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Obesity in America
    Obesity in America is a growing epidemic in today's society. It is estimated that over 65% of the United States is overweight. Roughly 35% of America is obese whereas only 23% were obese in 1994, quite a jump right? This doesn't seem so shocking if you think of how the fast food industry is expanding rapidly because so many want to just go out for a quick bite. The thing many seem to fail to anticipate is the long term effects of their immediate choice. Now, it can't be fully accredited to the fast food industry as many fail to realize. What is another potential factoid that may have correlation to obesity. This factor is technology. America is most likely the most technologically advanced nation. We're also one of the most overweight, weird? As technology advances and people become increasingly sedentary because of advances in things such as automation, they tend to gain weight. Now, I'm not suggesting halting technological advancement and reverting back 20 years to help us become more active. Advancement in technology is inevitable, we must make the choice of how we want to live our lives. Don't blame fast food or technology, blame the poor choices of the individuals. Don't feel as if I'm bashing you, quite the contrary, I'm simply trying to inform you that all hope is not lost and a simple alteration in choice can make the difference.

Body fat calculator 1

• 13.5 million people have coronary heart disease.
  
• 1.5 million people suffer from a heart attack in a given year.
• 95,000 people are newly diagnosed with colon cancer each year.
• 50 million people have high blood pressure.
• over 60 million people ( 1/3 of the population) are overweight.
  
• 250,000 people suffer from a hip fractures each year.
• 8 million people have adult-onset diabetes.

1. Weight loss of five to 15 percent of total body weight can lower an individual’s chances for developing heart disease or having a stroke.
2. If you are overweight or obese, you are more likely to develop health problems such as:
   

• Heart disease and hypertension

• Diabetes

• Cancer

• Sleep apnea

• Arthritis.

1. You can strengthen your respiratory and cardiovascular system.
2. Regular exercise can help prevent things such as osteoporosis as it can help preserve bone mass and increase bone density.
   
3. In strengthening your muscles and bones, you can increase your balance and coordination.
4. Exercise helps with depression and stress.
   (Stimulates neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and endorphins)
   
5. As stated in the weight loss section, you can reduce your chances of contracting certain forms of cancer such as colon, prostate, uterine lining (endometrium) and breast. (although this hasn't been 100% proven)
6. In exercising regularly, you will find yourself sleeping much better.

1. Eat multiple smalls meals: eating frequent small meals will help reduce hunger pangs and eating binges as well as help to provide a consistent source of energy all while maintaining metabolic efficiency.
   
2. Eat slowly: doing this ties with tip number one, in doing this, you will find yourself eating less.
3. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains: this seems obvious that eating this as oppose to processed food would make a difference, completely self-evident.
4. Eat more fiber:  Fiber makes us feel full sooner and stays in our stomach longer than other substances we eat, slowing down our rate of digestion and keeping us feeling full longer. Fiber also moves fat through our digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed.

   Refined grains like white rice and those used to make white bread and sugary breakfast cereals have had most of their fiber and nutrients stripped away. They turn into blood sugar (glucose) so fast that, like sugar itself, they can cause a spike in our insulin level. This tells our body that plenty of energy is readily available and that it should stop burning fat and start storing it.

5. Consume less sugar: An insulin spike followed by an insulin drop results in tiredness and hunger which you would imagine would result in more eating.
6. Exercise regularly: People who exercise regularly tend to lose weight faster, they are also more successful at keeping it off. Exercise makes it possible to generate a caloric deficit without starving yourself and slowing your metabolism. I read this somewhere that a 70 kg (155 lb) person who runs a mile, burns 100 calories. Hence, if you weigh more, you would burn more in this scenario and vice versa for the opposite. Strength training and aerobic exercise are some of the most effective. If walking is all you can do, it is still upholds more contribution than doing nothing. Some examples of aerobic exercise are running, walking, bicycling, rowing, cross-country skiing, swimming and skating.
7. Drink water: Be sure to always keep yourself properly hydrated. A rule of thumb would be to consume 1/2 ounce per pound of body weight if you're not active, and 2/3 ounce per pound if you're athletic. Some of the signs of dehydration are: heartburn, stomach ache, non-infectious recurring or chronic pain, low back pain, headache, and water retention.