Almost 108 million Americans were overweight or obese in 1999. Until now, obesity continues to be a serious problem and is predicted to reach epidemic levels by the year 2020.

One way to prevent this scenario is to make people aware of the risks of being overweight or obese.

Here are some diseases that you are putting yourself in risk of if you are carrying a lot of extra pounds:

1. heart disease
2. stroke
3. diabetes
4. cancer
5. arthritis
6. hypertension

Losing weight helps to prevent and control these diseases.

The quick weight loss methods which have spread like fire these days do not provide lasting results. More often than not, dieting methods which involve dietary drinks, foods and supplement or pills do not work. If they do, the results are just temporary.

It is better to rely on a healthy weight loss option which will provide lifetime results. You have to set realistic goals and not expect to lose a lot of pounds in a short span of time.

Here are some tips on how you can lose those unwanted pounds the healthy way:

1. Do not starve your self.

The key to a healthier way of losing weight is: Do not diet.

You may seem happy and feel that you are losing those unwanted flabs on your belly and thighs by skipping meals. But remember that this would not last long. Your body cannot tolerate having insufficient food to fuel the energy that you use up everyday.

If you get used to skipping one or two meals a day, your stored calories will be used up instead of the energy that should have been provided by your meals. So if you just eat one huge sandwich in one day, it will end up straight to your problem area (i.e. highs, buttocks, hips).

2. Start your day right.

Mothers always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Have a healthy meal in the morning to jump-start your metabolism.

Your food intake after you wake up will be used to burn fat all day long.

3. Eat small, healthy meals frequently.

Five small-serving snacks per day is better than three hearty meals. Eating more frequently, and in small servings, can prevent over-eating. This will also increase your metabolism and make calories burn faster.

4. Decide on how much weight you want to lose.

Keep your goals realistic. In the long run, it is virtually impossible for you to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks. Have a mindset that you want to eat healthy to stay healthy for the rest of your life.

Once you have decided on a weight loss plan or program, stick to it and make sure that you follow your own set of dieting rules.

5. Drink lots of water.

Your body needs sufficient water to burn fat and keep your cells hydrated and healthy.

6. Avoid too much sugar.

Plan your meals around lots of fruits and vegetables, some bread, rice or pasta for that carbo fix that you need, plus lean meat and protein rich-foods. Sweets, sodas and pastries should be once-in-a-while indulgences only.

7. Watch your fat intake.

Fat is not the culprit to being overweight. You need this to keep your weight at the proper level.

There is such a thing as healthy fats. Olive, peanuts and canola oil have them. Tuna, salmon and mackerel have omega-3 fats which is good for the heart.

8. Exercise.

Leave your car if you are only going a few blocks from home, take the stairs instead of the elevator, jog, cycle or skate. Use these activites and other home chores if you are too lazy to go to the gym and take exercise classes. Make sure that you do this regularly and you will not even notice that you are already shedding pounds with these mundane activities.

It does not matter how much weight you plan or need to lose. What is important is that you set realistic goals for yourself.

Go slow. If you have already lost 5 or 6 pounds, give yourself a break then try to lose the next 5 pounds.

Eat healthy, drink lots of water, have enough sleep and exercise. This will give you a higher chance of losing weight and improving your health, which would result to a new, healthier you.

PPPPP

Word Count 735

The Most Important Tips For Rapid Weight Loss Youll Find

Our society is full of images of thin, sexy people its no wonder that everyone is always on the hunt for tips for rapid weight loss. People of average weight, even people who are thin by any standards often obsess about their weight, and try every get think quick offer that comes their way. Of course, its never that easy. Theres no one path to rapid weight loss everyone has to find his or her own road to Thinsville.

Thats not to say that there isnt some common wisdom that can help almost anyone lose weight! Were not talking about the best exercise equipment to cram into your garage, or the most effective diet pills on the market here. This is about using your most important muscle your brain to help you lose weight. The easiest way to lose weight is to understand how weight loss works. Here are a few pointers.

Set Realistic Goals! Any nutritionist, personal trainer, or doctor will tell you the same thing. The biggest mistake a lot of people make when setting out to lose weight is to set their expectations too high. New Years rolls around, and people rush to the gym saying Im going to lose 30 pounds by April! April 1st rolls around, and having lost just 5 pounds, people give up hope.

Dont set yourself up for disappoint by setting goals you simply cant attain. Start by committing to lose a small amount of weight, and work your way up. Similarly, while dedication is greatest asset, dont work yourself too hard or crash diet. This breeds an all-or-nothing mentality you break your diet for a day and then just say, What the heck! and gorge yourself on food. Believe it or not, maintaining a good diet and exercise routine only gets easier over time, so just stick with it.

Do Your Research! This is one of the most important tips for weight loss. There are what seems like billions of weight loss programs available these days. Some of them work, but most of them are shams. Make sure you know what youre getting into before you buy any product, including diet handbooks, exercise machines, or diet pills. While the biggest risk is that might not do anything, some of these products are even unsafe. Check reviews and testimonials to be sure that what youre trying is worth your time and money.

Theres something else that you should research if you want to lose weight and thats how your body works. The body is a very complex machine, and there are a lot of factors that can affect your ability to lose weight. Make sure you understand how to exercise the different between cardio and strength training, aerobic and anaerobic, and how much of each you should be doing. Also, learn about how foods and vitamins affect your body. With these tips for weight loss, youll be on the road to a thinner you in no time.