Living a Healthy Life!
Nettie Mae

People are obsessed with dieting and weight loss! Don’t believe me? Just tune-in to any source of advertising…you’re instantly bombarded with the latest diet schemes and “Hollywood” food fads.

Here in America, we have built a thriving industry trying to control our weight and treat the consequences of over-indulgence. The cost of weight loss and obesity related health care treatments is staggering…Americans alone spend around $114 billion every year! And even with all this interest in losing weight, we continue to pack on the pounds like never before…

– A whopping 64 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese…up about eight percent from earlier estimates.

– Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or almost nine million are overweight…triple the rate in 1980!

– Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese.

For Americans, modern life may be getting TOO easy. Our cushy lifestyle means we expend less energy and consequently need fewer calories to sustain our normal body weight.

Think about it for a moment…

Entertainment no longer requires energy expenditure. In fact, it’s usually quite the opposite. We now entertain ourselves in the comfort of our own home while watching TV and munching on our favorite snack. Whether it’s television, computers, remote controls, or automobiles, we are moving less and burning fewer calories. Common activities that were once a part of our normal routine have disappeared…activities like climbing stairs, pushing a lawn mower or walking to get somewhere.

And please do not misunderstand me…I appreciate comfortable living just as much as the next person. But, here is the problem…

With all of our modern day conveniences and “cushy” style of living we have not adjusted our caloric intake to compensate for our decreased caloric expenditure. We consume more calorie rich and nutrient deficient foods than ever before. Consider a few of the following examples comparing what we eat “today” vs the 1970’s (U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):

– We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption has jumped 45 percent since the 1970’s, from 138 pounds of grains per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat flour is consumed as whole wheat.

– Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but only because French fries and potato chips are included as vegetables. Potato products account for almost a third of our “produce” choices.

– We’re drinking less milk, but we’ve more than doubled our cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source of saturated fat in our diets.

– We’ve cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so that overall, we’re eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did back in the 1970’s.

– We’re drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than milk, compared to the 1970’s, when milk consumption was twice that of pop.

– We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has increased 32 percent.

– Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. People are consuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they need each day, about 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is found mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies. In 1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11 percent of the average person’s calories. Now, this number has ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as much as 20 percent for American teenagers!

Unfortunately, it would seem that the days of wholesome and nutritious family dinners are being replaced by fast food and eating on-the-run. We have gradually come to accept that it’s “OK” to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and that larger serving portions equate to better value.

It’s time recognize that we are consuming too many calories and time to start doing something about it! Each of us can decide TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits WILL become a normal part of our life!

We can begin by exploring our values, thoughts and habits… slowly and deliberately weed-out the unhealthy habits and activities and start living a more productive and rewarding life. And remember, it has taken a long time to develop bad habits, so be patient as you work toward your goal!
About the Author

Sick and tired of being Sick and Tired, Nettie Mae quit her 3rd shift factory job. To see what keeps her going, visit http://www.frutavida4u.com/nettiemae/.

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With so many people in our country struggling with weight loss and other related health issues, it is no wonder that
Weightloss reality shows are so popular. There are at least 6 different shows on various networks that explore the ins and outs of trying to lose weight.

Some of them are game show formats where the contestants compete to see who can lose the most weight, others are more intimate and chronicle the everyday experiences of just one person as they try to lose weight.

Whether you love these types of shows or you hate them, one thing appears clear, it is unlikely that they will be going anywhere anytime soon. They are just too popular and they seem to strike a chord with many viewers.

Even though the main focus was, and still is, entertainment, many people are actually finding that these shows are providing them with some much needed motivation.

It can make achieving permanent lifestyle changes easier in your life when you see some other normal day to day person doing exactly what you want to be doing. It can really help you believe that you can get where you want to be too.

I think that is one of the biggest draws for these types of shows. They can give us hope and allow us to see someone actually succeeding at the very thing we want to accomplish.

There are even “real world” offshoots of many of these shows. The t.v. show “The Biggest Loser” has actually inspired gyms that allow anyone to join and benefit from the same diet and exercise plans they see on the show.

Since many people can be intimidated by going to gyms, having a gym that screams “every man” might make it easier for people to find the motivation and go workout on a regular basis.

With a lot of gym franchises the commercials always show only the perfect hard bodies that go to that gym. Of course they do this to illustrate what you can accomplish for yourself if you too join their gym.

But sometimes I think it has the opposite affect. I think people who are overweight will look at that and think that everyone at the gym is a perfect specimen and they will be too intimidated to join.

When you have a gym franchise based on a popular t.v. show about average overweight people getting in shape, I believe that sends a very different message and I think a lot of overweight people would be more likely to join and workout and not let the intimidation factor get to them so much.

If you are struggling to lose weight and get into shape, you may find that watching one or more of these t.v. shows will actually help inspire you and keep you motivated.

Making permanent lifestyle changes can be a little intimidating so it’s a good idea to find anything that will help you stay the course. If watching Weightloss reality shows helps, than by all means, go for it. Make it as easy as possible on yourself to accomplish your weight loss goals!

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Many people are finding themselves in a ‘catch 22’ situation these days: they desperately need to have gastric bypass surgery, but they can’t get it since they either don’t have insurance, or the insurance that they have doesn’t cover the cost. There are real benefits to the surgery and for those people who are suffering from severe obesity related health issues, the need is even more urgent. This article will show you what the cost of gastric bypass surgery is which may make it easier for you to decide on the best course of action for you and your health.

Unfortunately, insurance companies seem to be run primarily by short sighted bean counters, people who only look at the bottom line and won’t consider any procedure that will cost money. When it comes to gastric bypass surgery, this short sighted approach is actually costing the insurance companies more money. Why? Because they will be paying to treat diabetes, heart disease, stroke and many other obesity related illnesses for many years. By approving just one gastric bypass procedure they could be dramatically reducing the number of claims they get for the other obesity related illnesses.

One word of caution: don’t automatically assume that your insurance company won’t cover the surgery particularly if you are morbidly obese and have been for many years. Many companies will also do a complete physical, and emotional, workup before making a decision on whether or not to allow the procedure. More and more insurance companies are coming to understand the benefits of allowing this type of surgery, make sure you check with your company.

The cost of the surgery can range from between $15,000 and $25,000. Some clinics who perform the procedure will allow the patient to set up a payment plan, again, it’s important that you don’t assume anything and instead ask the question.

Some people are also having success by going to other countries, such as Mexico, to have the procedure done. In some cases well qualified doctors can perform the surgery much cheaper in other countries due to the fact that they don’t have to pay the ridiculously high mal practice insurance premiums that they need in the U.S. to protect themselves against frivolous lawsuits.

If you opt to have your surgery done somewhere else it’s very important that you carefully research to find a highly qualified doctor and clinic to perform the procedure. While it’s possible to save some money, you want to make sure you aren’t sacrificing quality or safety.

The bottom line is this: the cost of gastric bypass surgery can be high, but if you are morbidly obese and are suffering from a multitude of other health issues, you should try to do everything possible to get your weight to a more normal level. Make sure you ask questions and don’t just assume that you can’t afford the procedure, you may be surprised at some of the help that is available. Your employer may even be able to provide some help with this issue. Just don’t give up, keep working on ways to improve your health.

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Controlling your weight and avoiding weight gain as you get older are important ways to prevent a host of weight-related health problems.

Indeed, if you are more than 20 pounds over your ideal weight, you are at greater risk for a rogues gallery of potentially deadly conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, endometrial cancer, obstructive sleep apnea, and breast cancer.

Whats more, most people who are overweight tend to avoid exercise, and that avoidance just adds to the toll paid for extra pounds.

If you have a sedentary lifestyle and are overweight, you are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems. And, if you already have a medical condition such as high cholesterol, being overweight puts you at higher risk for complications.

The good news is that even modest amounts of weight loss can improve your health significantly. Loss of 10% of body weight can reduce blood pressure, high cholesterol, triglyceride, and high blood sugar levels.

Today, there are many procedures that can contribute and help people loss weight effectively. One of the known procedure in losing weight is through hypnosis.

However, many misconceptions have come up with regards to the application of hypnosis in losing eight. And because it does not involve drugs or any kinds of medications and surgery, many people tend to think that losing weight through hypnosis seems to be one of the safest weight loss program.

To know more about hypnosis and its effects on losing weight, here is a list of some facts that will give you an insight about what it can do to your body weight.

1. Hypnosis can be an imminently risky if not done properly and not utilize by people who are highly trained with the real concept of hypnosis.

Even if many people tend to think that hypnosis will not pose imminent danger to their health, still, it is important to know that the person who will do the procedure is skilled enough and that he or she knows what factors to consider before doing the procedures.

2. Hypnosis alone cannot eliminate excess fat from the body and, therefore, make somebody lose weight.

Most health experts contend that hypnosis should only be a part of a whole assimilated process. It should never be used as the sole weight loss procedure.

Moreover, one session of hypnosis will only have very minimal results on an individuals weight. When losing weight, hypnosis matched with psychotherapy will be more effective than hypnosis alone. This is because hypnosis is only a state of deeply relaxing the mind, in which one can still be in control of his or her own body.

3. Hypnosis is one way of getting into the subliminal state of a person. When a person is on the hypnotic stage, the body is more responsive to suggestibility because of its intensified state of concentration.

However, this does not necessarily mean that through hypnosis, one can already reprogram the mind of an individual.

In reality, hypnosis can only run the range from trouble-free relaxation condition to proper initiation managed by a professional hypnotists. Hence, it should not be considered paranormal and magical in its upshots.

Boiled down, people should be more aware that hypnosis is not a sole effective process in losing weight. It is more of a facilitator of various treatment techniques.

Therefore, it should be combined with other weight loss management program to be effective in making people lose excess weight. In this manner, people will be able to lose more weight with a more relaxed and refreshed state of mind.

As they say, a healthy mind is a healthy body.

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