Obesity is one of the biggest health problems in recent decades. There is a strong association with obesity and with heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type II diabetes, and cancer. Together, these conditions are considered some of the most threatening to longevity and in many cases, they occur all at the same time. Listed ahead are some details about how obesity can affect and harm your quality of life. In particular, a sedentary lifestyle that contributes to obesity will be examined.

Obesity Defined

There are many ways in which an adult can be considered obese. For starters, body habitus can explain much of your current lifestyle, but in medical terms, there are more concrete ways to measure for obesity. One of the simplest, and most common, ways to define obesity is by using the body mass index (BMI). Your BMI is a calculation of your overall mass compared to your height. There is a plethora of research out there on BMI and its correlation with heart disease, as well as other harmful conditions.

Body Shape and Appearance

In addition to the height and weight measurement, your body shape can tell a lot about how you are personally storing fat throughout your body. Depending on where your body stores fat could have a major implication on your overall health. One area where adults store fat is in the lower part of the body, particularly in the thighs, gluteal muscles, and hips. When fat is more prominent in this area, you are considered pear shaped, or gynoid. In comparison, people who store fat in the upper part of the body, primarily in the abdominal area, are considered apple shaped, or android. People who are more apple shaped are at a greater risk of heart disease when compared to pear shaped, which means decreasing the fat around your abdomen is important for your health.

5 Tips on How to Avoid Obesity

For many people out there, avoiding obesity is a challenge, which is why this guide will help you to prevent everything you can. Listed ahead are five tips that you should incorporate to your daily routine to prevent obesity from affecting you.

1. Avoid Sugar and Refined Carbs. One of the biggest ways that people get in trouble with obesity is due to sugar and other refined carbohydrate options. These foods tend to taste great since they are high in sugar, which also causes the mind to crave them often. This tends to create a major cycle that can have the adult frequently craving these foods. It is important to limit the amount of sugars and refined carbs in your diet by making small changes to your everyday eating habits. Consider swapping your sugary soda for a refreshing carbonated water. Similarly, consider whole grain options rather than refined carbs.
2. Portion Control. The next element in avoiding obesity is portion control. Portion control is one of the more challenging aspects in fighting obesity and with time, you can succeed with changing your portions. Typically, your serving of meat should be no larger than your fist, your carbohydrate portion should be moderate and measured, and you should monitor the size of your dessert. The best way to moderate your portion is to prepare and cook your meal at home, portion it out in a responsible size, and package any leftovers immediately so that you are not tempted to eat more in one serving.
3. Eat Whole, fresh Foods. Another important aspect in your fight with obesity is to consume whole fresh foods, with higher amounts of protein, as well as ample portions of vegetables. When combined together, these three elements will help you to achieve proper portion control and reach your satiety level with ease.
4. Exercise Regularly. One important aspect in preventing and fighting obesity is to be active as much as possible. For starters, it is recommended to be active every single day for at least 30 minutes every day. Typical ways to stay active and exercise is to hit the gym as well as participate in recreational and sport activities. Overall, the more active you are, the better your results will be.
5. Strength Training. If there was anything critical on this list then you found it. Strength training is important for many aspects on your health. For starters, regular strength training helps to boost your metabolism by building lean muscle. Lean muscle mass requires more calories throughout the day to maintain its health, when compared to fat that is. In addition, regular strength training can help to fight and combat type II diabetes and can even help with boosting your self-esteem. Consider adding strength training to your exercise routine at least every other day for best results and consider switching up your routine every 3-4 weeks to keep your muscles guessing.