Excess weight is the accumulation of fat in the body that can affect the state of your health.
CAUSES OF WEIGHT GAIN;
A lot of people are of the perception that a lack of will power is what causes weight gain. Although weight gain, in a large percentage, is a result of eating habits and lifestyle, some people are at a disadvantage of finding it hard to control eating habits.
Overeating is related to different biological factors like hormones and genetics. Overcoming disadvantages caused by genetics involves a lot of dedication and perseverance to change your lifestyle and behavior.
Some factors that cause weight gain, many of which exclude lack of will power are;
- Junk foods
Food manufacturers design their products to be cheap and tasty as possible to increase sales in the market. By adopting this strategy, they encourage overeating.
The genetic component of obesity is strong. Most children of obese parents are most likely to turn out bigger compared to children of lean parents. That does not mean that obesity is certain, what you eat majorly determines what genes are expressed and what genes are not.
Most unhealthy but incredibly sweet-tasting foods trigger a certain brain response making it harder to resist. The addiction to junk food makes people lose control over their eating habits and it is compared to normally abused drugs like alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, etc.
Addiction is a very complex condition that is very hard to overcome. When you are addicted to something, you lose your freedom of choice and respond to the brain’s trigger reactions.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates the storage of energy in the body. Unhealthy diets promote insulin resistance in many overweight individuals. This elevates the insulin levels in all body parts causing energy to be stored in fat cells instead of being put to use. The best way to lower your insulin levels is to reduce your intake of processed carbohydrates and increase fiber consumption.
- Pharmaceutical drugs
Many medications cause weight gain over time. Examples are antidepressants and diabetes medications. These drugs alter the functions of your body, increasing your appetite, and reducing your metabolic rate.
- Food availability
These days unhealthy foods are available in a larger percentage of the market and are cheaper compared to healthy food. It does not give much of a choice to avoid unhealthy eating in some areas if these foods are not even available.
EFFECTS OF EXCESS WEIGHT;
Excess weight almost has no positive effects. The effects involve
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Joint issues
- Low HDL cholesterol
- Breathing problems
- Lack of energy
- High LDL cholesterol
- Irregular blood circulation.
TIPS ON SOLVING PROBLEMS OF EXCESS WEIGHT;
- Breakfast is the most important meal. Begin every day with breakfast, it helps to get rid of impulse appetites and activates metabolism, which will aid the fat burning process.
- Reduce the quantity of food consumed by having a glass of water before each meal.
- You do not necessarily need to cut out meals of the day, it is more effective as a lifestyle to eat your normal 3-5 meals a day but each in little portions, so you are not starving. Note; the main food intake is necessary for breakfast and lunch. Dinner should be light. After meals, it is important to brush your teeth because the taste of food left in your mouth can reawaken your appetite.
- Remove all temptations in places you spend most of your time.
- Change your snacking options from junk foods to low-calorie snacks like fruits, nuts, cereal, or vegetable salads. Be careful not to have too much of fruits with sugar content.
- The main constituent of your foods should be vegetables and high fiber fruit as they provide a feeling of satiety. It will help to cope with your desire to eat.
- Chew your food slowly and thoroughly. The time required for your body to receive the signal of satiety is an averagely 20 minutes from the stomach to the brain.
- Walking or low-intensity workouts are advised before meals. If it is done after meals, you can work up an appetite.
- Coffee or alcohol should not be abused because it increases your appetite.
- Healthy sleeping habits promote the production of hormones that aid proper digestion, absorption of healthy nutrients, and speed up metabolism.
Most problems are not related to willpower but taking the first step to being determined about solving your weight problems has an effect. Start today to control your eating habit and stay healthy.