Lose Weight or Lose Years, Your Choice by Boca Raton Weight Loss

• By Beth Meirav
• My Blog

We hear it all the time…lose weight for your health. Few people however, realize the extent to which this is critical to their physical well-being and ultimately their life expectancy.

In January 2003, the Journal of the American Medical Association featured a study finding that obesity appears to lessen life expectancy, especially among young adults. The study showed an obese 20-year-old white male, 5'10" and weighing 288 pounds was estimated to lose 13 years of his life as a result of obesity.

It is now well researched that a Western diet that leads to obesity may actually act to stimulate the growth of cancer cells. It is never too late to improve your health by adopting a healthy lifestyle and eating habits. Here are simple steps to follow which can make an immediate improvement to your health and vitality.

1. Check to see if you are overweight or obese.

To find out your BMI you need to divide your weight (measured in kilos) by your height (measured in metres) squared. If the result is greater than 25, your health may be improved by losing weight.

2. Match your diet to your body’s requirements.

If you eat and drink more calories than your body requires you will put on weight. Learn to control calories and portion sizes, make recipes leaner, and eat infrequently from fast food restaurants.

3. Colour your diet with a large variety of colorful, cancer-fighting fruit and vegetables.

There are seven different color ranges of both fruit and vegetables and by choosing between 5 to 9 daily servings from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, we are extending our consumption of cancer (and other disease) fighting nutrients.

4. When choosing protein, go lean.

Protein provides a powerful signal to the brain providing a longer sense of fullness. The right source of protein is essential to controlling your hunger with fewer calories and necessary to maintain your lean muscle mass. Seafood is always a great source of protein and digests quickly. Whole milk has good fats and also is fast digesting.

5. Rev up your metabolism with activity.

If you want to enjoy a lifetime of well-being, exercise is a key ingredient. Thirty minutes of activity each day that takes as much effort as a brisk walk is recommended for adults. Children should be active for an hour each day.

6. Get support to ensure you develop a healthy eating plan and reach your goal weight.

A study, “Effects of Internet Behavioral Counseling on Weight Loss in Adults at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes” shows that participants who had the support of weight loss coaching lost more weight than those who didn’t. The study concluded that the support of a weight loss coach can significantly improve weight loss results.

Being overweight or obese has been identified, next to smoking, as the most preventable major risk to developing cancer. Even small weight losses have been shown to have beneficial health effects. So it’s never too late to start and you can never be too young or too old to be concerned about your health.