Why we are Overweight

by | May 7, 2017 | Uncategorized

WHY WE ARE OVERWEIGHT

(The problem & the solution)

THE PROBLEM

Obesity

It is common, serious and costly.  Statistics show that obesity is almost an epidemic.  In the United States more than two-thirds (68.8 percent) of adults are considered to be overweight or obese. More than one-third (35.7 percent) of adults are considered to be obese. More than 1 in 20 (6.3 percent) have extreme obesity. Almost 3 in 4 men (74 percent) are considered to be overweight or obese.

Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.  The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was between $150 and $200 billion in 2016.

Diabetes

Despite recent advances, diabetes continues to be a major health threat for at least 29 million Americans who have it and the 86 million Americans with prediabetes. The biggest concerns for individuals with the disease are its many complications and co-morbidities which can cause vision loss, heart disease, stroke, and other debilitating medical conditions. With the aging of the population and the rise in risk factors like obesity, these problems are going to skyrocket, making medical innovation more critical than ever.

The Temptations

Our bodies crave three essential elements; sugar, fat and salt.

In the USA, we have a serious obesity problem because too many of us overindulge in food that contains large amounts of these three components.  We also eat portions that are much too large and we also eat too quickly.

Here are some guidelines according to the AHA (American Heart Association):

Recommended Maximum Daily Dosage:

  • Salt (Sodium): 2,300mg (1,500mg if over age 50 years) – About a teaspoon
  • Sugar: About 100 calories – 38 grams (7.6 teaspoons) for men, 25 grams (5 teaspoons) for women
  • Fat: 70 grams – about 30% of your daily calories (600 of 2,000)

–       Trans fats: Less than 2 grams – preferably zero

–       Saturated fats: less than 7 grams

–       Unsaturated fats: 40-60 grams

–       Omega-3 or Omega-6: OK if less than 20% of total calorie intake

–       Try to eat healthy fats found in nuts, avocados and olive oil

Of the three, sugar is perhaps the biggest culprit so here are a few examples of the amount of sugar in the following popular beverages:

  • One bottle of 20 oz. Mountain Dew – 77 grams (15.4 teaspoons) = twice the AHA recommended Maximum Daily Amount (MDA)
  • One bottle of 20 oz. Coca Cola – 65 grams (13 teaspoons) = 2 x MDA
  • One 8.3 oz. of Red Bull – 27 grams (5.4 teaspoons) = 100% of MDA for women
  • 7-11 Super Big Gulp of Coca Cola – 128 grams (25.6 teaspoons) = 3-4 x DMA!!

 

THE SOLUTION – “GRAZING”

This is the only realistic and responsible way to lose and control your weight

There are more diet and weight loss schemes than one can count.  Most of them don’t work at all.  A few provide a temporary solution.  “Grazing”, if you follow the three “Golden Rules” truly works for the rest of your life!

The human body is a highly complex machine that is designed to do everything possible to survive.  Most of us really challenge it to the limit and, sometimes, the body just gives up, we get seriously ill and many of us die.  It is truly amazing how resilient the body is to be able to fight off the effect of cigarette smoking, airborne pollutants, alcohol and other drug abuse and, of course, overeating, especially too much sugar, salt or fat.

What is Grazing?

Let us first recognize that we are creatures of habit.  Unfortunately, far too many people learn bad habits early in life and they are not easy to break.  Because our health and quality of life are at stake, a healthy eating regimen is absolutely essential.  It is utterly irresponsible to allow ourselves to indiscriminately gorge ourselves on so-called food that is deliberately designed to encourage this behavior by the suppliers.

There are simply three dangerous cravings that the human body desires in the food department; sugar, salt and fat.  A controlled amount of each of these is not only acceptable but needed for the human body to function.  The problem is recognizing and managing this.  There are three “Golden Rules” in this Grazing Program:

  1. Eat small portions throughout the day (while awake, eat something at least every two or three hours or more frequently if possible)
  2. Learn to eat very slowly and with very small bites
  3. Eat healthy stuff (and this does not mean a crazy fruit and vegetable program)

It is really not complicated.  Here, explained succinctly, is why these rules are so important and, surprisingly, you will actually, maybe for the first time ever, thoroughly enjoy the process of eating while losing excess pounds and getting total control over a now healthy weight.

Rule #1 – Eat Often

One of the body’s automatic processes is to ensure that sufficient nutrients are being provided in order to give the body new energy to keep going.  When the body senses a significant deprivation, like not eating for anything for several hours, it automatically starts building fat reserves.  It takes time to digest food and convert it to energy but if too much time elapses between eating, the body builds fat!  Depriving oneself by not eating for long periods, ironically, instead of losing weight, actually adds to the problem.  The concept here is to eat small portions frequently throughout the day.  Once asleep, the body’s need for food shuts down and it automatically obtains whatever nutrition it needs from the bodies stored fat.

Rule #2 – Eat Slowly

By deliberately eating slowly, preferably with small bites, your body has time to let you know when it is satiated and, therefore, at this point, you stop eating.  There is no rule that says you must eat everything on your plate.  In addition, there are two bonuses to eating slowly:

  1. You get the opportunity to really savor, taste and enjoy all that you eat.
  2. Your body has the time to digest the food

Rule #3 – Eat Healthy Stuff                           

You do not need to go crazy here.  Occasionally, in moderation, you can pretty much eat anything that you want, unless you have an established and proven allergy or adverse reaction to specific foods or food groups.  Appropriate scientific testing, usually blood tests, can establish if you have Celiac Disease (allergy to gluten) or specific allergies to peanuts or shellfish.  Most of us do not.

In general, recognize that the body craves fat, salt and sugar (The Big Three).  It is no surprise, therefore, that the irresponsible food and beverage industry capitalize on this.  Most so-called “Fast Food” outlets sell “so-called food” that is very high in “The Big Three” and the major soft drink companies sell carbonated beverages loaded with sugar and caffeine.

Plan to minimize the deep-fried foods, overly salty stuff and those sweet, sugary confections and eliminate all the sugary sodas.

It’s a bit over played, but eating organically grown or raised is desirable and preferable but not mandatory.  In general, the fresher and more natural the food, the better it is for you.  However, don’t try to be a perfectionist, life is too short.  Eat as much as you can of fresh fruits, vegetables and salads.  Try to minimize processed foods.  Avoid MSG.  Read the labels and if there are too many strange additives and ingredients, try to pass on them.