According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 34 percent of American adults were obese in 2008 compared to 15 percent in the late 1970s. The health risks associated with obesity include heart disease, stroke, diabetes and most types of cancer. Although turning the tide will be challenging, there are simple -- but not easy -- steps you can take toward a healthier weight.
Get Active
Step 1
Choose an activity that is convenient and easy, like walking around the block or turning on the radio and dancing around your house.
Step 2
Start small and build up your exercise tolerance over time. At first, five minutes may be a challenge, but if you add about 10 percent to your exercise each week, you can gradually increase your endurance while minimizing your risk of injury.
Step 3
Look around for more activities that interest you as you build your exercise routine. Variety will keep you interested and make your fitness program more well-rounded. Think about adding swimming, dance classes, water aerobics or hiking to your repertoire.
Eat Healthy Food
Step 1
Eat a minimum of 2-½ cups of vegetables each day.
Step 2
Consume a minimum of 2 cups of fruit each day.
Step 3
Eat at least half of all of your grain foods from whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat pasta and 100 percent whole grain bread.
Reduce Unhealthy Foods
Step 1
Reduce or eliminate your intake of "empty," processed calories like potato chips, doughnuts, cookies and soda.
Step 2
Cut the amount of added fat you eat and limit your total intake of fat to no more than 30 percent of your daily caloric intake.
Step 3
Reduce or eliminate your intake of alcohol. Not only does alcohol contain empty calories, it diminishes your body's ability to metabolize fat and promotes the storage of fat during the 24 hours following intake.
Step 4
Make as many of your meals as possible instead of grabbing fast food or eating in restaurants. At home you control the portion sizes as well as the ingredients, so it's much easier to make healthy foods that are long on nutrition and short on fat and calories than it is to find them in restaurants. Start with a quick breakfast of oatmeal or egg whites and whole grain toast. For lunch, pack a whole wheat pita with cucumbers, tomatoes, sprouts and hummus or tuna. For dinner make a big salad with greens, beans, vegetables and a light vinaigrette or steam a couple different vegetables and serve them next to a grilled filet of fish garnished with fresh herbs and lemon slices.
Tips and Warnings
- Change takes time, be patient with yourself as you adopt a new lifestyle.
References
- USDA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 2010; December 2010
- "Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy: 12th Edition"; L. Kathleen Mahan and Sylvia Escott-Stump; 2008
- "The New England Journal of Medicine"; The Effect of Ethanol on Fat Storage in Healthy Subjects; Paolo M. Suter, M.D., M.S., et al.; April 1992
- "Nutrition and Diagnosis-Related Care: Sixth Edition"; Sylvia Escott-Stump; 2008
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