America is on life support
There’s a crisis in America and it’s one that all of us can solve. Depending on what statistical analysis you look at, anywhere between 60-70% of Americans are either overweight or obese. That’s an alarming number considering the leading cause of death in the United States is heart disease, with obesity being the primary contributing factor for developing the disease.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the obesity rate among adults in the United States has risen to a staggering 42%, while the obesity rate for children and adolescents (ages 2-9) is nearly 20%, affecting 14.7 million children and adolescents!
What does this all mean? It’s pretty simple really, Americans have gotten far too sedentary (notice I didn’t use the word “lazy”) and their diets have gone WAY off the tracks. Making sure your nutrition is on point can be tough in today’s fast paced world. Many adults are simply too busy with their jobs and/or children to invest additional time into preparing healthier meal options. It’s much easier to swing into a fast food joint and pick something up on the go. Combine this reality with a less active population and you get a recipe for illness. The GOOD thing (and yes, there IS a good thing about this) is that these horrible numbers can be brought down to manageable levels and a healthier American is a longer living and more productive American.
So how do we begin to shrink those alarming numbers?
Shrinking Americas waistline
Tackling the problem of an overweight and obese America requires a two-pronged approach. Americans need to first start by eating healthier AND they need to combine healthier eating habits with more activity. Both of these can be done slowly and at a pace that’s sustainable. Let’s take a look!
We are what we eat
Too many people get caught up in fad diets and information they get in a 30 second Instagram short. They then try to mirror what they see online in their own lives and quickly find out it’s not sustainable for them. Each of us have far too many variables in our lives to assume there’s a “one sized fits all” approach. There simply isn’t, which is why many of those fad diets simply don’t work.
The truth of the matter is that the population that’s in the most trouble doesn’t even need to go on some crazy diet that will only make them hungrier and potentially lead to reverting back to old ways. For this population, simply cutting out processed foods high in saturated and trans fats, as well as those with added sugars is the biggest step forward. This isn’t as hard as it sounds, it simply comes down to learning how to read nutrition labels when purchasing food ingredients or snacks.
So many people focus on cutting out carbs and get overly caught up on reducing calories. I’ll write a separate article touching on this, but in short, carbs are your body’s fuel source for activity. Cutting out this crucial source of energy is like trying to drive your car across country on fumes – it’s not going to end well. Cutting out carbs entirely will only make you feel sluggish and less able to perform. Instead try limiting how many carbs you take in while focusing on good “complex” carbs such as whole wheat bread, whole wheat noodles, sweet potatoes and brown rice vs bad “simple” carbs like white bread, refined pasta, pastries and white rice. Remember, carbs are not the enemy!
Depending on your goals and activity level, cutting calories may also be counterproductive, unless of course, those calories come from the unhealthy saturated/trans fats and sugars mentioned earlier. The same can be said for what we drink. Too many of us drink beverages extraordinarily high in sugar (I’m looking at you Dr. Pepper) and empty calories (have a seat Mr. Sam Adams). I’m NOT saying you can’t enjoy your favorite adult beverage every now and then, but if staying fit is on your “to do” list, cutting or severely limiting soda and alcohol intake should also be right up there.
Get moving!
Ok so you’ve decided to get your nutrition in check, excellent! Now you have to get your body moving! I see this all the time, people just so engrossed in their phones that they sit around staring at them all day. That’s not going to help you stay fit. Your body needs to burn calories and yes, while your body does indeed burn a certain amount of calories at rest, doing absolutely nothing but breathing, it’s not enough to make a dent in your weight loss goals. Now, I’m not saying that you have to start training for the next Mr. Olympia or Iron Man competitions, however, you do need to put your phone down (or video game controller), get your butt off the couch and get moving!
The first thing people tend to think of when I mention being more active is thinking they need to incorporate some sort of structured cardio or resistance training program (which we can help you with). While I wholeheartedly sign on with this idea, it’s not the first step that needs to be taken. Again, engaging in a structured workout regimen, if healthy enough to do so, is an awesome idea. Not only will it increase your metabolism (which will help with weight loss), but it has the ability to boost your mood, increase sleep quality, raise your self-esteem and improve your overall quality of life. But you don’t necessarily have to start there.
That’s NEAT!
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenisis or “NEAT” is just a fancy acronym for “activities you do that do not involve lifting heavy weights, running on a treadmill, or any other form of structured exercise program”. NEAT involves the daily activities you do that keep your body moving and your heart rate moderately elevated. Improving your NEAT could include things like parking further from the entrance when you go shopping so that you get more steps in over the course of your day, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, taking your dog for a walk, mowing your lawn with a walk-behind instead of a ride-on mower, going for daily walks (sometimes multiple times a day) and just overall activity. NEAT is EASY!
The bottom line…
Becoming a healthier and more fit American while helping to reduce obesity is something we can all take part in, but it must include the two key factors mentioned in this article. You must eat healthier AND get moving. Whether you decide to simply increase your NEAT or begin some sort of cardio and/or resistance training program, you cannot do one without the other. I’ve seen too many hard workouts wasted by a night of drinking with friends, by enjoying “cheat meals” or indulging in unhealthy snacks.
And while you need to dial in your nutrition if you’re going to workout, the same can be said if you get your nutrition in check but skip out on moving your body. While eating right will absolutely help improve your overall health, if reducing your waistline is part of your plan some sort of movement is required in order to get your body into a minor caloric deficit (please don’t starve yourself, there’s no need to). Remember that even healthy foods contain calories (obviously). As we age our metabolism slows down and we simply burn fewer calories and hold on to the fat we do have, much longer. Because weight loss is highly dependent on how many calories you consume vs how many calories you burn, if you’re not moving you’re not burning and if you’re not burning you’re not losing.
If you’re interested in learning more ways to get healthy check out our personal training and nutrition coaching services and schedule your free consultation!
