcutaneous fat, and is used to protect the internal organs in the chest and abdomen. In general, storage fat for men and women is fairly similar. For instance, the average storage fat required for men is 12% of their total body weight, and 15% of their total body weight for women. The second type of body fat is essential body fat. For the entire body to function normally and healthily, a certain amount of essential body fat is required. For example, the average essential body fat required for men is 3% of their total body weight, and 12% of their total body weight for women. Attempting to achieve a body fat percentage that is significantly lower than the values defined in Table #1 is not only unhealthy but dangerous as well. Focus On Both Elements of Weight LossOur site is designed to give you an in-depth overview of the two most important aspects of any effective, healthy weight loss program. This includes both diet and exercise. You should not expect to find an unproven and/or unsafe weight loss program on our website. Instead, you'll find information and tips that have been developed by experts in the field of weight loss on how to best go about obtaining your weight loss goals. We have chosen to forgo gimmicks and "cheap tricks” as these are often ineffective and sometimes dangerous. Your aim should be to develop a weight loss program that incorporates both of these aspects. You will not lose weight without increased physical activity. Likewise, you will not lose weight without improving the quality of foods that you are putting into your body. Both of these aspects present their own challenges, and in many cases require dedication and a change in overall lifestyle. While losing weight can be difficult, you must always remember that effort and changes in lifestyle will pay off in the end. Achieving and maintaining your personal weight goal is a life-changing event that will improve virtually all aspects of your life. It is our hope that you will be able to use the information on this site as a tool in your weight loss efforts. The various fitness and diet tips provided on this website are designed to be applicable to a wide range of people, from those who are severely obese to those who are only a few pounds away from their intended weight level. .jpg)
Our goal at Fitnesshealth101.com is to cover every aspect related to weight loss. This includes information on diets, exercises, and the mental aspects associated with effectively losing weight and obtaining your overall weight loss goals. Losing weight can be a very challenging task. As with most difficult endeavors, the rewards are worth the effort. We are pleased to see that you have not chosen to tackle this challenge on your own. It is our pleasure to assist you in your weight loss and overall health efforts. To this end, we wish you good luck in your weight loss efforts, and hope that our website will help you meet your goals. |
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