Obesity is one of the greatest health risks facing people of developed countries. The damages to our bodies from extra weight affect our circulatory systems, our organs, our nervous systems, our heart health, our skeletal health, and just about every other system that makes our bodies human. Here are some of the best ways to lose weight.
Circulation
Did you know that for every ½ kilo you gain, you grow over 11 kilometers of blood vessels? But, you do not grow an extra heart to support circulation to those extra blood vessels. Your heart has to do all the work, and your lungs have to oxygenate the increased circulation. This is one of the reasons that obese people often have a higher blood pressure.
Joints
Your joints suffer the most, perhaps, from the abuse of obesity. This is because the entire weight of your body is focused on your knees and feet with each step. Not only that, you have to figure in velocity, as well. This compounds the problem. In fact the feet experience 4 times your weight as you do ordinary activities. That jumps to 6 times your weight if you are walking or running, and 20 times your body weight if you are jumping.
Your knees experience 4 times all of that, since they are a smaller surface. This means that knee joints, feet, ankles, and hips all experience many times the effect of our weight gain.
Lose Weight Now
One of the best ways to lose weight is to make sure your body is hydrated. That’s right, make sure you drink enough water. That seems to be a mantra for many weight loss programs, and if you ever hire a personal trainer, they will tell you the same thing, but there is a reason for that.
In developed countries, true hunger is actually a very rare sensation. In general, you are not actually hungry unless your stomach is growling. Many of our sensations of hunger are actually thirst. Our bodies a dehydrated, and this triggers our intake reflex, which we subconsciously interpret as hunger. Of course, when you drink more water, you go to the bathroom more, but it is one of the best first steps to getting control of your weight.
Be Gentle
Be gentle with yourself. If you are overweight, you can hurt your joints and strain your heart with sudden bouts of exercise. Start with a stretching regimen that will prepare your joints for action, and avoid impact exercises at first, such as jumping or jogging. Brief periods of exercise placed frequently throughout the day will help you to stay with your regimen without becoming overwhelmed and sorry you ever started exercising.
Eat Your Vegetables
Yuck, but yes, eat some vegetables – and fruit, too. Every day. Sweet, crunchy baby carrots, celery in season (yes, there is a season for celery – out of season it is bitter), one piece of citrus a day, or an apple a day, each of these will help to promote good digestion, along with the water you drink. You’ll start feeling better, and start to lose weight!