Major Techniques for Promoting Weight Loss - Essay Example

? Major Techniques for Promoting Weight Loss Educational Outline Major Techniques for Promoting Weight Loss Thesis: Weight management is a major issue globally because it affects various aspects of life and therefore this paper addresses keenly the major techniques for promoting weight loss. I. Introduction. II. Body Mass Index (BMI) offers the best way of determining whether the body weight of an individual is right or in health risk. III. Ways of achieving weight loss. A. Healthy lifestyles 1. Nutritional modification through dieting 2. Physical Exercise to burn calories 3. Eating healthy foods friendly to the heart and intake of a lot of water B. Behavior adjustment helps in changing eating habits as well as physical activities 1. Setting achievable weight loss goals 2. Exercise timetables 3. Diet patterns C. Controlling emotional eating through mindful eating to avoid triggering over eating. D. Drugs therapies that help in weight management through stimulation of fat metabolism and others block absorption of fats. E. Surgery in weight management involves sealing off major portions of stomach to reduce food consumption. IV. Conclusion To achieve and maintain weight an individual is entitled to not only follow the methods mentioned keenly but also to think of this lifestyle as not only a short-term thing but a permanent option Introduction Overweight has been and is a disturbing issue especially in United States where 65% of the adults, 17% of the young people and about 1 in every 5 children are struggling with mass issues. Overweight is highly associated with so many diseases among them diabetes and cardiovascular disorders and therefore it is always advisable to keep our weight in check. To maintain and keep a healthy weight one has to observe and promote a healthy lifestyle which involves; an impartial and healthful diet, sufficient sleep, bodily activities as well as efficient anxiety management. These lifestyles if well observed can lead to mass loss as well the maintenance of a healthy life. Since mass figures are so important in our well being, many people would wish to do whatever it takes to manage their weight. Research shows that loosing 5 to 10 percent of one’s total mass is more than enough for most people who are overweight. Mass management refers to both trailing as well as gaining some pounds but many people are not striving to gain but rather the loosing bit is in question for many people (US News,2013) . Being healthy comes in different shapes, masses as well as sizes. It has become a challenge to use the term ideal weight or the waist- hip ratio. The mass measurement effectively stands for the position of body fat, which is most prominent in determining the risk of one’s well being. The Body Mass Index (BMI) offers the best way of determining whether the body weight of an individual is right or in health risk. In determining BMI, weight can be divided by height or the mass multiplied by 703 and then divided by the height. This method is highly accepted by many health organizations. Being overweight one ought to have a BMI of between 25 and 29.9 and this is highly associated with development of many disorders. On the other hand, a BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 stands to be healthy and not prone to the weight associated diseases. In other words, the higher the body mass index, the bigger the health threat. Individuals with a BMI above 30 are termed to be obese and this category is divided into three: category 1 of 30 to 34.9; is considered as high threat, category 2 of 35- 39.9; is considered as awful threat and the final class 40 and above extreme threats. The buildup of the visceral fat is also thought to be a major cause of the many weight associated diseases. Determining of the waist-circumference is another way used to assess the weight of an individual. Men with the waist line of 40 inches and women with the waist line of 35 inches are at a greater threat of many serious health disorders than individuals who have a smaller waist line. Studies show that health risks are measured depending on the position of the fats. If you carry more fat around your abdomen as opposed to the hips and thighs then your health is at a greater risk. Most of the belly fat is stored deep below the skin surrounding the internal organs and this is closely associated with insulin resistance (Natural Weight Loss Remedies, 2011). There are many ways that can be applied in weight- loss some of which are inefficient and some being short-term predominantly to those who are obese. There are only a lesser percentage of the obese people who succeed to lose a significant amount of mass as well as maintaining the weight loss especially with non-surgical programs. It is possible for people to loose mass even without surgery but this is achievable when one works with an expert in the weight loss program. Most individuals use a combination of therapies in order to achieve weight loss. Many studies have been done on the overweight issue but all tend to turn to one major area that if you have to loose weight then you have to burn more calories than we intake. To achieve this, the only possible way is to practice the healthy lifestyles like the ones mentioned early in this writing. Nutritional modification is highly effective in weight management. Many of the people who have tried a diversity of diets have been trapped in a sequence of mass gain as well as loss. Most of the individuals taking part in all the diet programs tend to add up the weight they had lost within two years. Dieting is also helpful to people who practice weight loss surgery and it helps them maintain their weight even after the surgery. The major components known to increase mass immensely are calories and therefore reducing them is of great help in attaining the required weight. Burning calories requires one to use some energy and this call for increased physical exercise. This is a method recommended to individuals who wish to manage their weight. Exercise burns the calories and thus helps in maintaining the weight loss for those overweight and thus reducing the risk associated diseases. It is advisable to always consider taking low calorie diet which will help reduce the amount of calories in the body. In addition, eating healthy also contributes highly to weight loss and this includes reducing the portions and consuming a balanced diet daily. It is always advisable to take foods that are friendly to the heart, healthful; and adding to this, one should also drink lots of water, add to the dish lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating healthy also calls for reduction of fats and sugar in the day to day meals as well as eliminate snacks. Always eat with consciousness putting in mind that whatever is consumed has an impact on the weight as well as health. It is also a good thing for one not to be so full hungry. On the other hand, calories obtained from fructose are more dangerous and can highly increase your waist line if not controlled. Thus this calls for reduced intake of flavored drinks which contain a larger amount of sugar (Journal of family practice, 2013). According to the Journal of family practice (2013), controlling our emotional eating is another way which can help in weight management. An individual should always understand the emotional triggers that see him overeat and in turn make choices that will be in the opposite. Many people will always turn in to eating when they are bored, when they want to reward themselves, and also when there are watching TV. Thus, when you identify your cause of eating if not being hungry you can work towards changing the practice. For instance, if you console yourself with eating after a long day can learn to take a warm bath and then relax while reading a book or taking a cup of herbal tea. If you take a snack while bored you can learn to take a refreshing walk or reach a friend who cheers you up. Another way that can help us eat healthy is mindful eating in that we should always avoid eating while watching the TV or reading a book or even working. It is also advisable to practice avoiding the habit of clearing the plate as well as practice chewing the food thoroughly. It is also advisable to fill your plate with foods that are rich in fiber. These foods are high in amounts and this will make them satisfying. It also takes a longer time to chew them and this makes it more filling to eat. It is hard to digest high-fiber foods and this helps them to stay longer in the stomach and thus you stay full for a longer time. Some of these foods may include; beans, fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains. Physical activity is a major factor in mass management and is greatly known to increase the possibilities of long-term mass loss especially to individuals who engage in weight loss surgery. Studies show that if an individual minimizes calories intake, the body reacts by slowing metabolism which in turn leads to burning a small amount of calories instead of encouraging mass loss. Daily exercise can therefore help in speeding up of the metabolism efficiently reducing the “set point”, a type of thermostat in the brain that signals the resistance to either weight gain or loss thus resulting to a reduced natural mass. A physical exercise of half an hour to one hour will really work for those attempting to lose body mass or to maintain their mass. A vigorous walk can also help in the same. On the other hand, beginning an exercise program for an obese person is highly intimidating. The health condition of such a person makes it difficult for any physical activity put can seek to employ the some strategies like; using the stairs instead of lifts, taking a walk for at least five minutes or so every morning as well as every evening. One can also practice swimming as well as riding a bike ( New York Times Company, 2012) Behavior adjustment is another way of weight management and this helps in changing the eating habits as well as physical activities. Some of the behavioral modifications include; setting achievable weight loss goals, making a timetable of the exercise as well diet patterns, giving first priority to certain areas, for instance, one can choose to exercise longer time. One can also develop a supportive network especially from the family members to friends or a supporting group that will assist in achieving the set goals. Many of the people who choose surgery in attaining their weight loss, diet and behavior adjustment helps them achieve their goals. According to New York Times Company (2012), taking of certain drugs prescribed mostly for obese people is still another way which can be used in weight management. There are a variety of drugs which can be used some of which stimulate fat metabolism while others block the absorption of the fats. Many people who engage in drugs as a way of managing their weight argue that the drugs help them curb their appetite and an example of a drug used is phentermine. However, research shows that individuals on drug therapy loose ten percent of their mass and they manage it in less than nine months but immediately after they stop taking the medication they began gaining their weight. Studies show that dugs are best for the obesity treatment but in weight management they tend to cause side effects. Drug therapies are recommended to those people who have a greater than 27. Other drugs which can be used include; lipase inhibitors which hinder the enzymes from digestive the fats making them unavailable for absorption. The side effect of these drugs is loose stool due to the leakage of the undigested fats. Liposuction, a method that involves removal of fat cells can also be used particularly by the obese people though it is not an approved method and therefore should be performed by a professional. However, this method is shown to be extremely dangerous. Surgery is also another method which has been and is still used by many people in weight management. This involves mainly sealing off major portion of the stomach so as to reduce the amount of food one can consume. This method is highly effective in losing weight as well maintaining the weight after loss especially for the obese people. However, it is not a method recommended for anyone but rather for those people who have a BMI of 40 and above. One must also have undergone and completed a medical as well a psychological pre-evaluation procedure. This method as the drug therapy has its advantages and disadvantages and therefore a patient is always advised to discuss extensively with the surgeon on the possible risks before engaging into it (Natural Weight Loss Remedies, 2011) According to UCSF Medical Center (2013), healthy lifestyles such as getting plenty of sleep are essential. Lack of enough sleep has been proven to have a connection to hunger, excessive eating, and mass gain. Another lifestyle that is associated with weight gain is watching TV. It is also shown that you burn less calories while watching and therefore one can practice switching off the TV once in a while or rather watch it while carrying out some chores. In conclusion, to achieve and maintain weight an individual is entitled to not only follow the methods mentioned keenly but also to think of this lifestyle as not only a short-term thing but a permanent option. Be committed to fully change your life and live healthy. Finding a motivating group is also another good idea and that will help achieve your goals as well as maintain them. It also good to have the idea that slow and firm helps attain and this will always give you the morale to keep on exercising as well as eating right. Finally, setting goals will always keep you going; weighing yourself frequently will also help. However, methods like drug therapy and surgery (the fact that they are risky), are not the best option to choose when managing your weight. Studies highly advise the dietary modification and physical fitness as the best methods that can be used. Studies have also found the lipase inhibitors being the best drugs in weight reduction as far as drug therapy is concerned, with their side effects not being that severe. As long as people who have lost a significant amount of mass may choose to undergo liposuction they always be aware of its danger and if they choose to do should only call for a licensed professional who has successful done this before References US News (2013). Information on Weight Management. Retrieved on May 9, 2013 from Melinda et al. (2013). Healthy Weight Loss & Dieting Tips .Retrieved on May 9, 2013 from UCSF Medical Center. (2013). Obesity Treatment. Retrieved on May 9, 2013 from Natural Weight Loss Remedies. (2011). Weight Reduction Tips and Techniques. Retrieved on May 9, 2013 from The New York Times Company. (2012). Eating for Health, Not Weight .Retrieved on May 9, 2013 from The Journal of family practice. (2013). What behavioral interventions are safe and effective for treating obesity? 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