Debbie If obesity is a war, the statistics don’t make for comfortable reading. Obesity rates are record high, with over 42% of Americans currently classed in the obesity category using BMI.
These numbers are frightening. Scientists have linked obesity to our most major killer diseases, including heart attacks, strokes, and numerous cancers.
So what can you do to protect your health and fight the risk of obesity? Here is our guide on how to prevent obesity and maintain a healthy weight.
Cut Out the Snacks
There was a time when dieticians encouraged us to eat multiple times a day, snacking every few hours to fight hunger.
However, nature didn’t design our bodies to graze constantly on food. If that were the case, we wouldn’t be able to sleep through the night without eating! Plus, regular snacking is an easy way to add extra calories.
Try cutting out snacks altogether as a way to manage your weight.
Avoid Liquid Calories
It’s not only snacks we need to worry about in the fight against obesity. Thanks to some innovative cafes and restaurants, many of us enjoy delicious and filling hot and cold drinks throughout the day.
But some of these drinks are full of sugar, high in calories, and don’t offer much nutrition. Cutting calorific beverages from your daily diet will help you maintain a slim figure and avoid gradual weight gain.
Try a New Exercise
The trick to getting exercise to work for you is to find something you enjoy.
Exercise is fundamental to preventing obesity and being excellent for our mental health, and it also keeps our hearts healthy. Here, you’ll find more info on how a healthy weight is vital for your heart.
If you are an extrovert, perhaps try a team sport that you can join each week. If you love nature, why not take time for an early morning walk several times a week?
Embrace Whole Foods
Highly processed food from packets or fast food restaurants will put you on the fast track to obesity. Do your best to cut down on heavily processed, high-carb foods and high sugar products. Keep these as an occasional treat.
Instead, invest in some kitchen equipment so that you can learn to cook whole foods from scratch. Buy a recipe book from your favorite celebrity chef and learn to cook using fresh, natural ingredients.
Ensure that a minimum of half your plate is made up of fresh vegetables to get plenty of nutrients in your daily diet and help prevent obesity.
Adopt Positive Eating Habits
Think about your eating habits and whether some of those routines could be detrimental to your long-term health.
For example, avoid eating food on the couch while watching TV. This mindless eating habit makes it difficult for our bodies to figure out when we are full.
Instead, make a rule that you will only eat at the dinner table with the rest of the family.
How to Prevent Obesity Answered
Even with obesity rates on the rise, there is much you can do now to maintain a healthy weight. Use our guide on how to prevent obesity as your starting point, and make it a priority to embrace healthy long-term habits.
For some guidance on what nutritious food to include in your diet, head to our healthy living section now.
