Obesity is on the rise at an alarming rate irrespective of social or economic background. Natural weight loss focuses on trying to understanding the factors responsible and adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Factors Contributing to Obesity
Dealing with obesity is very difficult, as there are many factors that contribute to it. It is highly impossible to pin-point the exact factor. The main factors are genetics, metabolism, environment, culture, behavior and the person's psychology. Genetic factors are said to be responsible for about 70% of BMI variations in people.
Obesity is not measured by weight, but by the amount of adipose tissue or fat present in a person's body. In 1994 a hormone called leptin was discovered to increase fat or adipose tissue. When people of various weights were treated subcutaneously with recombinant leptin, they were found to lose weight. Most people desire natural weight loss in order to avoid rigorous diet regimes and invasive surgical procedures.
Set Point as a Factor
The Set Point is another factor that determines your weight. A person's body metabolism is set to an optimum point in order to maintain the weight. The body will therefore resist any effort to decrease its weight below this set point. Your set point cannot be measured and there is nothing you can do about it.
Energy Imbalance as a Factor
Energy imbalance is another factor responsible for obesity. When the calories you consume are more than the calories you expend, you will put on weight. In general, it is roughly estimated that 3,500 calories make up for one pound of body weight. This means that if you consume 500 calories more than what your body requires on a daily basis, you will accumulate 3,500 calories or one pound in a week's time. So by being in control of your food intake you can achieve natural weight loss.
Health Problems
Obesity puts pressure on your cardiovascular system, your skeletal system, digestive system and on almost every system of your body. As a result obese people suffer from type 2 diabetes, hypertension, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, heart disease and arthritis, among the other medical conditions. Among those suffering from type 2 diabetes, 80 percent are obese.
Diet Plans Do Not Work
Most people who have stuck to diet plans have been seen to regain the lost weight back. Clinical tests show that this is true of 90 percent people who lose weight. The diet industry is saturated with health foods and weight loss plans that do not work. Crash courses have shown to produce adverse effects, and health foods are nothing but marketing stunts. What then must one do to fight the bulge?
Slow and Steady
Steady natural weight loss has shown an improvement in blood pressure and also in lipid and glucose levels, thus improving the quality of life. You must plan to lose not more than 10 percent of your body weight over a span of six months.
If your BMI ranges between 27 and 35, you must lose at least one pound per week. This means that you must reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories per day. If your BMI is above 35, you should plan on losing about one to two pounds in a week. This means that you must reduce your caloric intake by 500 to 1000 calories per day.
Diet and Exercise
A diet high in proteins, low in refined carbs and sugars with plenty of fruits and cruciferous vegetables is ideal if you want to lose weight. You can include about half an hour of exercise five times a week and increase it to daily once you get going.
For more information on the natural way to lose weight, you can download a free copy of "Experts Guide to Understanding Weight Loss" from the link below right now.