How have we become overweight? If you have recently begun a weight loss program, it will help you to know what the major causes of weight gain and obesity are. While different people may gain weight for varied reasons, there are some habits and lifestyles that have the most influence on people becoming overweight. This post serves as a guideline to help you avoid those causes.
Taking in too much food can make you become overweight
While many people do not realize it, taking in more calories than you burn will result in weight gain, no matter what other steps you are taking to lose weight. You can exercise all you want, but if you are not successful at burning more calories than you consume, you will gain weight. The best way to address this problem is to purchase a calorie guide and follow it closely. Most women of average size require 2000 calories per day, and men should consume about 2500 calories. If you are taking in more than these amounts, you will gain weight. Exercise can help, but it takes a lot of exercise to burn even 100 calories.
What can you do about cutting calories?
You not only need to cut down on calories, but you need to reduce the amount of fat in your diet too. Unless you are doing a lot of strenuous exercise, you will not be able to burn the calories provided by high fat foods. Try to cut down on the destructive influence of fat by avoiding fried foods and rich sauces or cream.
If you are looking at an exercise program, check out Bodyweight Burn.
Not getting up and moving is making us become overweight
Many people do not realize they are living a more sedentary life than their bodies were designed for. Our modern lifestyle provides little opportunity for exercise, and many temptations for sedentary activities. Spending time on a computer or watching television does not burn many calories. Many people work in an office setting, and most of their hours during the day are spent at a desk where very few calories are required.
Fighting back against a sedentary lifestyle
There are many conveniences in our modern world, and we are grateful for our automobiles that transport us anywhere we need to be with little effort on our part. Unfortunately, with little need for physical strength, our bodies begin to deteriorate and pack on the pounds. Try walking as much as possible to offset this effect, and help your body become stronger and more fit.
Are you using any medications?
Certain medications can cause weight gain. If you are taking any prescriptions that list weight gain as a side effect, ask your doctor if it can be replaced with a drug that does not have that effect.
Sometimes our genes work against us too
There are certain people that are more prone to weight gain because of genetics. More often the excess weight is the result of poor eating habits they learned from parents who were also overweight. Our modern society is much more aware of healthy eating habits than previous generations, so this problem is not as pronounced as it once was.
Even if you become overweight, you can work towards making healthier choices
When you know the primary reasons behind obesity and weight problems, you can make necessary changes in your life to make your weight loss permanent. The information in this article will help you find the right path and give you incentive to stay on it.
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