Tens of millions of people in the U.S. are dieting at any one time. They and many others are gallantly struggling to manage their weight to improve their appearance, feel better, and be healthier. Many Weight Loss Programs and Services exist to help individuals achieve weight control. But studies reveal that the majority of these programs for Weight Loss are sadly unsuccessful…. The grim picture is that of those who even lose 10% of their body weight, gain two-thirds of it back within 1 year and most surely gain it back within 5 years.
Weight Loss, Weight Management, Weight Control, Weight Reduction,.. Wait a minute!!!
How about the Science of Bariatrics?!!!
Regardless of the “name,” the truth is, the United States is experiencing an epidemic of obesity among adults and children as follows:
- 35% of Women are overweight, all races
- 31% of Men are overweight, all races
- 50% of Black Females are overweight
While the U.S. Government has its “so-called” stated health goals for the year 2000, calling for a laughable, unrealistic goal of only 20% of adults to be obese…. The actual truth is that this often disabling disease of Obesity is increasing (not decreasing).
Serious Health Problems Caused By Obesity
You might ask – really now – Is it really so risky to be obese?… Well, scientific evidence is overwhelming that Obesity is closely and directly linked to numerous deadly and chronic diseases that can lead to premature illness and death. The fact is that the high prevalence of obesity in the U.S. is responsible for 70 billion dollars in Health Care Costs and another 33 Billion dollars on Weight Loss products…. So, we can agree… Yes, Obesity is certainly making somebody a lot of $!
So, exactly what illnesses are directly linked to Obesity?: High Blood Pressure, Heart Attack, Strokes, Gangrene, Cancer, Diabetes, Sleeping Disorders, Osteoarthritis, Gallbladder Disease, Depression, Anxiety, Eating Disorders, Gastrointestinal Problems, Breathing Disorders…to name a few.
However, on a positive note, studies clearly reveal that even small weight losses, of as little as 10 to 15% of initial body weight can dramatically reduce Obesity-related illnesses and premature deaths.
Consider that if you are 20% or more above your ideal weight, you are:
- 3 times more likely to contract Diabetes
- 5 times more likely to contract High Blood Pressure
- 2 times more likely to contract High Cholesterol
- 2 times more likely to Die!!!!
This list goes on and on expounding that your chances of contracting almost every major illness dramatically increases the more overweight you are, including Cancers! At this point in our discussion, let’s simply take a pause…. because we have left out a big, big, big culprit in the so-called war on Obesity in which Americans are spending 103 Billion dollars a year on… and the big culprit is… media and “Big Business”… What we are talking about is the enormous proliferation of fast food, junk food, and food processing.
Poor Diet and Nutrition: A Major Factor Causing Obesity
Here come some of the compelling statistics:
- Every Second Americans purchase 200-300 FAST FOODBURGERS
- 8 out of 10 of the Top Selling Grocery Store Items are basically unhealthy including:
- Coke Classic
- Pepsi
- Coffee
- Cheese
- Diet Coke
- Junk Food
- Cigarettes
- Beer
- Finally, the Average American “Annual” Intake of low nutrient, unhealthy foods consists of:
- 756 doughnuts
- 60 pounds cakes and cookies
- 23 gallons ice cream
- 7 pounds potato chips
- 22 pounds candy
- 200 sticks gum
- 365 servings soda pop
- 90 pounds fat
- 134 pounds refined sugar
Our “Typical American Diet” of high fat, high sugar, high chemicals, high processing with preservatives, pesticides, emulsifiers, dyes, steroids, hormones, antibiotics, nitrites, bleaching, irradiation, and refining is truly making us sick, overweight, and malnourished. Although we consume more volume. Moreover, much of today’s food supply is empty calories because Agri-Business (which is eliminating the “true Farmer”) grows our food in de-vitaminized, de-mineralized, polluted, and overused soil. The fact is studies reveal that Americans consume 70% less RDA-level nutrients (A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, calcium, iron, and magnesium) than is recommended to prevent widespread degenerative disease… that is why there is so much widespread degenerative disease (e.g. cancer, high blood pressure).
Exercise: A Key Component To Weight Loss
Another challenge to effective Weight Loss is that our lives have become so sedentary and sensory-oriented in the form of TV, car, radio, movies where we sit at home, sit at work, sit to be entertained, etc. So much that we get very little chance for good exercise. Many people suffering with Obesity simply do not realize the magnificent benefits of regular exercise to health, well-being, and especially, weight. We must exercise to lose weight as our ancestors did who had very little weight problems….
Why is exercise so important to weight control? Because exercise:
- Burns calories
- Burns fat as fuel
- Increases your muscle mass
- Decreases your appetite
- Helps reduce stress and depression, both common causes of overeating.
Emotions: A Key Component to Weight Loss
One final key factor in effective weight loss is emotional triggers and stress management. Many obese patients typically use food to help them feel better when things go wrong or when they are feeling down. In other words, weight control becomes extremely difficult if not impossible when you become stressed. Then the key here is to find other ways to relieve stress and do these other ways regularly before you get stressed out.
Summary:
Understanding the Challenge of Obesity is the Key to its Solution
To summarize a bit…. I trust we understand the serious challenge of Obesity in America. The fact that almost 35% of Americans are obese and amazingly over 50% of Black women are classified as Obese. We should be clear to know the prevalent serious widespread health risks of being Obese include: High Blood Pressure, Heart & Artery Disease, Diabetes, Osteoarthritis, Cancer, Sleep Disorders, Breathing Disorders, Gastrointestinal Problems, Depression, Anxiety, Low Self-Esteem, etc. The U.S. spends $70 billion annually on these Obesity-related illnesses just enumerated. And while the U.S. Government frivolously states its so-called goals of decreasing Obesity to 20% of Adults (instead of the current 35%)…. The actual truth is that Obesity is increasing at an Alarming Rate in Adults as well as children. And, the Statistics clearly reveal that most people are unsuccessful in their Weight Loss quest and gain any weight loss back very quickly.
Therefore, obesity is an illness that requires continued public education, understanding, support, and compassion.
Let’s finally be clear that the major contributors of the proliferation of Obesity in America is fast food, junk food, and tremendous media advertisements to support the same, food processing, poor nutrition, lack of good exercise, emotional triggers, and stress management.
So, we must understand that Obesity is a pervasive public health problem and can be difficult to treat. It is multi-factorial and really involves appetite regulation, energy metabolism, genetics, psycho-social, environmental, economic, as well as cultural factors…I cannot overemphasize the need for compassion and understanding and support for those suffering with obesity…. Unfortunately, the lay public, healthcare providers, as well as insurance companies often view Obesity as simply a problem of willful misconduct — eating too much and exercising too little. The truth is that Obesity is a remarkable disease in terms of the effort required by an individual to manage it and the extent of discrimination its victims suffer….
A “Model” Comprehensive Weight Loss Program (Effective “Permanent” Holistic and Safe)
We recommend that a weight-loss program evolve into a weight-management program and be judged more by its effect on the overall health of participants than by its effects on weight alone. In other words, the Weight Management Program must be holistic and comprehensive to be permanently effective.
A complete health screening with a medical doctor may be well advised to assess your overall state of health which at a minimum should include: History and Physical, Body-Fat Composition Analysis, EKG, Exercise Stress Test, and indicated Blood Work.
Then, a basic dietary regime should include: high fiber, low fat, low salt, low sugar; and be full of fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbs, high quality protein, along with drinking lots of pure water.
Also, Obesity clients must be given educational, training, and inspirational reading materials on all weight loss components including: food combining techniques, emotional/mental factors, stress reduction, basic hygiene, and life-style changes to be fully informed and maximally motivated. Daily reading is a must!
It is highly advisable to have a Comprehensive Nutritional and Life-Style Assessment done by a trained, professional Nutritional Counselor experienced in Weight Management to review your diet, life-style, food diary…. then to recommend specific herbal/nutritional supplements and dietary regime to include: bowel cleansers, bulk laxatives, power foods, metabolic stimulators, fat grabbers, and plenty of water.
It may be important to have a weekly (or bi-weekly) personal meeting with a Weight Management Counselor, to check for compliance with the program, food diary, exercise, energy level, effectiveness. Your counselor will adjust, compliment, praise, give advice and encouragement. This is especially important for difficult cases.
Also, a “Buddy-Buddy System” increases your success in Weight Loss, where you have a partner/friend who is part of the same Weight Management Program in which you are involved.
Group weekly support meetings increase your success rate.
Medical follow-up visits. See your supervising M.D. at least once every 4 weeks and more often if you have any “serious” health problems.
Stress management is a must!
Consider: yoga, deep breathing techniques, tai-chi, massage, rewards to yourself other than food, hypnotherapy, forests, waterfalls, oceans.
Daily exercise is a must!
- Be sure your doctor approves an exercise program for you and spells out any physical limitations to keep in mind.
- Then see a certified Exercise Physiologist to set you up on a Comprehensive, Progressive Exercise Program that would include: stretching, warm-ups, warm-downs, weight-lifting to build muscle mass, and especially aerobic conditioning (at least 4 to 5 times per week).
Finally, we must specifically address emotional triggers to analyze our stress eating patterns, addictions, commitments, discomforts, inner control, perfectionistic expectations, and perceived benefits all in connection with weight loss.
