How to Diet to Counter Obesity

Whether you’re dealing with your child’s weight issues or you own, research shows that the problem of obesity is best handled by a long-term commitment to eating a healthy diet and increasing physical activity.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Research shows that diets with moderate caloric restriction, especially reduced dietary fat, are most successful when treating obesity.

2. A healthy diet requires some planning and an effort to include a variety of foods from the basic food groups in your meals. Eating a balanced diet that is low in saturated fats and trans fats and includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and good fats will lower your risk for disease.

3. Research shows that people who keep track of what they eat and drink each day are more successful at losing weight. Start a food journal to record the size and nutritional value of what you and your family are eating. Documenting food intake can be an eye-opener since people often convince themselves that they don't overeat.

4. Stress, family, your environment and other influences can affect your progress. If you stray from your plan, get back on track the next day.

5. 
   Scale your food to keep track of how much you eat.

   Understand that portion sizes are almost always smaller than you think. Weigh various amounts of food until you are able to eyeball a portion and estimate it’s weight.

6. Keep the junk food out of the house. You and your kids can’t eat unhealthy snacks if they’re not lying around.

7. Add healthy food to your shopping cart every time you visit the supermarket. Find ways to add healthy foods into what you and your family already like: Peas and broccoli in macaroni cheese, blueberries in pancakes and fruit in cereal.

8. Start exercising or find other ways to increase your physical activity. Walking to the store instead of driving is a valuable way to burn fat and maintain lost weight.

9. Fasting or extreme caloric restriction is not advisable when dealing with obesity. Not only is fasting psychologically stressful, it also makes it difficult to maintain a proper weight loss program.

10. Behavioral modifications, such as monitoring food intake and physical activity, slowing the rate of eating and limiting the time and place of eating are essential when dealing with obesity.

11. Join a group to help identify you or your family’s weight gain problems and discuss solutions. Your doctor may help you find a group that suits you. You can also seek out a support group by yourself by researching books or Internet sites dealing with weigh problems or by talking to friends with similar problems.

12. By empowering yourself and your family to make better lifestyle choices now, you can have a huge impact on your future.

Tips & Warnings

• Find out all you can about obesity and the risks of having an unhealthy lifestyle. Understand how being overweight can lead to a range of other problems, such as heart disease and diabetes. When dealing with obesity and weight gain, knowledge and information is king.
• Monitor your television viewing habits. You are more likely to gain weight if you’re inactive in front of a TV screen–and you’re more likely to eat snacks while watching your favorite show.
• Obesity is easier to prevent than to treat. The earlier you lean about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, the more likely you are to embrace one.

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