Teen Weight Loss: Starting Young At Home

If obesity is a concern to adults, this is more so in the case of overweight and obese teens. An alarming 25% of children in the US are overweight or at risk of being overweight, and this number is steadily increasing every year. Today, this translates to more than 12.3 children and teens who weight more than their ideal weight and we are put in a serious position of evaluating and reconsidering of eating habits and lifestyle.

Being overweight or obese for teens has severe repercussions, on health, emotional and social aspects of their lives. They need to deal with emotional abuse, social isolation, bullying and teasing, and other psychosocial behaviors everyday from other people. Weight problems affect one’s self-esteem, popularity and the ability to get dates – these are issues which are important in a teenager’s life.

These issues drive home the need to start making healthier food choices and a more active lifestyle – the perfect combination to a safe and effective weight loss. It is not recommended to resort to diets unless recommended and supervised by a health professional and this is usually for people who are severely obese. Any weight loss diet which requires a drastic reduction in calorie intake is considered unhealthy and more likely, dangerous as well. If there is one thing common to all effective and safe weight loss and weight maintenance program is that there is no easy and quick way of losing those excess pounds. You have to eat right, exercise regularly, and make healthy lifestyle decisions.

Once a teenager has made the decision and commitment to lose weight for real, everyone should help out and be supportive. If it’s frustrating for an adult to embark on a weight loss journey and come up with discouraging results, this is a heart-breaking situation for a teenager so that parents, close friends even teachers need to be understanding and supportive of the emotional trauma he or she is experiencing.

One way to do this is to have a weight loss-friendly pantry and to stack the fridge with healthy stuff. It would also help to impose TV hours and computer hours. There have been studies linking TV hours and weight gain due to the big possibility of mindless eating and the time is spent in front of the TV or computer rather than on physical activities. You should also make weight loss and healthy lifestyle a family affair since this decision will benefit everyone. It would also be easier for someone who is on a weight loss diet if his or her family are showing their support and not alienating or isolating him of her from the rest of the family.

The family has been proven to have a huge impact on one’s eating habits and therefore, the family is a vital aspect of weight loss. Studies have shown that parents who live healthy pass on this health conscious mindset to their children. Parents should be involved in helping their kids achieve a safe weight loss and a long term effective weight maintenance program.

Again, remember that weight loss is a long process and not one which has a shortcut. So be ready for the long haul and be prepared to overcome some pretty tough challenges along the way because it’s going to be one heck of a journey. And for the parents, be there for your kids, it’s going to make a big difference.

And to help you with your weight loss, check out the Top 3 Weight Loss Tips FREE report for relevant information and useful tips to help you get started…

Weight Loss And Your Neighborhood

You may not believe it but the way your neighborhood is designed has an effect on your weight and waist size.

Recently published in the American Journal of Epidomiology, the Oregon Research Institute and their findings demonstrate the relationship between weight and the density of fast food outlets in the neighborhood as well as the link between weight and neighborhood walkability.

In this study, it was shown that an increase in weight and waist circumference, three pounds and 0.8 inches respectively is associated with a neighborhood with many fast food outlets since people often eat at these outlets. On the other hand, there was a marked difference in people who live in a walking-friendly neighborhood. This is shown by a decrease of 2.7 pounds in weight and 0.6 inches in waist circumference.

This new environment-person approach to obesity and weight loss calls into attention the fact that the high incidence of obesity in the US has many factors and even your own neighborhood can be a part of the reason you have those excess pounds arising from the easy access to fast food.

Our lifestyle has a huge impact on our weight today. And as a result, healthy living can not be helped but overemphasized. A well-balanced diet, regular physical exercise, enough sleep, and stress management are just some aspects of our lives that we have to work on. This is a major makeover for most of us and the road to fitness will be challenging indeed.

Check out this Top 3 Weight Loss Tips free report now and learn more about healthy living and weight loss.

Weight Gain Culprits: Metabolism, Growth Hormones, And The Thyroid Gland

If you’re someone who has had a weight loss problem since you can’t remember when, then it’s such a frustrating and maddening sight to see someone wolf down seemingly endless servings of your favorite chocolate soufflé. And then, there you are sadly munching on your celery and carrot sticks. You’d want to stand up and scream “this is so unfair!”

I know the feeling.

But before you run in the middle of the street and scream like a raving lunatic, I would like to share some pretty interesting facts about weight gain and weight loss.

Weight gain can be summarized as the unused calories you have consumed. Burning calories which is less than the amount you consumed will invariably result in weight gain. Whereas if you restrict the calories you consume and increase your physical activity, it will result to a steady weight loss.

However, we are all unique. We are made differently. Others are lucky to have a fst metabolism which can effectively burn the calories they consume and there are the not-so-unfortunate ones which have to live will a not-so-fast metabolism.

1. Metabolism – So let’s talk about metabolism. Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories to provide energy for the many biological processes.

There are many factors which can affect your metabolism including genetics, your state of health, some medical conditions, as well as psychological issues. Increased physical activity, especially resistance training burns calories even after the workout and increases your metabolism rate significantly. Exercise also enhances growth hormone production which can help in weight loss.

2. Growth hormones – There is an ongoing study by Jeff Horowitz of the University of Michigan on the factors that affect weight loss-weight gain in groups which are eating the same number of calories yet have different rates of energy expenditure. The main focus of the study is to find out the differences in physiology and metabolism which cause others to gain excess pounds while others are insusceptible to weight gain.

In a preliminary study by Horowitz, he has found substantial evidence of the link between high growth hormones and weight loss. This premise is the one of the building blocks in the ongoing study between growth hormones and weight loss-weight gain.

3. Thyroid Gland – This is the gland responsible for the production of thyroxine and triiodothyronine, both important thyroid hormones. These hormones are instrumental in “increase the basal metabolic rate, affect protein synthesis, and help regulate long bone growth (synergy with growth hormone), neuronal”.

A decrease in the levels of thyroid hormones result to the lull in the body’s processes – less heat is produced, the heart beats slower, and the brain slows down as well. An increase in the levels of thyroid hormones will produce the opposite effects.

An overactive thyroid has been long linked with weight loss whereas an underactive thyroid has been blamed for the excess pounds of put on by many.

There are other reasons for weight gain other than unmindful eating and little physical activity. If you are eating healthy but still experiencing weight problems, a visit to an endocrinologist, a specialist dealing with hormonal disorders such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism. You may have a hormonal disorder which can account for your weight problems.

So don’t do anything hasty. Visit your doctor. Know if you have a problem with your hormones. Your weight gain may have other reasons other than your diet and physical activity.

Weight loss will be safer and more effective if you know the reasons behind your weight gain.

Check out your Top 3 Weight Loss Tips free report and learn more!

Fat Loss Tips You’ll Love To Know

You’ve most likely heard all there is to know about fat loss and getting rid of those stubborn body fat. But I’m going to let you know another set of fat loss tips from the fitness and health expert Chris Ballantyne.

Here’s the snippet:

1. Focus on burning carbohydrates, not fat, during your workout exercises.
2. Use interval training in your strength training workouts, meaning low intensity exercises alternate with high intensity exercises.
3. Use the stationary bike (or treadmill if you like it better) for interval training.
4. Increase meal frequency (now this something you’d love to hear).

Read the full article here.

The number of calories burned must be more than your calorie intake if you want to lose those stubborn fat. It sounds easy but it’s not, but you can do it!

Want more? Check out this link, get your Top 3 Weight Loss Tips free report and learn more relevant information and helpful tips!

Weight Loss Recipe: Taste Matter!

What’s the biggest downfall of a weight loss diet, given that you are fully committed to your weight loss regimen?

The answer is – the recipes!

You are more likely to fall off the weight loss wagon if the foods are so bland-tasting and take a long time to prepare, right?

So taste does matter. It is also important that the foods are delicious, in addition to being healthy and low in calories. Weight loss would be such a burden if you have to eat tasteless food to take the place of your favorite delicacies.

The recipes should be good enough for your palate and I found this interesting diet which boasts of tasty recipes. The “Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook” has been getting good reviews because it’s tasty and creative.

Weight loss is a daunting journey and when you have to eat not-so-tasty goodies, it seems a bit too overwhelming. However, if you have a good, healthy weight loss diet complete with a list of delicious recipes. You’ll look forward to each meal and you’re going to enjoy preparing your own gourmet meals too!

Want more? Check out this link, get your Top 3 Weight Loss Tips free report and learn more helpful tips and relevant information!