Worried about Body Weight? Change can begin with You.
Worried about Body Weight? Change can begin with You.
The fast-paced modern lifestyle, technological advances, and changing world culture have provided us with many comforts and opportunities for further development. But these are also having a significant impact on our mental and physical health. Modern lifestyle illnesses and adverse physical conditions have been pushing us back all the time. Today, obesity is one of the modern world’s largest health problems. Lack of exercise, long working hours, poor eating habits, and automation of manual jobs are driving the world toward the obesity crisis.
According to the latest World Health Organisation data, worldwide obesity has tripled since 1975. In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults over 18 were overweight, out of which 650 million were obese. These are staggering figures. An overweight world population is a sign that we should anticipate more people becoming afflicted with acute and chronic illnesses in the times to come. To ensure the obesity issue doesn’t become even more problematic in the future, we need to make sure people are aware of its dangers. Tackle it by improving work conditions and promoting a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly.
What about food?
Overeating, consuming junk food regularly, sugar-based foods and carbonated drinks, and a lack of physical activity are the main factors contributing to obesity. High sugar, salt, and fatty foods increase the risk of weight gain exponentially. Even small portions of such foods can supply many calories to the body, and lack of exercise does not further help in burning these calories. In addition, the abundant salt, sugar, and fat in processed foods generate a vicious cycle of cravings, bingeing, and guilt. And compared with their raw counterparts, processed foods contain less fiber, a substance crucial for weight loss.
So what to eat instead?
Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and pulses are ideal for weight management, helping to reduce weight while at the same time providing the body with energy and essential nutrients. These foods have lesser calories, do not contain artificial ingredients, and are fibre-rich, which helps your body cope up with any digestion problems.
How to control?
Obesity is not a permanent physical condition. Conscious efforts and changes in habits and lifestyles can help us get back in shape. Here are the following things that you can do to keep your weight in control and lose weight:
- Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and grain and pulses-rich meals.
- Cut down on fast food and calorie-rich foods.
- Start having more snack times with controlled portions of food rather than eating more during one or two mealtimes.
- Avoid carbonated and sugary drinks.
- Reduce alcohol consumption.
- Drink more water.
- Avoid long hours of work that involve sitting for long durations. Take many small breaks between work.
- Exercise daily. Take short brisk walks.
- Make proper time durations set for snacks or meals.
- Avoid late nights; sleep early. Get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep at night.
Though the modern lifestyle has provided us with amenities that have made our lives easier, it has also led many of us to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle. Spending extended amounts of time with little to no activity has contributed to our physical discomforts.
Remember, being overweight can be a reason for stress, but it is not the end of the world. Changing our eating habits and choosing an active lifestyle can help us in the journey to reducing weight. The primary source of support in this journey is our mind. With the help of family and friends, we can walk this path and become fit and healthy. Individual efforts can lead to change worldwide, help reverse the obesity epidemic and go a long way in improving the quality of life and psychological well-being of generations to come.
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