Obesity is a common health condition, which involves excess body fat. It can increase the risks of various health issues, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, sleep problems, etc.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2015-2016, about 93.3 million adults and 13.7 million children & teens in the United States are obese.
Obesity is usually determined by calculating the BMI (Body Mass Index) by considering the patient’s weight and height.
In this blog post, we are going to discuss the major causes of excess body fat, how to cut weight naturally, and what’s the process of getting professional help at an online medical weight loss clinic.
When you consume more calories than what you burn by performing daily activities. The extra calories are stored in the form of fat, thus causing obesity.
Here are some specific causes of obesity-
Cutting back on carbohydrates is one of the best methods to lose weight naturally.
Why is it necessary? When you follow this strategy, your hunger levels go down, thus you eat less and burn more. Your body starts burning the already stored fat to get energy.
Moreover, reducing carb intake can help you lower insulin levels. This way, your kidneys remove extra water and sodium, thus losing weight.
Many dietitians believe that patients can lose up to 10 pounds of body weight and even more within a week by following this type of eating routine.
A 2003 study reported that for healthy women, a low carb diet was more effective than a low-fat diet for the short term.
Moreover, research says that eating low carb foods can help in reducing appetite, thus you will feel full, eat fewer calories and burn fat.
Regular exercise can help you get in shape quickly by burning the stored fat. However, many think that to lose weight, you need to do complicated workouts. But, it’s not right.
Research says that doing moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day can help you boost your energy levels and reduce extra weight. Start today, and you will see results within a few weeks.
You can incorporate your favorite physical activities to your exercising routine. Do some gardening work, ride the bike in the morning, take your dog to the dog park, enjoy fun activities with your kids, and so on. There is a large number of physical activities, and you need to find out the ones that interest you more.
What is intermittent fasting (IF)? It’s an eating pattern that involves daily short-term fasts and consuming meals. Many studies have found that doing IF for at least 24 weeks can help overweight people lose a significant amount of weight.
Some of the common intermittent fasting methods are-
Eat two meals a day during an 8-hour feeding window. For instance, skip breakfast, eat lunch at 12 noon and dinner at 8 pm.
Consume only 500-600 calories two days and eat normally five days in a week.
Eat normally one day and fast the other day. However, you can customize this fasting method as per your needs. For instance, in the fasting days, you can eat 20-30 percent of the energy requirements of the body.
Sleep is important. Not getting adequate sleep (at least 7 hours a day) can increase the risks of obesity and other related health issues. Research says that poor-quality sleep slows down the body’s metabolism—the process of converting calories into energy. The unused energy is stored in the form of fat, thus obesity occurs.
Moreover, inadequate sleep can lead to increased production of cortisol, thus upregulating the brain’s food reward centers and making you eat more and gain weight.
Protein is one of the important nutrients that help in weight loss. The body burns calories when metabolizing proteins. Thus, taking more protein can help in a significant increase in the metabolism rate.
Another reason for eating a protein-rich diet is that it can help in reducing the appetite, thus you will feel full throughout the day. In fact, studies show by eating a protein-rich diet, people can reduce calorie intake up to 400 calories per day.
Vegetables are packed with nutrients required for health. So, eat more low carb vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, and cucumber.
Stress is a common mental health problem associated with the release of more hormones such as cortisol. When you experience stress constantly, cortisol in your bloodstream can boost the appetite, thus making you eat more. Managing your stress levels can help in reducing the BMI in obese and overweight children and adults.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the best ways to reduce stress. It’s psychotherapy aimed at changing the way thinking patterns work and replacing the negative thoughts with positive ones.
Other natural ways to manage your stress levels are—yoga, deep breathing, and relaxation techniques.
If you are experiencing obesity symptoms, you can talk to one of our licensed doctors to design a customized weight loss plan. The doctor will carefully analyze your condition, check your medical history, and suggest the right path to weight loss.
We are a leading online medical weight loss clinic, operating for more than 15 years. Using our telemedicine services, you can seek medical advice remotely without leaving your home. Here’s our complete process-
By eating more vegetables and a protein-rich diet, you can lose the extra fat stored in your body. Cutting your daily carb intake can help the hunger levels go down, thus making you eat less. Doing moderate-intensity physical activities is effective in boosting the energy levels, reducing the stress levels, thus losing the body weight.
Research shows that lack of sleep can lead to excess body weight. Getting a good night’s sleep will help you boost your metabolism rate, thus bringing the body in perfect shape. Moreover, it helps in boosting mental health, thus managing the symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression.
We advise you to adopt a healthy lifestyle to reduce the chances of the occurrence of obesity. Exercise regularly, eat a healthy, balanced diet, and improve your overall health.
To seek professional help for obesity treatment, visit our online weight loss clinic. And, during the COVID-19 outbreak, we appeal you to stay at home. Stay safe. Stay strong.