Weight is almost a constant obsession with Americans. We fear the scale, and judgmental stares. We secretly believe that being overweight or obese is because of our lack of self control. Sometimes we become angry at ourselves or depressed because of our weight. Body dysmorphic disorder is a condition that is common in the United States. This is manifested by a person’s fixation on their physical appearance and small or nonexistent flaws. This is considered a psychiatric disorder that is growing in prevalence. Surveys show that more than 85 percent of Americans believe that they should lose weight.
However, sometimes we reach a point where we have little control over our weight. Of course we need to be healthy. We should work to avoid obesity or get ourselves safely out of it, because it is a serious danger to health. But other than that: exercise regularly, eat nutritiously and balanced meals, take a good multivitamin, and give yourself a break. There are many factors about our weight such as genetics and environment that we cannot control. Many people will never have the body of a model no matter how hard they work for it and that is all right. Most models are airbrushed and starving.
Some fat is actually good for us. Fat cells act as a cushion for organs and insulate us against cold temperatures. Women naturally develop more fat than men because their bodies are prepared for pregnancy, a time when some fat reserves are necessary. Some believe that your body sets its own fat minimum, and once you reach that point your body refuses to let go of any more fat in an effort to protect itself for the future. We also now know more about the fat cells themselves. You will usually have the same number of fat cells throughout adulthood; the difference comes in the size of the fat cells. Based on lifestyle decisions, they can either shrink or expand. A study was done with rats that were put on a starvation diet. They lost a small degree of fat and then the diet took its toll on their muscles, connective tissues, and organs before getting rid of any more fat. This is why crash diets and eating disorders are so dangerous, you end up harming more than helping.
Taking diet pills is not the answer to healthy living, most of the time they are just plain bad for you. If you are sincerely interested in losing weight, then it will take effort, and these promises of having the fast and easy way are usually not good. Evaluate different diet plans before you choose one. Avoid those that focus on one particular food above all others or that cut out an entire food group or nutrient. You need to eat a variety of things to maintain good health. Multivitamins are also a good idea in a diet because it is difficult to get all the necessary nutrients daily.
The important thing is finding the right balance. Don’t feel the need to cut yourself off from sweets forever. We need to be sensible in our intake but a moderate amount of sweet tasting goodies in a diet is shown to help the diet work out in the long run. We need to take care of ourselves and be healthy without judging ourselves too harshly or obsessing about our appearance. As we come to know our body better and accept it we will become happier, healthier people.
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