Obesity. Epidemic. Diet Plans.
It’s no secret that obesity has become a full-blown epidemic in the United States. According to CDC statistics, 34.9% of adult Americans are obese. This adds up to 78.6 million people. When you add in childhood obesity, more than half of Americans are obese.
Obesity can lead to many devastating ailments such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, as well as certain types of cancers. Being obese can also lead to isolation and depression. Those who suffer from obesity may find the simple tasks that others perform on a daily basis to be challenging, if not impossible.
The weight loss industry in America pulled in over $60 billion in 2014. We are inundated by weight loss ads everywhere we look, from diet plans, supplements, gyms/work-outs, and even surgery. However, there are simple and inexpensive ways to at least prevent obesity, if not reverse it.
The good news is that just moving your body more than you currently do can stop you from becoming obese and help you to lose weight, as well. That’s right, you don’t necessarily need to join a gym, just look for opportunities throughout your day to move more. It’s that simple!
Burn Calories.
Recently, the Mayo Clinic listed 10 ways to burn more calories at work.
• Make the most of your commute: If you take the train or bus to work, get off a stop earlier and walk.
• Look for opportunities to stand: You burn more calories standing than sitting. Stand while on the phone or try a standing desk.
• Take fitness breaks: Take a brisk walk or stretch during work breaks instead of hanging out in the office lounge and snaking.
• Trade your office chair for a fitness ball: Sitting on an inflatable fitness ball improves balance and core fitness.
• Keep fitness equipment in your work area: Keep resistance bands or small hand weights in your desk drawer or cabinet and use them during break time.
• Get social: Organize a lunchtime walking group and hold each other accountable for participation.
• Conduct meetings on the go: When practical and weather permitting, schedule walking meetings or brainstorming sessions.
• Pick up the pace: If your job already involves walking, just walk faster.
• If you travel for work, plan ahead: Choose a hotel with fitness facilities, pack a resistance band or jump rope in your suitcase, take a brisk walk through the airport while waiting for your flight.
• Try a treadmill desk: If you really want to take workplace exercise to the next level, put a treadmill under a treadmill ready vertical desk.
It is an Esteemable Act to treat your body like the precious vessel it is. It is important to remember that self-esteem goes hand in hand with self-care. Good health is a result of choices: smart, courageous, proactive, well-thought-out choices. This includes listening to your body and saying STOP when your friends, job and family are telling you GO.
Self-Care. Feeling Good.
Over time, many of us develop bad habits. As we get older, these habits begin to take their toll on us. We must realize that good health is not owed to us by virtue of being on earth; we have to earn it. For many people, it’s only when they lose their health that they realize just how important it was. Don’t wait until you get to that point before you start practicing self-care, as I almost did.
Your health is your business, therefore it is your responsibility to take care of it and focus your attention on it just as you do on your stock portfolio. And remember to not make the mistake of putting more emphasis on looking good over feeling good. You can do things to make yourself look better, but to truly feel better goes much deeper.
It is important to remember that the body and mind are but two different sides of the same coin. When the body suffers, so does the mind, and vice versa. Practicing real self-care involves nurturing not only your body, but your mind and spirit as well. And please, start now – don’t wait any longer!
For additional ways to protect your health, read ACT 5 of Esteemable Acts: 10 Actions for Building Real Self Esteem and Week 17 of 52 Weeks of Esteemable Acts: A Guide to Right Living.
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