The Many Virtues of Infinite Measurability
By Rick Osbourne

One of the major stumbling blocks in defeating childhood obesity is the lack of measurability, a way to conveniently evaluate progress, which results in a lack of motivation, and an epidemic that continues to grow like a forest fire raging out of control.

As a matter of fact the National Institute of Medicine recently (9/14/06) issued a disturbing report indicating that after spending over $68,000,000 over five years on just one program (there were many others), because of poor evaluation methods, we still have no idea what works and what doesn’t work. We wasted $68,000,000…surprise, surprise.

If You Can’t Measure It, How Do You Know
But if you lack the ability to measure accurately how will you ever know if you’re winning, losing, or just spinning your wheels? The State of Arkansas for example, is considered to be one of the nation’s leaders in the battle against childhood obesity. Bill Clinton has even gotten into the fray. They decided to measure every child’s body mass index (the most commonly used indicator) and put it on their report card once every quarter…in other words, every nine weeks.

How Do You Motivate Kids
But even if this measurement is accurate and meaningful for kids, which is highly questionable in itself, getting feedback once every nine weeks packs almost no motivational punch at all. By the same token it’s economically impractical to measure on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis. Once a quarter is about the best they can do.

Other more sophisticated measurement possibilities such as testing percentage of body fat via electronic impedance (computer) or underwater weighing are dramatically more expensive and much less likely to be used by anyone except a professor or grad student in a physiology lab. Furthermore, such models focus on the negative…how fat are you instead of how strong are you? Alack of regular feedback, in combination with their negative connotations DOOM the most conventional strategies to failure. And after years of work, and multi millions spent, we still don’t know what works and what doesn’t work.

Kindergartner Can Measure This
In contrast, the documented measurability factor in a program called Operation Pull Your Own Weight is extremely regular, and highly practical. You need no special instruments, no magic formulas, and almost no specialized training to tell if students are improving or not. If you can count from one to twelve, as most kindergartners can, you qualify. As a matter of fact, elementary school age kids not only can, but they have measured themselves and others without problem. Not only that, but the strength gain focus of this program has very positive, not negative connotations.

The Feedback is Constant
More specifically, OPYOW is based on the old coach's observation that kids who can do pull ups can't be obese. And kids who are obese can't do pull ups. The ability to do pull ups and obesity are mutually exclusive and where you find one, you'll not find the other.

Now, using a height adjustable pull up bar and leg assisted pull ups, (the child’s encouraged to jump and pull at the same time) most kids can learn to do pull ups. The idea is to count and record (document change) the number of repetitions a participant can perform at a particular bar height. The program is initiated by finding a bar height at which a participant can do eight leg assisted pull ups which constitutes workout # one. In workout # 2 they do nine, in workout # 3 they do ten, in workout # 4 they do eleven, and in workout # 5 they do twelve leg assisted pull ups. Then in workout # 6 the bar is raised one inch and the whole eight to twelve scenario begins all over again.

The Motivation is High
In other words each participant is taught how to improve regularly, in very small increments every week, every month, over a prescribed period of time. The progress is highly visible, highly motivating, INFINITELY MEASURABLE, and the positive feedback occurs every single time the participant works out.

Under these conditions, along with public success and celebration (high fives), motivation remains high throughout the program, evaluation becomes extremely easy and affordable, and the focus on strength gain instead of fat loss is positive not negative. In other words, Operation Pull Your Own Weight is extremely affordable, extremely motivating, and INFINITELY MEASURABLE, DOCUMENTABLE, AND EVALUATEABLE.

And In The End, You’ll Know
At the end of a week, a month, a quarter, a year, you’ll know, unequivocally, if you’re winning the war, losing the war, or just treading water. You’ll never be in a position where you’ve just spent $68,000,000 and are still groping in the dark for answers. Not only that, but you’ll defeat childhood obesity naturally, without resorting to pills, shots, and special diets to get the job done. What more can you ask?

Rick Osbourne is a Chicago based writer who currently serves as Executive Director of Operation Pull Your Own Weight, an informational web site that's dedicated to naturally immunizing kids against obesity for a lifetime without pills, shots, or special diets.

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Of Pull Ups, Childhood Obesity Prevention, and the Future of Democracy in the USA
By Rick Osbourne

Recently I saw a documentary movie in which an extraordinary old British gent contended that democracy is still the most revolutionary concept that the human race has ever encountered. He proceeded to observe that despotic governments manipulate and control their people by keeping them fearful, demoralized, and in debt.

Than he added, “Demoralized people don’t vote, they don’t take responsibility for themselves, and they don’t maintain their right to a political democracy,” he said. “You see it takes strong, healthy, resilient, self reliant, and self confident people to form and to maintain a democracy. Strong people are much harder to control than demoralized people.” I found myself wanting to stand up in the audience in order to shout YES!!!!

OPYOW and Rugged Individualism

In that light I’d like to make the following comments about Operation Pull Your Own Weight, a program primarily focused on childhood obesity prevention, and on developing strong, resilient, self reliant kids who refuse to drink from the mass produced, conventional fountains of indoctrination. Above all else, these kids think for themselves.

There are those who have embraced OPYOW because of its ruggedly individualistic connotations, and I don’t deny that rugged individualism is part of its appeal. We actively applaud strength, resilience, self-reliance, and personal responsibility taking behaviors. They are key components of being human in the fullest sense.

Social Darwinism VS Enlightened Self Interest

On the other hand, OPYOW is actively opposed to Social Darwinism, a theory that endorses a self centered, me first, to hell with you, survival of the fittest orientation to human existence. That may be part of American folklore, but in real life, self centered individualism all by itself is psychologically alienating and socially counterproductive.

Instead OPYOW favors enlightened self interest, a concept that takes the position “what’s good for my family is good for me. And what’s good for my neighborhood is good for my family. And what’s good for my city, county, state, nation, world, is good for my neighborhood, my family, and me.” In the words of some wise old man somewhere, “We’re all in this together.” Failing to understand and to act according to the principal of enlightened self interest undermines democracy.

OPYOW Salutes…

So does OPYOW salute rugged individuals who can fend for themselves, their family, their friends, and maybe even their city, state, nation, world? Absolutely! Does OPYOW salute rugged individuals who refuse the lure of conventional kool-aid and think for themselves? Without a doubt! And does OPYOW salute rugged individuals who use their strength to help strengthen others and help them to become confident, self reliant, yet also humble, mutually respectful, and therefore fully human? Yeseree Bob.

Egalitarianism, mutual respect, quiet self confidence, and enlightened self interest are at the heart of democracy and Operation Pull Your Own Weight. Hats off to both.

Rick Osbourne is a Chicago based writer who currently serves as Executive Director of Operation Pull Your Own Weight, an informational web site that's dedicated to naturally immunizing kids against obesity for a lifetime without pills, shots, or special diets.

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Symptoms of Child Obesity
By Milos Pesic

Obesity is considered the most common dietary crisis faced by a lot of Americans today. Both infants and children are not exempted from this grave health threat. This condition often happen when they are taking more calories than their small bodies can use. Like adults, this puts them in a very high risk of other health complications. Prevention and early detection is highly advised, since parents are mainly responsible for their child’s health. So what are the symptoms of child obesity?

Although most people consider a fat child cute, parents should pay more close attention to their child’s weight. There are some signs that can help you detect if your child is in danger of obesity. It can usually be determined by measuring the height and weight. A child is considered obese of his/her weight is significantly over the ideal weight for his/her age and height. The most common symptoms of child obesity include disproportionate appearance of facial features, adiposity in the breast area among boys, unusually large abdomen and exceptionally small external genitals for males. Puberty may also occur earlier in obese children.

For most obese people, the cause of their disorder can be traced back to their childhood. Obesity is expected to persist through life. That is why early detection and therapy of obesity in children is the best preventive solution in blocking its progression into adulthood. Close attention to the symptoms of child obesity would really help in the intervention and treatment of the child.

It is therefore a huge responsibility for parents to constantly monitor symptoms of child obesity, especially if their child is visibly overweight. Parents should never neglect to scrutinize the eating habits of their children. Early cure could prevent the child from developing other medical complications such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

It is also important to include every member in the family to participate in treating an obese child. The support and reassurances of loved ones would make it easier for the child to deal with his/her weight problems. If you have a close relative suffering from obesity, ignoring the problem or unrepentantly teasing them will not solve the problem in any way. Early intervention is needed, not only solely directed to the child but to the parents as well. Since more than anybody else, parents should be aware of the food intake and eating attitude of the child. A long-term program is highly advised to rehabilitate both the parents and the child. This is not just the burden if the child to carry, but a family problem that needs attention and quick action.

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Weight Loss and Obesity and runs a highly popular and comprehensive Obesity web site.

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Is Your Child Showing Symptoms of Obesity?
By Milos Pesic

Obesity is a health condition wherein body fat is increased and unused, reaching a dangerous point in a person’s health. This happens when the energy from food intake is greater than its use. This causes the body to store energy as fat.

There are a number of factors that cause obesity. Some of which include a genetic predisposition, an underlying illness, eating disorders, medications, poor mental health, lack of sleep, etc. Obesity causes quite a lot of damage considering the number of related diseases that are brought on by this health condition. To make matters worse, obesity incidences has increased that it is now considered a global threat. The rates of child obesity incidences have, in fact, tripled in the United States since 1997. As a response, we’ve tried to combat obesity with diets, exercise, behavior modification, surgery and more recently, drug therapy.

However, nothing beats prevention by a long shot. Its like building a good defense system. The goal is to prevent obesity, specifically child obesity from reaching into adulthood. If you’re your child is showing symptoms of child obesity have your child diagnosed as early as possible. Early detection of the symptoms of child obesity will yield better results because the longer bad habits are allowed, the harder it is to remove them.

Understand that the symptoms of child obesity may include asthma, type 2 diabetes, heart problems, increased blood pressure, increased cholesterol level, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems and psychological problems. Factors that contribute to the symptoms of child obesity are excessive television watching, minimum to no exercise and excessive eating especially of high-calorie and high-fat foods. Obesity cannot be diagnosed through one test. If your child is up for diagnosis, the child’s Body Mass Index shall me measured, as well as his waist circumference, forms or fat and other assessments. A child can be considered ‘medically obese’ when the child’s weight have posed health risks such as those stated before. You can determine the degree to which the child’s obesity has reached by calculating the child’s Body Mass Index (BMI). Just multiply the child’s weight in kilograms by the square of his height in meters as shown: BMI=kg/m2. The resulting number should be compared to the appropriate age percentile.

Remember that an overweight child can be at risk of becoming obese. If the symptoms of child obesity are quite obvious, take action and muster both yours and your child’s courage to fight the condition before it worsens. Life is much too important.

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Weight Loss and Obesity and runs a highly popular and comprehensive Obesity web site.

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Treating Obesity with Light Therapy

By Milos Pesic

Since the time when obesity was revealed to have such major health problems, many strategies have merged to counter the problem. The core treatment to counter obesity is an increase in exercise and a low-energy diet. There is approximately an average of 8% weight loss. However, the response to dieting and exercise vary. A simple diet change may be effective to one person but a drug therapy may be more effective to another. To determine a suitable therapy for obesity, you must begin with the simplest and move on to more intense treatments if necessary. The following is a short account of treating obesity with light therapy.

The first step to obesity therapy is counseling to determine a diet and exercise regimen and setting a realistic weight loss goal.

Treating obesity with light therapy is a simple intervention to lose weight. It is a treatment of restricted diet or regular exercise or better yet a combination of both.

The diet must consist of calories fewer than your normal intake. Take in well-balanced meals in appropriate servings, not large ones. Eat foods with a high fiber content such as raw vegetables and fresh fruits. Whole grains are good but be careful in choosing them. Rice is not advisable due to its high-calorie and low-fiber content. Lessen the intake of meat and avoid fatty meat. Do not choose fried dishes. Choose foods that are baked, broiled or steamed. Fast food is not advisable. Avoid soft drinks and high fat desserts such as regular ice cream, chips and the like. Be careful in choosing low-fat products, they may just cause you gain weight. Organic and fresh is better. Keep in mine that you require a light, lean and low-fat meal.

Exercise is important. Treating obesity with light therapy is better accomplished with regular exercise. Exercise will burn the excess fat and help maintain a healthy weight. It also contribute to good mental health. Begin with changing travel modes. If your destination is near enough, brisk walk or ride a bike instead of driving. Take the stairs instead of using escalators and elevators. Exercise for at least 20 minutes at 4 to 5 times a week. Taking up a sport would do you good. The important thing is to exercise no matter how small you start with. Its already a good start by treating obesity with light therapy.

Patience and faith is important to battling obesity. If treating obesity with light therapy does not result to a healthy weight and good overall health at the beginning, be patient and have faith. Giving up will not bring you anywhere. You must believe in yourself that you can achieve your goal .

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Weight Loss and Obesity.

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Television Causing Child Obesity
By Milos Pesic

So much has changed since the boost of technology. Some years ago, kids played out in the sun all day, running or climbing a huge tree. Today, kids are play in virtual grounds through technology. The television is one of the most famous past-times of the youth. Since its invention our eyes have become glued to it most of the time. This is the lifestyle we have created and introduced the youth to whether directly or not, allowing it to over power us. We have also allowed health problems to continue, to worsen as the boob-tube lifestyle prevails. The question at hand is why the television is causing child obesity.

Obesity is a form of malnutrition wherein energy intake from food is stored as fat because its unused. Since a 1997 study, the incidence of child obesity has tripled, exceeding rates of the incidence adult obesity. It seems as if we’ve bred obesity from the home and we observed that indeed the television is causing child obesity. To become overweight or more importantly, obese is due (but not solely) to minimal physical activity which causes the body to store excess energy as fat. Television brought out the couch potato and this is the lifestyle many children and adolescents know of. Many children sit for hours watching so that’s why that television is causing child obesity. By becoming an audience to a television show, a person’s attention is directed to it so much that nothing else is done besides sitting, staring and maybe the occasional snack. Sometimes, we reach a point of excessive eating. Excessive eating combined with inactivity is very unhealthy. Energy converted from food should be consumed. It must be used up through physical exertion. An overweight child who devotes most of his free time to the television is victim to obesity as oftentimes the television is causing child obesity.

Although there are other factors that contribute to child obesity, the television is one of the factors that originate from home. It can be controlled and prevented. If a child is indeed, obese or on the verge of obesity, encourage the child to do more physical activities such as walking and playing. Let him stay away from the tube as too much television is causing child obesity. A sport (that requires high physical activity) may do better. Lessen the child’s time in front of the television. Explaining to the child and the family why the television is causing child obesity may help. It is also important to consider and address obesity as a health problem and not a problem of appearance. Encourage the family to be more involved and active with the child. We can prevent and stop obesity.

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Weight Loss and Obesity and runs a highly popular and comprehensive Obesity web site. For more articles and resources on Obesity and Weight Loss related topics, symptoms and treatments visit his site at:

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Gastric Bypass - The Advantages of Laparoscopic Surgery
By Donald Saunders

Gastric bypass is the most frequently undertaken operation for weight loss in the United States with about 140,000 surgeries being carried out every year. With a history dating back over 50 years, hundreds of surgeons have grown up with gastric bypass surgery and have developed a very good understanding of its benefits and risks.

Gastric bypass surgery is the final option when other types of dieting and weight loss have been unsuccessful and where you are considerably overweight. This normally means that you have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40, or greater than 35 with an accompanying condition which increases the risk of disability or premature death. Such conditions would include heart disease, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension and liver disease amongst others. In its simplest form, this equates to being some 100 pounds more than your ideal weight.

The principle behind the gastric bypass procedure is quite simply to lower the size of the stomach and to bypass the larger part of the stomach, as well as part of the intestine, constraining your ability to eat excessively and also reducing the body's absorption of the food that you do eat.

Despite the fact that open gastric bypass procedures are still commonly undertaken a growing number of surgeons are moving to the laparoscopic approach and, though this takes considerable training and expertise on the part of the surgeon, there are a variety of advantages to this approach. Here are just some:

1. Because patients are up and about very quickly following surgery there is a lower risk of pneumonia, blood clots, bed sores and other complications generally associated with immobility.

2. This type of surgery allows for greater precision because the procedure is done under magnification and surgeons can observe details not visible during traditional open surgery.

3. As the laprascopic procedure is quicker than open surgery the patient spends less time in the operating theatre and needs less anesthesia, bringing about fewer anesthesia-related complications.

4. This type of surgery permits you to go back to work in a relatively short timescale, normally as little as one week although it is recommended that patients do not go back to work for around two weeks to be on the safe side.

5. Patients experience very much less post-operative pain and what little pain there is requires only mild painkillers like codeine and paracetamol.

6. As commonly only 5 short incisions are made during this form of procedure the time that it takes to heal following surgery is considerably reduced, as is the possibility of infection and of the complications of a subsequent hernia.

Gastric bypass produces a significant improvement in the quality of life for patients and also has the further benefit of improving, or in many cases of curing, headache, venous status disease, arthritis, heartburn, diabetes and other disorders.

The fact that the procedure itself can now be done so much more easily and leave patients quite pain free and have them on their feet rapidly means that a growing number of people are likely to opt for gastric bypass surgery and enjoy a happier and healthier lifestyle.

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When Does Being Overweight Turn Into Obesity?
By Donald Saunders Platinum Quality Author

Everybody is familiar with the term overweight and most of us will have experienced being overweight. Indeed, many of us will be more or less permanently overweight and simply live with it. But what is the difference between being overweight and being clinically obese?

Well the simple answer would be to say that being obese is nothing more than being very overweight. In other words, it's simply a matter of degree. Unfortunately, this answer misses the central issue of obesity.

Putting on a few pounds won't do you any real harm and, apart from the fact that your pants may feel a little tight and you may be less than happy with the way you look, there are even some people who believe that carrying a little extra weight might actually be good for you. Indeed, there are some studies that show that death rates are slightly lower amongst individuals who are slightly overweight, although there is considerable debate about whether or not this is actually related to weight or results from other factors which are more often seen in people who are overweight.

Once your weight passes a certain level though, so that you are now carrying sufficient extra weight to be classed as being obese, the scales tip and you begin to run the risk of developing a series of health problems as a result of your excess weight. Indeed, if your weight continues to climb, these health problems can literally become life-threatening and your obesity will then be classed as morbid obesity.

This is all very well, but how do you know whether you're simply overweight or obese?

The main measure of obesity was developed by a Belgian statistician and anthropometrist named Adolphe Quetelet nearly one hundred and fifty years ago and is referred to as the measurement of body mass index, or BMI. In simple terms your BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in metres. So, if you are 1.7 metres tall and weigh 70 kilograms your BMI would be 24.2 [70 ÷ (1.7x1.7)].

A BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered to be normal. Between 25.0 and 29.9 you would be classed as being overweight. Once you reach a BMI of 30 you are considered to be obese and, if your BMI reaches or exceeds 40 you are morbidly obese.

BMI is designed as a general guide but there are circumstances in which it is possible to have a BMI of less than 30 and still be clinically obese and indeed to have a BMI of more than 30 and not to be classed as being obese. A lean but muscular individual could, for example, have a BMI of over 30 but, in this case, the excess weight would be provided by muscle rather than by fat.

As a result, where your weigh becomes a concern and obesity a possible issue, further more accurate tests should be carried out by your doctor to determine whether or not your are clinically obese.

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An Obese Person Simply Eats Too Much
By Donald Saunders

If you belong to the school of thought that believes that there is no excuse for obesity and that an obese person is simply someone who eats too much and doesn't take enough exercise, then think again. While it is true that overeating combined with a sedentary lifestyle can cause obesity, it is certainly not the only cause.

Although not well understood at this time, there is believed to a genetic factor which can pre-dispose certain individuals to obesity. For example, some forms of the genes which control such things as appetite and metabolism are thought to contribute to obesity when combined with certain environmental conditions.

In addition, there are a number of genetic disorders which can result in obesity. Prader-Willi syndrome for example, named after Andrea Prader and Heinrich Willi and first described in 1956, is a genetic condition in which, amongst other things, sufferers have an insatiable appetite and accumulate excessive fat, especially within the central portion of the body.

Underlying illness can also result in weight gain and obesity. Perhaps the best know, but not the only, illness that frequently leads to obesity is hypothyroidism, in which the thyroid gland produces too little thyroid hormone. Although the condition itself produces only mild weight gain, combined with suitable environmental conditions, this can easily develop in a very substantial increase in weight.

Medication can also cause weight gain. The list of medications which can produce weight gain is very long but one class of drugs that is causing particular concern and has attracted the attention of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the new, or second generation, class of atypical antipsychotics which can have a marked effect on the metabolism.

There are also a number of specific eating disorders which will cause obesity, such as binge eating disorder. Binge eating disorder is a psychiatric disorder (and an element of bulimia nervosa) in which, as its name suggests, sufferers are unable to control their eating and frequently intersperse binge eating into a normal eating pattern.

Certain diets can also result in obesity without the individual realizing that it is the diet that is causing the problem. In other words this is not a case of simply eating too much, but of eating the wrong type of food. In some individuals for example certain foods will result in an unusually high level of blood sugar for a short time immediately after they have eaten.

Dieting itself can also lead to obesity. The fact of the matter is that most diets fail and we are seeing an increasing number of people who spend a substantial proportion of their lives moving from one diet to the next in an attempt to lose weight. What happens here is that they usually lose weight while they are on a diet but then regain it, plus a bit extra, each time they come off a diet. As they move on and off a variety of diets their weight cycles up and down, but the underlying trend is for their weight to increase over time, eventually resulting in obesity.

These are just some of causes of obesity, other than simple overeating and a lack of exercise, and many of these causes are outside of the control of the individuals concerned or their ability to control the situation is very limited.

So, the next time you see an obese person you might be right in saying that they have caused their own problem, but you might equally be wrong in jumping to this conclusion.

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Should Obesity Be Included As a Risk Factor For Asthma?
By Donald Saunders

It is well known that obesity places you at risk of developing problems from such things as diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease, stroke and arthritis, but it is now being suggested that asthma should also be added to this list.

As the problem of obesity has grown alarmingly in recent years, with about 65 percent of the US population now being classed as either overweight or obese, so too has the problem of asthma. Asthma, which results in recurrent wheezing, coughing and hypersensitivity to allergies, affects about 20 million Americans, including a staggering 9 million children.

So could the growing problem of asthma be linked to the rise in obesity?

In a recent study, which looked at the records of more than 330,000 patients in the US, Canada and Europe, it was found that as an individual's body mass index (BMI) passed 25 (the threshold for being overweight) so his or her chances of developing asthma increased by 50 percent. The study also found that as weight continued to increase so too did the risk of developing asthma.

The study also showed that this risk seemed to be equally distributed between both men and women and that there was no foundation for the previously held belief that there might be a connection between obesity and asthma in women but not in men.

Now if you are overweight and are experiencing breathing problems you should not immediately leap to the conclusion that you have asthma. Breathing problems can arise with increasing weight as your lung volume is effectively reduced, your chest wall is restricted or indeed for a variety of other reasons. However, if you are experiencing problems you should of course have these checked out by your doctor and should not be surprised if this does indeed turn out to be asthma.

Asthma is a chronic and incurable, but normally controllable, condition which produces an inflammation and narrowing of the airways leading to and from the lungs. What is not clear at this stage however is whether being overweight can actually cause asthma. Further research will be required but the best guess at the moment is that a substantial proportion of the population is in fact suffering from mild and undiagnosed asthma and that an increase in weight aggravates the condition and turns a mild case of asthma into severe asthma.

One the other side of coin the good news is that losing weigh could potentially reduce the problem significantly.

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Could Pure Fruit Juice Help To Lower Obesity In Children?
By Donald Saunders

There has been a general belief for a long time that giving young children pure fruit juice might make them overweight and thus could be contributing to some degree to the current dramatic rise in childhood obesity.

This debate has been going on for some time largely because of the inconsistency in the data from various studies, and it was not until very recently that the results of a study involving 3,618 children from 2 and 11 years of age revealed the truth about drinking pure fruit juice.

There was a wide variation in the consumption of pure fruit juice amongst the children in the study from children who consumed almost none at all to those who consumed an average of about 12 ounces or more daily. The average consumption amongst the children was just over 4 ounces a day, which is consistent with the daily amount recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The results of the study showed that there was no evidence that children who drank pure fruit juice were overweight as a result, or that drinking fruit juice put them at risk of becoming overweight. Indeed, the opposite was shown to be true with children in the 2 to 3 age group for example, who consumed the most fruit juice, being nearly three times less likely to be overweight than children in the same age group who did not drink pure fruit juice.

More interestingly though, the study also revealed that children who consumed pure fruit juice ate less total fat, saturated fats and added fats as well as less sugar and sodium. These children also ate more whole fruit and had higher intakes of a range of key minerals and vitamins including iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C.

So, contrary to popular belief, rather than putting children at risk from gaining weight, pure fruit juice would appear to help in maintaining children's weight at the correct level and also provides them the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals for strong and healthy growth.

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Obesity Can Raise Your Risk Of High Blood Pressure By As Much As 85 Percent
By Donald Saunders

It has been well known for a long time that excess weight can lead to high blood pressure, and that losing weight can lower your blood pressure, but until now it has been difficult to quantify the degree of risk.

However, for more than twenty years now (since 1986) researchers have been monitoring the health a group of more than 22,000 doctors and, in one aspect of their research, have examined the relationship between weight and blood pressure in a sub-group of 13,563 male doctors whose blood pressure was normal at the start of the study.

Each year throughout the study period a wide variety of lifestyle data was collected and health measurements taken, including each participant's body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure, and these measurements have now been analyzed to produce a twenty year picture.

The BMI for men of a normal weight is 18.5 to 24.9 and the study used men with a BMI of 22.4 (the mean for normal weight men within this group) as their base for calculations. They then looked at the data collected to predict the likelihood of these men developing high blood pressure over the twenty years of the study.

Surprisingly, there was a marked increase even in those men who were only slightly above the mean figure of 22.4, but still within the normal weight range, with men between 22.4 and 23.6 being 20 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure. This risk then continued to rise as weight increased and it was found that obese men were 85 percent more likely than the lower end normal weight men to develop high blood pressure.

Most importantly, this figure of 85 percent was calculated on the basic not simply of BMI and blood pressure data, but also took into account such things as age, other health conditions (such as diabetes) and a wide range of lifestyle factors including smoking and exercise.

People suffering from obesity are well used to being told that this, that or the other is bad for them and carries risks but, more often than not, they tend to dismiss these on the grounds that the risk is probably not that high and that their chances of being affected are relatively low. In the case of high blood pressure though it would seem that the risk is high and the chances of being affected are far from low.

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A Drink Or Two And Obesity Surgery May Prove A Dangerous Mixture
By Donald Saunders

Following years of debate we are finally coming around to the inescapable conclusion that surgery is the only really effective and lasting solution to the problem of severe obesity. And it is certainly not before time!

Today obesity is probably the number one health problem in the Western world and in the US alone almost 60 percent of the population is overweight, with close to 24 percent being obese and 3 percent severely obese. Now 3 percent may not appear to be big figure but when you realize that it adds up to more than 9 million extremely obese individuals this is a fairly major problem.

In spite of the fact that more and more attention is being turned towards the problem of obesity and its cure, it is surprising how much we still have to learn about the condition, including the affect that alcohol can have on people who have undergone obesity surgery.

For a considerable time now there has been a reasonable amount of anecdotal evidence that people who have undergone weight loss surgery are affected more by alcohol but it was not until the end of last year that any real attempt was made to assess the extent or otherwise of the problem.

In a fairly small-scale study the affects of alcohol on 19 people who had undergone weight loss surgery was compared to the affects on 17 control subjects. The individuals taking part in the study each drank a small 5 ounce glass of red wine and their breath alcohol was then measured at 5 minute intervals until it had fallen back to zero.

The study found that alcohol levels reached a higher level in the weight loss patients and also that they took far longer to return to zero. Perhaps most interestingly, the study also demonstrated that just }a single|one} small glass of wine was sufficient to put the breath alcohol level in some weight loss surgery patients above the legal limit for driving in several US states.

The reason for the increased affects of alcohol on weight loss surgery patients is quite simple to understand because surgery reduces the volume of the stomach and bypasses part of the intestine, both areas of the body that are responsible for breaking down alcohol before it finds its way into the bloodstream.

So exactly what does this mean for weight loss surgery patients?

Well, aside from the obvious need to be careful and certainly to refrain from driving after drinking even very small amounts of alcohol, the implications for weight loss surgery patients do in fact go a bit deeper.

One particular problem is that alcohol is a relaxant and this causes problems when it comes to post-operative weight loss and to maintaining weight loss. As alcohol relaxes the stomach, including the lower esophageal sphincter, and the intestine, patients who enjoy alcohol can eat more and the presence of alcohol effectively counters the affects of surgery. As if this were not bad enough a significant number of people are more socially active following surgery and this generally means an increasing consumption of alcohol.

There will still need to be a great deal more research carried out of course but, in the end, the fact is that people who have undergone obesity surgery need to be aware of the risks of alcohol and act accordingly.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Saunders

Weight Loss & Obesity Affects Life Expectancy
By Kim Beardsmore

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")178cm and weighing (288 pounds) 130kg was estimated to lose 13 years of his life as a result of obesity.

It is now well research 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 through healthful eating and adopting a more health-giving lifestyle. 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. Also learn how to snack with healthful choices.

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 serves from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, we are extending our consumption of cancer (and other disease) fighting nutrients.

4. Eat lean protein with every meal.
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. Choices of protein should be flavored soy shakes with fruit; the white meat of chicken and turkey, seafood such as shrimps, prawns scallops and lobster and ocean fish or vegetarians may prefer soy based meat substitutes.

5. Rev up your metabolism with activity.
If you want to enjoy a lifetime of well being, exercise is a key ingredient. Thirty minutes 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 healthful 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 to late to start and you can never be too young or too old to be concerned about your health and do something about achieving a more healthy weight.

(c) Copyright by Kim Beardsmore

Kim Beardsmore is a weight loss consultant whose business operates across 60 countries.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Beardsmore

Obesity And Fast Foods - The Lethal Link
By Alan Cooper

Obesity and fast foods - there's little doubt about the link. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United states. And it's an epidemic that has grown side by side, step by step with the the fast food industry.

Eric Schlosser in his brilliant and shocking book, Fast Food Nation, describes the US as "an empire of fat," and he lays the blame for this clearly and convincingly at the door of the fast food industry.

Obesity Fast Food Data

Twice as many American adults are obese today as in the 1960s. More than half of all adults and a quarter of all children are now obese. Over this same period, fast food has become cheaper and easier to buy. Further evidence for the link between obesity and fast food can be found outside the US. Since the early 1980s, American-style fast food culture has spread like wildfire around the world... And obesity has followed, accompanied by its many unwelcome side effects: heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and other ills.

As people in countries like Japan and China have abandoned traditional healthy diets in favour of fast food, the rates of obesity and associated diseases have soared.

In countries which have resisted the spread of fast food culture, like France, Italy and Spain, obesity is far less of a problem. The good news is that there is now more awareness about the ill effects of fast food than ever before, thanks in part to books like Fast Food Nation and documentary movies like Morgan Spurlock's popular and punchy Super Size Me.

There also seems to be a genuine change in people's attituded to to food and how it is produced. As Schlosser says modestly of his book: "its success should not be attributed to my literary style, my storytelling ability, or the novelty of my arguments.

"Had the same book been published a decade ago, with the same words in the same order, it probably wouldn't have attracted much attention. Not just in the United States, but throughout western Europe,people are beginning to question the massive, homogenizing systems that produce, distribute, and market their food. The unexpected popularity of Fast Food Nation, I believe, has a simple yet profound explanation. The times are changing."

What can we do about fast food and obesity?

So what can we do to as consumers to tackle the problem of obesity and fast foods?

First, we can stop supporting the traditional, unhealthy fast food chains. Let's rather buy from outlets that sell healthy alternatives. More and more of these restaurants and delis are opening. There should be at least one near you. Support it!

Another thing we can do is to lobby our congressperson (or MP or some other political representative if we're in a country outside the US) to ban all advertisements that promote foods high in fat and sugar to children.

As Schlosser points out, prevention is far better than cure. "A ban on advertising unhealthy foods to children would discourage eating habits that are not only hard to break, but potentially life-threatening."

Such a ban may sound far-fetched, until you remember that 35 years ago a ban on cigarette advertising sounded equally unlikely. Five years later Congress banned cigarette ads from television and radio. And those ads were directed at adults, not children.

Smoking has declined ever since.

Alan Cooper is a journalist with 20 year's experience and the publisher.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Cooper

Abdominal Obesity: The Weight You Put on Depends on Your Body Type!
By Ashley Green

Many people gain weight around the belly. and for most of us it is quite embarrassing. This takes away the charm of wearing clothes. This Abdominal fat is very hard to get rid of.Different people have different fat storage areas. Most men store fat around the abdomen. This fat is stored in the fat cells. The number of fat cells remain fixed . However as we store more fat these cells grow more bigger. The fat cells are stored between the skin and the muscles and also in deeper tissues called the visceral fat which surrounds the vital body organs. The way in which the person puts on weight depends upon the body type of a particular person.

There are three different body types:

1. The ectomorphs - Those who are slim with slender muscles. They put on weight around their belly without corresponding increase in the arms or legs.

2. The mesomorphs - Those who put on weight around the belly plus arms and legs but usually not on the face.

3. The endomorphs - Those who put weight not only on the abdomen, but also around the hips and thighs. Women after their menopause also put on weight around the abdomen.

Must Read: 10 Tips to lose weight from hips and thighs at http://www.weightloss-health.com/slim_thighs_hips.htm

There is also a connection between mind and the body. This mind body connection also determines the way in which a person puts on weight. People who are chronically stressed produce large amounts of body steroid called cortisol. It affects the fat distribution by causing fat to be deposited in the abdominal and visceral areas.

Abdominal obesity also leads to various diseases. To name a few, there are cardiovascular disorders, high cholesterol, diabetes and polycystic ovary.

How to lose abdominal fat?

Most people have the misconception that one can lose spot fat by spot exercises! The truth is that the body has a complicated system of fat deposition and fat removal, so exercising a particular body area results in toning that area, which may initially look like some sort of inch loss due to tightening of muscle tissue! But to burn fat on the abdomen, one should follow a combination of a fat loss diet along with cardiovascular training and muscle conditioning and de-stressing exercises.

Must Read: Obesity being termed as No.1 killer in U.S. Know more about it at http://www.weightloss-health.com/Obesity.htm

Random Tip: Weight loss helps in erectile dysfunction and hence enhances your sex life as per a recent research. So you have one more reason to lose weight.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ashley_Green

Risks of Obesity Cited as #1 Health Issue in 2020
By Janet L. Bruno, MD

Obesity” states U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH). Today, ninety-six million Americans are considered obese. But, what can be done to reverse the trend?

Try a low glycemic diet that is rich in whole grains and low in refined sugars

· Exercise regularly and for sustained periods of time

· Get enough sleep (studies show that adult dieters who get less than eight hours of sleep per night lose less weight than those who get eight hours or more)

· Drink water - at least eight glasses per day

The trend is not absolute and can be altered dramatically. There are factors that contribute to obesity.

1. Genetics 2. Environment

3. Our Behaviors

What are some of the negative impacts of obesity?

• Diabetes. A large majority of diabetics have acquired the disease directly because of their obesity. They are now chained to a life of taking pills, or even worse, taking insulin shots. Diabetes leads to all sorts of other health complications, as well.
• Heart attack. People who are obese are at a significantly higher risk of having a heart attack. This fact is proven over and over again. Sudden cardiac arrest is a fairly common cause of death for someone who is obese.
• Cancer. Obesity also increases the chance of acquiring a number of cancers. Yes, it is true. Although this connection wasn't clear for years, it is crystal clear now.
• Joint problems. Obesity also leads to joint problems. Excess weight puts significant stress on each joint, even with the simplest of activities. Many obesity sufferers have knee problems for this very reason.
• Sleep apnea. Respiratory problems are quite common, as well. The most common is sleep apnea. People who are diagnosed with this have a very difficult time breathing while they sleep. This makes them more tired during the day.

A recent study published by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that the combined direct and indirect health care costs resulting from obese and overweight Americans is estimated to be $117 billion per year. Statistics also demonstrate that death rates increase at least 200% for people who are 50 pounds or more overweight.The National Institute of Health (NIH) has stated that an increase of 20% beyond ‘ideal body weight’ is the point at which excess weight becomes a health risk. There are many diseases which often follow obesity – such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, bone and joint problems, coronary artery disease, stroke, some cancers, and many others. Each of these independently can have serious consequences to one’s health. The medical risks of diabetes are indeed profound.

Dr. Janet L. Bruno MD is a recognized expert on obesity and weight loss surgery. Deciding to have weight loss surgery is a series of complex decisions --wouldn’t you want a coach and mentor to guide you all along the way? As a Board Certified Family Physician, her step-by-step instruction, motivation and guidance are unparalleled.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_L._Bruno,_MD

Weight Loss & Obesity Affects Life Expectancy
By Kim Beardsmore

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")178cm and weighing (288 pounds) 130kg was estimated to lose 13 years of his life as a result of obesity.

It is now well research 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 through healthful eating and adopting a more health-giving lifestyle. 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. Also learn how to snack with healthful choices.

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 serves from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, we are extending our consumption of cancer (and other disease) fighting nutrients.

4. Eat lean protein with every meal.
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. Choices of protein should be flavored soy shakes with fruit; the white meat of chicken and turkey, seafood such as shrimps, prawns scallops and lobster and ocean fish or vegetarians may prefer soy based meat substitutes.

5. Rev up your metabolism with activity.
If you want to enjoy a lifetime of well being, exercise is a key ingredient. Thirty minutes 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 healthful 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 to late to start and you can never be too young or too old to be concerned about your health and do something about achieving a more healthy weight.

Kim Beardsmore is a weight loss consultant whose business operates across 60 countries.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Beardsmore

The History of Obesity
By Milos Pesic

Obesity is simply fatness in a degree higher than being overweight. The energy intake coming from food is stored as fat because the body does not use it. Obesity has quite an impact in one’s physical health that many degenerative diseases are directly and indirectly linked to obesity as observed in the history of obesity. It may even have a much worse impact on a person’s mental health. Throughout the history of obesity, its reputation varies from appreciation and the opposite among cultures and in time.

Take a look in the history of obesity and we’ll learn that this is truly an age-old health condition. Ancient Egyptians are said to consider obesity as a disease, having been drawn in a wall of depicted illnesses. Perhaps the most famous and earliest evidence of obesity is the Venus figurines, statuettes of an obese female torso that probably had a major role in rituals. Ancient China have also been aware of obesity and the dangers that come with it. They have always been a believer of prevention as a key to longevity. The Aztecs believed that obesity was supernatural, an affliction of the gods. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was aware of sudden deaths being more common among obese men than lean ones as stated in his writings. In certain cultures and areas where food is scarce and poverty is prevalent obesity is viewed as a symbol of wealth and social status. To date, an African tribe purposely plumps up a bride to prepare her for child bearing. Before a wedding can be set, a slim bride is pampered to gain weight until she reaches the suitable weight.

Throughout the history of obesity, the public’s view and status of obesity changed considerably in the 1900’s. It was regarded as unfashionable by the French designer, Paul Poiret who designed skin-revealing clothes for women. About the same time, the incidence of obesity began to increase and become widespread. Later in the 1940’s, Metropolitan Life Insurance published a chart of ideal weights for various heights. They also advocated that weight gain parallel to age is not ok. The government and the medical society became more hands-on with obesity by initiating a campaign against it. This was preceded by a study of risk factors of cardiovascular diseases revealing obesity among the high ranks. Since then various diet and exercise programs have emerged. In 1996, the Body Mass Index (BMI) was published. This statistical calculation and index determined if a person is obese or not. At this time, obesity incidence have soared, led by children and adolescent obesity, tripling in just a few short years, greater than any number in the history of obesity.

Perhaps the most controversial is the independent film, Super Size Me. Released in 2004, Super Size Me was written, produced and directed by American independent filmmaker, Martin Spurlock in an exploration of the prevalence of obesity in the USA. He documented 30 days of his life in an experiment of eating only McDonald’s food with completely no exercise. He began the project as healthy and lean but ended up overweight. It was later followed by several other documentaries and a few changes in the McDonald’s menu. The history of obesity should be well studied so precautions can be practiced and thus prevent obesity from spreading.

Over the years and in the history of obesity, it seems to worsen despite growing awareness and combating techniques that it has been called an epidemic.

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Weight Loss and Obesity and runs a highly popular and comprehensive Obesity web site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Milos_Pesic

Obesity And Fast Foods - The Lethal Link
By Alan Cooper

Obesity and fast foods - there's little doubt about the link. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United states. And it's an epidemic that has grown side by side, step by step with the the fast food industry.

Eric Schlosser in his brilliant and shocking book, Fast Food Nation, describes the US as "an empire of fat," and he lays the blame for this clearly and convincingly at the door of the fast food industry.

Obesity Fast Food Data

Twice as many American adults are obese today as in the 1960s. More than half of all adults and a quarter of all children are now obese. Over this same period, fast food has become cheaper and easier to buy. Further evidence for the link between obesity and fast food can be found outside the US. Since the early 1980s, American-style fast food culture has spread like wildfire around the world... And obesity has followed, accompanied by its many unwelcome side effects: heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and other ills.

As people in countries like Japan and China have abandoned traditional healthy diets in favour of fast food, the rates of obesity and associated diseases have soared.

In countries which have resisted the spread of fast food culture, like France, Italy and Spain, obesity is far less of a problem. The good news is that there is now more awareness about the ill effects of fast food than ever before, thanks in part to books like Fast Food Nation and documentary movies like Morgan Spurlock's popular and punchy Super Size Me.

There also seems to be a genuine change in people's attituded to to food and how it is produced. As Schlosser says modestly of his book: "its success should not be attributed to my literary style, my storytelling ability, or the novelty of my arguments.

"Had the same book been published a decade ago, with the same words in the same order, it probably wouldn't have attracted much attention. Not just in the United States, but throughout western Europe,people are beginning to question the massive, homogenizing systems that produce, distribute, and market their food. The unexpected popularity of Fast Food Nation, I believe, has a simple yet profound explanation. The times are changing."

What can we do about fast food and obesity?

So what can we do to as consumers to tackle the problem of obesity and fast foods?

First, we can stop supporting the traditional, unhealthy fast food chains. Let's rather buy from outlets that sell healthy alternatives. More and more of these restaurants and delis are opening. There should be at least one near you. Support it!

Another thing we can do is to lobby our congressperson (or MP or some other political representative if we're in a country outside the US) to ban all advertisements that promote foods high in fat and sugar to children.

As Schlosser points out, prevention is far better than cure. "A ban on advertising unhealthy foods to children would discourage eating habits that are not only hard to break, but potentially life-threatening."

Such a ban may sound far-fetched, until you remember that 35 years ago a ban on cigarette advertising sounded equally unlikely. Five years later Congress banned cigarette ads from television and radio. And those ads were directed at adults, not children.

Smoking has declined ever since.

It's time we did something similar with obesity and fast food

Alan Cooper is a journalist with 20 year's experience and the publisher of http://www.ObesityCures.com, a site with the ambitious aim of being a "one-stop-shop" for impartial information on obesity and weight loss solutions - including fad diets, prescription weightloss pills and herbal diet aides.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_Cooper

World's Fattest Man Realizes the Consequences of Poor Eating Habit
By Monalisa Hyden

World's fattest man Manuel Uribe Garza, 40, weighs 1235 pounds. Due to his morbid obesity, he faces challenges like inability to move and walk. Manuel Uribe, was born in the state of Nuevo León, México and lives in San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León. He is considered the fattest man in the world because he weighs over 550 kilos (1210 lbs.) and remained confined to bed since the past 5 years! Manuel, with restricted movement, has to meet all his physiological necessities from bed. His mother takes care of his necessities and looks after his auto parts sales business through telephone and internet. Manuel has now realized that his poor eating habits caused him to suffer from morbid obesity. He says that he had very poor eating habits.

Eating habit is a prime concern of the nations where obesity is high in population. Life is fast and hectic today and there is no time to sit and plan your every step, even take the pain to prepare healthy food at home on regular basis. The best way to help our health under this circumstance is to make appropriate eating habit and avoid unhealthy food as well as lifestyle. This will make a great difference for you to keep a good figure as well as enjoy good energy level throughout the day. Here is some fitting healthy habit you should incorporate in your hectic daily life. They are easy and at the same time cost effective.

1. Drink water throughout the day, as many glasses you can. Water is a wonder substance which is great for your skin, digestive system, circulatory system and aids in weight loss and cellulite reduction.

2. You can replace high-sugar food with low-sugar or no-sugar versions. Refined sugar foods are bottomless pit of calorie, almost all soft drinks, baked goods, candy and ice creams etc.

3. Keep coffee and soda intake under control. Substitute these with fresh fruit juice and green tea.

4. Plan what you will eat beforehand and keep everything at home to prepare healthy meal. When you are grocery shopping, do not forget to pick up bags of baby carrots, nuts, fresh and dried fruit, string cheese, single serving packs of applesauce, wholegrain crackers, yogurt, peanut butter, turkey jerky, etc. This way you will be able to avoid unhealthy foods and fast food options outside your home.

5. Pack your lunch the night before so that you do not have to munch on vending machines and office cafeteria later on.

6. Whenever possible make an excuse to walk. And walk as much as you can.

7. Exercise at least thrice a week or if possible minimum 15 minutes a day. This will boost up your energy level and keep you fit.

8. Get enough sleep. It is important for your good health and peaceful mind to have at least 6 hours sound sleep every night.

The recommended tips are easy to follow but the outcome is a healthy and fit body with no extra pounds, which is obviously the key to a happy and energetic life yielding you success in every step.