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In 1999, more than 108 million US residents were overweight or obese. The number of overweight or obese Americans has continued to expand and the average American has grown heavier in the last decade. Already one of the biggest public health challenges facing the country, experts have predicted that obesity and related health problems will reach the level of an epidemic by 2020.

To prevent obesity, the best thing to be done is to educate the public on how carrying extra pounds can damage their health.

The following are just a sampling of the diseases which being overweight disposes you to:

1  Stroke, heart disease and high blood pressure

That is a three in one benefit from losing weight. It is a fact that heart disease and stroke are one of the primary reasons for disability and death in both men and women in the US. People who are overweight have a higher risk to have high levels of cholesterol in their blood stream as well as triglycerides also known as blood fat.

Angina, one type of heart disease, could cause chest pains as well as a decrease in the oxygen pumped to the heart.

Death can occur from heart attack or stroke with little or no warning. A person may be unaware anything is wrong due to lack of symptoms.

Even a small weight loss such as a six percent drop in weight will have a positive effect on the likelihood of having heart attack or stroke. Your heart will also work much better without as much weight to carry around. Your cholesterol count will go down as well your blood pressure and triglycerides.

 3. Diabetes

Diabetes puts in jeopardy ones life as well as how one leads his or her life because of the complications that result from having it. Both types of diabetes, Type One and Type Two are linked with being overweight. To those who already have diabetes, regular exercise and losing weight could help in controlling your blood sugar levels as well as the medication you may be currently taking

4. Cancer

Many different types of cancer are linked to obesity. Women in particular are more at risk for certain types of cancer if they are overweight such as uterine cancer, cancer of the breast, colon, gallbladder, and ovarian cancer. Do not be alarmed, weight loss will significantly reduce these risks. Overweight men are also at risk for colon cancer as well as prostate and rectal cancer. It is important to avoid foods that are high in cholesterol or fat and get rid of any excess weight.

5. Arthritis

Knee, hip and low back joints suffer a lot of pressure and wear and tear when one is obese. It takes much more effort to walk and move through the day with all this extra weight. The joints are heavily stressed and they hurt. Weight reduction lessens the stress and pressure on these joints which reduces the pain of osteoarthritis.

6. Sleep apnea

An obese person with sleep apnea will suffer from extreme drowsiness throughout the day as well as an increased risk of heart problems. Reducing excess body fat can reduce or eliminate this condition. A person with sleep apnea stops breathing periodically throughout the night for short periods.

Losing weight helps to prevent and control these diseases.

Many companies have taken advantage of the obesity epidemic by selling fad diet plans. These make plenty of money for their manufacturers, but do not provide a long term solution. Instead, they tend to rely on pills and supplements. Even when these diets do allow users to lose some weight, this type of rapid weight loss is not healthy; and gaining back the lost pounds in the dreaded yo-yo is even worse ” and that’s exactly what happens to most of the people who use these programs.

Better by far is a healthy weight loss plan which lets you lose those excess pounds and keep them off. The key is to set realistic weight loss goals instead of trying to lose it all in a matter of weeks. The following are some valuable tips for healthy weight loss:

1. Stop starving yourself

Don’t diet! Repeat, don’t diet - this is the most important advice for healthy weight loss.

You may seem happy and feel that you are losing those unwanted flabs on your belly and thighs by skipping meals. But remember that this would not last long. Your body cannot tolerate having insufficient food to fuel the energy that you use up everyday.

What happens is that your body will get used to using stored energy instead of the calories from your diet - so when you do eat, this energy will be immediately stored as fat! This is hardly what you want.

2. Start your day right.

Mothers always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Have a healthy meal in the morning to jump-start your metabolism.

Once your metabolism has been fired up by breakfast, you’ll keep burning fat all day!

3. Have small, frequent meals

Five small-serving snacks per day is better than three hearty meals. Eating more frequently, and in small servings, can prevent over-eating. This will also increase your metabolism and make calories burn faster.

4. Set a realistic weight loss goal

Keep your goals realistic. In the long run, it is virtually impossible for you to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks. Have a mindset that you want to eat healthy to stay healthy for the rest of your life.

Once youve decided on your plan and your goals, stick to them!

5. Get plenty of water

Water helps you burn fat and stay hydrated ” so get six to eight glasses every day.

6. Go easy on the sugar

Your diet should consist of fresh produce, lean, high quality proteins and whole grains. You can have the occasional treat, but make sure this doesn’t become a habit.

7. Don’t cut out fat entirely - but do get the right fats

Fat does not make you fat, regardless of what anyone says. You need some fat in your diet to stay healthy, in fact.

The important thing is to eat healthier fats such as olive oil, peanut oil and fish oils. Fish oils have the added benefit of being rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.

8. Get regular exercise

There are plenty of ways to stay fit. If you have the time and the motivation to get to the gym, do this by all means. However, you can use other ways to get regular exercise. For instance, if its possible for you to walk or bicycle to work instead of driving, do so! You can also run errands this way ” any opportunity you have to walk or bike instead of driving should be taken advantage of. Start taking the stairs and make walking or cycling a part of your daily routine. Its not going to make you lose 50 pounds in three days, but youll start to see the difference sooner than you think.

It does not matter how much weight you plan or need to lose. What is important is that you set realistic goals for yourself.

Its important not to be too hard on yourself. Once you lose the first five or ten pounds, give yourself a well deserved congratulations and take it easy for a day before getting focused on your next weight loss goal.

Eating a healthy and well balanced diet, getting ample regular exercise, making sure to get a good nights sleep every night and drinking enough water will help you to lose weight the healthy way. The rewards for your dedication will be more energy, a healthy glow and a slim, trim new you!