| It's fast becoming a problem in many corners of the | | | | In addition to friends and family who support you, |
| world, and perhaps most notably in the U.K.: Obesity. | | | | you may also want to consider finding a support |
| The numbers are staggering. According to the BBC, | | | | group in your local community. Support groups are an |
| almost a quarter of the adults in the United Kingdom | | | | excellent means of sharing the ups and downs of |
| are obese, a fifty percent increase over the last | | | | weight loss with others who are going through the |
| decade. | | | | same thing. |
| But, it doesn't stop there. One out of every six | | | | 6. Keep a daily journal documenting how you've dealt |
| children, between the ages of two and fifteen, are | | | | with food each day: For example, write down what |
| obese in the United Kingdom compared to one in ten | | | | you ate, how you felt before you ate, and how you |
| children a decade ago. The bad news is obesity has | | | | felt after you ate. A daily journal will help you identify |
| been linked to such diseases and illnesses as diabetes, | | | | behaviours you want to avoid (i.e. overeating |
| hypertension, heart problems, and blood clots. Studies | | | | because you're upset) and will ensure you remain |
| have even found that obesity can lead to a | | | | focused on your goals. |
| shortened life span. | | | | 7. Diet Correctly. The word diet strikes fear in the |
| The good news is you can fight obesity and learn to | | | | heart of many of us, but diet doesn't have to be a |
| control your weight if you're willing to commit | | | | bad word. Learning how to eat healthy is a diet habit |
| yourself to it. Following are several ways you can | | | | that we can do for the rest of our lives. |
| effectively control your weight: | | | | Most people think of diet as being something that |
| 1. Set goals: What do you want to accomplish? Do | | | | you do until your lose a certain amount of weight, |
| you want to add physical activity to your schedule? | | | | and then you go back to regular eating. This is the |
| Do you want to cut out the fatty and sugary foods? | | | | precise reason why most diets fail; they are |
| Set your goals for losing weight before you do | | | | impossible to sustain in the long run. |
| anything else. | | | | Learning how to diet right will help you get to a |
| 2. Exercise regularly. The fact is only 40 percent of | | | | healthy weight and stay there. Staying away from |
| men in the United Kingdom and 28 percent of | | | | fad diets is vital to losing weight successfully. Low |
| women exercise a minimum of a half an hour each | | | | carbohydrate diets are a good example of this. |
| week. Exercise is essential to weight loss and to | | | | Millions of people swear by the latest low carb craze, |
| maintaining your ideal weight. Exercising can be as | | | | but how many of us know a friend or co-worker |
| simple as walking instead of taking the bus. Talk with | | | | who had lost a shocking amount of weight in a short |
| your physician to devise an exercise regiment that is | | | | period of time, only to gain it back in an even shorter |
| best for your needs. | | | | period? Carbohydrates are an important part of a |
| A word of caution: Before you adjust your diet or | | | | complete and healthy diet, so they certainly can't be |
| begin a regular exercise regiment, be sure that you | | | | omitted forever. While your body may lose weight |
| consult your physician first to determine how many | | | | while on the diet, you're bound to gain it back when |
| calories a day you should intake and to ensure that | | | | you start eating carbs again. |
| you are healthy enough to begin exercising. | | | | Everyone knows that too much fat is a bad thing. |
| 3. Drink plenty of water. Cut out the sugary drinks | | | | While certain fats are very good for us, many people |
| and those drinks that contain caffeine - both also | | | | on low carb diets are getting too much of the bad |
| contain plenty of fat. The general rule of thumb is to | | | | fats, i.e. animal fats. It is a shame that people are so |
| drink eight glasses of water a day. | | | | concerned with losing weight that they lose sight of |
| 4. Create a meal plan. Some medical experts advise, | | | | the fact that their wonder diet may actually be doing |
| rather than eating three meals a day, eating small | | | | their body harm. |
| meals throughout the day. Talk with your doctor to | | | | Losing weight can be a struggle, but you don't have |
| determine what is best for your individual needs. | | | | to go through it alone. Follow the preceding tips, and |
| 5. Surround yourself by those who support you. | | | | you'll be well on your way to a new, healthier you. |
| Combating obesity and losing weight isn't easy, and | | | | Remember, in the end, losing weight is all about you |
| it's essential that you have a strong support system. | | | | becoming healthier: It's not about becoming thinner. |