Many people can answer to the affirmative when it comes to this question. This is because statistics show that weight gain is a problem that continues to plague approximately 40% of the local population and kills almost 500,000 people every year every year. This is not to mention the loss of economic productivity to the tune of billions of dollars that is a direct result of being overweight.
Obesity is a medical term that actually means that the body has accumulated enough body fat to become a health. Obesity is measured in BMI or body mass index which is a measure of one뭩 weight in relation to their age and height. A BMI of over 25 is considered overweight and there are many that can attest to being well over this figure since last Christmas.
There are various ways one can gain weight and you can identify with some of these reasons. One reason is indulging in high calorie diets without exercising enough. Fast foods are usually the culprits in many cases. The fast food epidemic is not about to abate and affects millions of people especially in the West. This is because more and more people are finding that they do not have enough time to buy groceries and even cook and therefore have only fast food restaurants to turn to. While many fast food restaurants have vowed to reduce the amount of trans fats that they use to fry their foods, nevertheless fast food meals continue to have excess calories and have been major culprits in the obesity epidemic.
Sometimes it is not just fast foods. It can be ordinary home cooked meals whereby people indulge in a lot of high calories foods and snacks and then spend a lot of time watching TV. This has also been a major reason for obesity especially when it comes to the younger generation. Buying food without checking their calorie levels can also cause people to be obese. Then off course there are those with a genetic makeup that does not allow them to burn enough fat to stay trim. If these people in turn indulge in unhealthy eating habits, then obesity can result.
If this is you, then don뭪 lose hope. There are ways you can cut down on excess weight starting today. The first step is to get education. The USFDA-operated website, www.mypyramid.gov gives excellent advice on different diets and foods and these can be extremely helpful. You can now know what to buy when you are out grocery shopping or at a buffet or a friend뭩 house for a cookout.
Searching the Internet for the right diet plans also helps. There are many diet plans out there and you can check which one fits what you want. Some even allow for periodic deliveries to your house so you do not have to miss a meal at all. And off course you can research on the best exercise regimen for you as well.