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What is morbid Obesity?
Obesity may be described as a bodily condition characterized by excessive deposition or storage of fat in adipose tissue. It usually results from consumption of food in excess of physiological needs. Morbid-Obesity is common among people in Western countries and among the higher income groups in India and other developing countries. Obesity is a disease that affects approximately 60 million people in the United States, and women are especially affected.
Over one-third of women between the ages of 20 and 74 are obese, the majority of them being African American or Mexican American. With more and more pre-packaged food and less and less activity, the number of obese people in America has steadily increased since the 1960’s. With obesity being one of the leading causes of morbidity, disability, discrimination, and employment problems, it has become one of the biggest public problems since tobacco use and exposure. Signs & Symptoms Many people think obesity means that a person is overweight, but that’s not exactly true. An overweight person has a surplus amount of weight that includes muscle, bone, fat, and water. An obese person has a surplus of body fat. Most health professionals concur that a man is obese if he has over 25 percent body fat, and a woman is obese if she has over 30 percent. Women physiologically have more body fat than men, so that why there’s a difference in percentage. It is difficult to determine the exact percentage of body fat a person has, but estimates can be made in a number of ways.
First, using a tweezer-like tool called a caliper, you can measure the thickness of skin folds on different points of your body and compare the results with standardized numbers. You can also use a small device that sends a harmless electrical current through your body and measures your body fat percentage.
The most commonly used method to determine if a person is obese is to look at his/her Body Mass Index (BMI). A person with a BMI over 30 is considered to be obese, and a BMI over 40 is considered to be morbidly obese. Find out your BMI Level here: BMI CALCULATOR It’s important to remember though that BMI could be misleading in pregnant or lactating women and in muscular individuals.
With morbid obesity, comes the increased risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and breast, colon, and prostate cancer. In addition, obesity has been linked to mental health conditions such as depression or feelings of shame and low self-esteem. Health experts say that even losing 10 to 15 percent of your body weight can dramatically decrease the risk of developing these serious conditions. In addition, many obese people are discriminated against and targets of insults and other verbal abuse.
Reasons for weight gain - What Causes morbid obesity?
If you are facing obesity then start with an understanding that you are not alone. 
The chief cause of obesity , most often, is overeating - that is, the intake of calories beyond the body’s energy requirement. Some people are habituated to eating too much while others may be in the habit of consuming high-calorie foods. These people gain weight continuously as they fail to adjust their appetite to reduce energy requirements. There has, in recent times, been an increase in awareness of psychological aspects of obesity. Persons who are generally bored , unhappy, lonely or unloved, those who are discontented with their families, or social or financial standing usually tend to overeat as eating is a pleasure and solace to them. Obesity is sometimes also the result of disturbances of the thyroid or pituitary glands. But glandular disorders account for only about two per cent of the total incidence of obesity. In such persons, the basal metabolism rate is low and they keep gaining weight unless they take a low-calorie diet. Also there are fifty percent chances of becoming obese when both one of the parent is obese and when obesity has affected both the parents, the chances increases to eighty percent. One percent of obese people can have that fat because of health reasons, as obesity can be caused due to few medical disorders. The causes of obesity in adolescence are overeating, family history, bad eating habits, little or no exercise, medical illness, low self esteem, medications, depression, emotional problems, stressful life, and family problem.
Morbid Obesity and its Relationship to Binge Eating Disorder: The most common eating disorder is binge eating disorder. Approximately 4 million Americans have this disorder. Binge eating disorder is more than just occasionally overeating. It is characterized by eating uncontrollably, quickly eating an unusually large amount of food at one sitting, even when the person is not hungry, and eating in secret because the person is embarrassed about the amount of food he/she eats. More women than men have binge eating disorder, and most of the people who have it are overweight or obese. Binge eaters eat mostly sugar and fat, and as a result, they may be lacking certain vitamins and nutrients. Many of them are also depressed. Treatments for this disorder include therapy and medications such as antidepressants.
Low Metabolism - Metabolism can be linked to genetics, but it has more to do with how active we are, and the amount of muscle tissue we have compared with fat. Our muscles actively burn off the calories that we consume. They require more energy to work effectively. If we are living an inactive lifestyle, our muscles break down and they don’t burn the calories like they should. Therefore, if our muscles are not breaking down the calories we consumed, it gets converted to fat cells. When we are not active, our metabolism decreases, and as a result less calories are burned for energy and more are stored as fat. A more active person slows the decline of their muscles mass and may even increase the overall muscle mass, depending on activity, and then the metabolism is higher. There are ways that you can Boost your Metabolism. This makes it easier for a person to lose weight. How you eat – Your eating habits can play a huge role in determining your weight. Do you eat smaller, lean servings instead of gorging yourself on your mother’s world-famous spaghetti and meatballs? What about how fast you eat? All of these things have an effect on your ability to gain and lose weight. Your genetic makeup – Your metabolism may already be determined for you by the genes your parents passed down. But, this is NOT an excuse for not doing what you can to raise your metabolism if you have been passed down a slower one by nature. Just as people with higher metabolism can lower it by reducing activity and having poor eating habits. Many people who are overweight or obese will say, “it’s hereditary.” This can be the case, but your genes are just a small part of the overall picture. They only determine whether or not there is a likelihood of a person having a predisposition for obesity. Risk Factors:
Obesity can occur at any age in either sex. Its incidence is higher in persons who consume more food and lead sedentary lives. Obesity is a serious health hazard as the extra fats puts a strain on the heart, kidneys and liver as well as the large weight-bearing joints such as the hips, knees and ankles, which ultimately shortens the life span. It has been truly said, 'the longer the belt, the short the life.' Overweight persons are susceptible to several diseases like coronary thrombosis, heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, gout and liver and gall-bladder disorders.
Childhood Obesity And How To Combat It
Bad eating habits are not the only culprit, genetic diseases that can predispose children to become overweight cannot be forgotten. Diseases such as Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome are common in obese children, however still playing a larger role in the general overall population is bad eating and exercise habits. It is the hope of many health educators, and medical professionals from psychologists to medical doctors that increased public awareness and preventive policies will eventually improve the situation. Professionals are treating this as a major public health concern that is threatening to damage our most precious resources, the children. Introduction of healthy play, healthy food choices, and recreation that promotes physical activity is on the top of the list for discussion and plans of battling this epidemic. The annual National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has come to the conclusion that as many as one third of U.S. children are overweight or at high risk for childhood obesity. The health problems that will begin to manifest themselves from the heavy weight of such young children will start kids down a road the problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and increased risks of diabetes. These are diseases usually reserved to adults, not children. Combating this troubling condition must however, begin at home with the caregivers for these children. Improving overall diet, not dieting, and exercise is the key to resolving the problem. Protecting children’s health now and in the future will depend greatly on education of parents and caregivers to implement healthy daily living strategies. Preventing an at-risk child from becoming overweight can start a process of healthy and active lifestyles to ensure longevity and energy throughout the child’s life. Little things such as: not getting into power struggles with the child over food, never use food as a behavior modification tool, and setting a good example are some starting places. This only perpetuates the same behavior and may cause psychological behaviors that are unwanted. Critical commenting, and taunting rarely if ever handles the situation with a positive outcome. Emphasizing what’s positive and benefits of changing behavior can make all of the difference in the world. Just fostering the child’s natural inclination to please you, have fun, and explore are perfect opportunities to introduce fitness routines, and reduce such incidents like eating out of boredom.
Obesity in Adolescents Obese children between the age of ten and thirteen have eighty percent chances of growing into obese adults, unless they change their ways and adopt a healthier lifestyle. The obesity problem starts from the age of five and continue till adolescence. Obesity can cause many major problems. Some of them are diabetes, sleeping disorders, high blood pressure, breathing problems, emotional problems and increase in heart disease risk. Teenagers are more prone to get emotional problems. Because of the weight, they develop low self esteem. They get into depression, obsessive compulsion disorder and anxiety. If the adolescent has developed emotional problems because of obesity, an adolescent psychiatrist can collaborate with the pediatrician in order to make a comprehensive plan for treatment. The plan includes reasonable goals, behavior modification, family participation, and management of physical activity. Self motivation is extremely necessary in losing weight. Because obesity is more a family problem and not an individual problem, the whole family can switch to eating healthy food and exercising regularly. This can make the weight control program a success. Parents can play a major role by boosting the self esteem of their children by concentrating on their strengths and encouraging them, instead of targeting the weight problem. The whole family should eat meals together, instead of eating individually while watching a movie. This helps all the members to focus on the food and the quantity being eaten. If the teenager isn’t getting support from his family members, he/she can join support groups which can help towards the goals. After the adolescent has lost weight, it is very important that he/she maintains it. In majority of the cases, people shift back to their old eating habits after losing weight. That is the reason why obesity is more of a lifetime issue. So the main aim of any weight loss program must be make the adolescent like healthy food. He/she must also be made to exercise regularly, irrespective of the weight.
Prevention:
How you eat – Your eating habits can play a huge role in determining your weight. Do you eat smaller, lean servings instead of gorging yourself on your mother’s world-famous spaghetti and meatballs? What about how fast you eat? All of these things have an effect on your ability to gain and lose weight. Here are a few tips on your eating habits that can have a profound effect on your battle to lose weight. • High-fat, high calorie foods are tough on the body, and it takes a long time to break them down. You are at greater risk if you are eating foods like this. Pastas with cheeses and or cream sauces are an example of high fat and high-calorie. • Take your time when you eat – for a number of reasons. First, your stomach takes time to tell your brain you are full. You risk overeating when you eat too fast. Second, if you chew your food completely, the enzymes in your saliva aid in the breaking down of complex compounds in your foods, making it easier for your body to keep up. It’s also worth mentioning that the faster you eat, the greater chance you have of building up gas. • Eat smaller portions more often. We discussed this earlier, and you can boost your metabolism by making it work in smaller session more often. Also it helps when you eat smaller portions, because you don’t risk overeating and forcing your body to keep up with your eating.
THE SCIENCE OF OBESITY: FATS & CHOLESTEROL For years we heard that a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet would keep us healthy and help us lose weight. And many of us jumped on the bandwagon, eliminating fat and high-cholesterol foods from our diets. Well, unfortunately, we were doing it all wrong. Instead of eliminating fat completely, we should have been eliminating the “bad fats,” the fats associated with obesity and heart disease and eating the “good fats,” the fats that actually help improve blood cholesterol levels. Before we examine the good fats and bad fats, let’s talk about cholesterol. Cholesterol - It’s been ingrained into our brains that cholesterol causes heart disease and that we should limit our intake of foods that contain it, but dietary cholesterol is different than blood cholesterol. Cholesterol comes from two places-first, from food such as meat, eggs, and seafood, and second, from our body. Our liver makes this waxy substance and links it to carrier proteins called lipoproteins. These lipoproteins dissolve the cholesterol in blood and carry it to all parts of your body. Our body needs cholesterol to help form cell membranes, some hormones, and Vitamin D. You may have heard of “good” and “bad” cholesterol. Well, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol from the blood to the liver. The liver processes the cholesterol for elimination from the body. If there’s HDL in the blood, then less cholesterol will be deposited in the coronary arteries. That’s why it’s called “good” cholesterol. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL), carry cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. When there is too much in the body, it is deposited in the coronary arteries. This is not good. A build-up of cholesterol in our arteries could prevent blood from getting to parts of our heart. That means that our heart won’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs, which could result in heart attack, stroke, or sudden death. So, if your LDL is higher than your HDL, you’re at a greater risk for developing heart disease. It may come as a surprise, but recent studies have shown that the amount of cholesterol in our food is not strongly linked to our blood cholesterol levels. It’s the types of fats you eat that affect your blood cholesterol levels. Bad Fats - There are two fats that you should limit your intake of-saturated and trans fats. Saturated Fats - Saturated fats are mostly animal fats. You find them in meat, whole-milk products, poultry skin, and egg yolks. Coconut oil also has a high amount of saturated fat. Saturated fats raise both the good and bad blood cholesterol. Trans Fats - Trans fats are produced through hydrogenation-heating oils in the presence of oxygen. Many products contain trans fats because the fats help them maintain a longer shelf life. Margarine also contains a high amount of trans fats. Trans fats are especially dangerous because they lower the good cholesterol, HDL and raise the bad cholesterol, LDL. Unfortunately, most products do not tell you how much trans fat it contains, but you can find out if it’s in a product by looking at the ingredient list. If the ingredients contain hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils, then it contains trans fats. Fortunately in 2006, manufacturers will be required to list the amount of trans fat in their products on the nutrition labels, so it will be easier for you to find. Good Fats - Some fats actually improve cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated Fats - Polyunsaturated fats are found in sunflower, corn, and soybean oils. These oils contain Omega-6, an essential fatty acid. However, most people get enough Omega-6 in their diet and instead need more Omega-3. Omega-3 is a fatty acid found in fish and walnuts. Monounsaturated Fats - Monounsaturated fats are found in canola, peanut, and olive oils. Both types of unsaturated fats decrease the bad cholesterol, LDL and increase the good cholesterol, HDL. Now, just because the unsaturated fats improve your blood cholesterol levels, you don’t have the go-ahead to eat all of the olive oil, butter and nuts you want. Fat of any kind does contain calories, and if you’re trying to lose weight, eat fat in moderation, and stay away from saturated fats.
When to seek Medical Advice: The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read. 
Treatment/Therapy: A suitably planned course of dietetic treatment, in conjunction with suitable exercise and other measures for promoting elimination is the only scientific way of dealing with obesity. The chief consideration in this treatment should be the balanced selection of foods which provide the maximum essential nutrients with the least number of calories. The foods which should be drastically curtailed or altogether avoided are high-fat foods such as butter, cheese, chocolates, cream, ice-cream, fat meats, fried foods, and gravies ; high carbohydrated foods like bread, candy, cake, cookies, cereal products, legumes, potatoes, honey, sugar, syrup and rich puddings beverages such as all-fountain drinks and alcoholic drinks. UNDERSTANDING YOUR WEIGHT A pound of fat represents approximately 3500 calories of stored energy. In order to lose a pound of fat, you have to use 3500 more calories than you consume. Although this seems like a simple formula remember that your body is a thinking organism designed to protect itself. If you were to try to reduce your intake by the entire 3500 calories in one day, your body would register some type of alarm and think that there is a state of emergency. Immediately your metabolism would slow down and no weight loss would be achieved. It's better to spread your weight loss out over a period of a week, so that you aim to reduce your caloric intake by 3500 to 7000 calories per week, resulting in weight loss of one to two pounds per week. It's generally not recommended to try to lose more than two pounds in a week. Attempting to do so may cause health risks, and on top of this you're unlikely to be successful. In the example of attempting to lose two pounds per week, you can use a basic method of calorie counting to help you accomplish your goal. To do so, you need to figure out how many calories a person of your age, sex, and weight usually needs in a day, subtract 500 from that amount, and follow a diet that provides you with that many calories. For example, if you would ordinarily need 3000 calories in a day, you would follow a 2500-calorie a day diet. Next, figure out how much exercise a person of your weight would need to do to burn 500 calories per day, and engage in an exercise plan that will help you achieve your goal. The result is simple: 500 fewer calories consumed and 500 more calories expended equals a 1000 calorie per day deficit, which, over the course of a week adds up to 7000 calories, or two pounds. Although individual results may vary, the bottom line is if your body is consuming fewer calories than it's expending, then weight will be lost. HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR NEEDS
In order to eat fewer calories than you need, you have to determine how many calories you actually need. Adults can calculate their approximate energy needs using the following formula: A. Body weight multiplied by 12 (for men) or 11 (for women) e.g., 150 lbs. x 12 = 1800 B. Activity One third body weight multiplied by the number of hours you don't sleep, typically 16 hours 150 lbs. x 1/3 = 50 x 16 = 800 C. Required Calories A + B 1800 + 800 = 2600
Thus, we determine that a 150-pound man requires approximately 2600 calories per day. The "Basal Metabolic Rate" is the number of calories a man of that weight would burn just to keep the heart beating, the lungs pumping, etc. You would just burn your basal metabolic rate worth of calories if you slept all day. Thus the "Activity" calculation is approximately the amount of calories a person would expend by spending his or her whole day sitting around. If you are engaging in activities other than sitting all day, you can increase your activity hours by the number of hours you are actually active. Adult females can calculate their approximate energy needs using the same formula, except that the "Basal Metabolic Rate" is determined by multiplying body weight times 11 instead of 12. Children and teenagers require more calories by body weight, but the amount varies by age and by individual child. It is best to consult a physician before altering a child’s diet, however activity and exercise increases won’t hurt the average youth of today, and will show some benefits of controlling obesity. Overall, this gives you a general idea of what a calorie is, how it relates to weight, and how the body turns calories into fat. This is not of course a complete diet plan. However understanding your body is a definite prerequisite to making the changes necessary to conquer obesity. What are the Calories in food? Exercise – Everyone needs to get exercise. There is no replacement for getting the heart pumping and building up those muscles when it comes to losing weight. But, not enough of us make the time to get it. Exercise doesn’t have to be pumping iron at the gym or even taking a 10-mile bike ride. Take your dog for a gentle 30-minute walk around the park. He will love it, and you will feel better, too. You’ve all heard the benefits of exercise before, but they are worth mentioning again:
• You will feel better. Isn’t that a good start? Exercise rejuvenates the mind, body and spirit. • Exercise rebuilds muscles and therefore increases your metabolism. Remember muscles are burners of energy and the more muscles the more calories are burned. • Exercise lowers stress. Studies have shown that even 20 minutes of exercise, three times a week can have a dramatic effect on your stress level. • Exercise burns calories. When we get further into the book, and learn the process for losing weight over the long haul, you will understand why burning calories is so important. If you burn more calories than you eat, then your body starts burning the fat. If you don’t exercise on a regular basis, you will gain weight. That is almost as sure as death and taxes. Especially if you continue eating at a rate where you would be packing on the pounds if you did do some exercise. Always remember that exercise can be any physical activity – walking, cycling, swimming, sex – anything where you are raising your heart rate for an extended period of time. For some people, that could even be gently working in the garden. SURGICAL & MEDICAL SOLUTIONS Bariatric Surgery Health professionals always recommend weight loss through diet and exercise, but in some instances they will perform weight-loss surgery, known as bariatric surgery. As with any surgery, it comes with many risks, and it’s not a solution for everyone. In order to qualify for surgery, most people must be severely obese or obese with serious medical conditions. Doctors will usually have patients attempt to lose weight through diet and exercise or drug therapy before agreeing to surgery. Patients must also understand that with surgery comes a lifelong commitment to changes in eating habits and exercise. It’s not a “quick-fix.” There are two types of obesity surgery, restrictive and malabsorptive. Restrictive Surgery - Restrictive surgery means just what it sounds like-it restricts food intake by making the stomach smaller. Gastric bypass is the most common type of restrictive surgery. Malabsorptive Surgery - Malabosorptive surgery is less common than restrictive surgery because it’s riskier. These surgeries limit the amount of calories and nutrients the body absorbs, causing an increased risk of malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies. Gastric bypass - In gastric bypass, the stomach is stapled to created a tiny pouch that can only hold about one ounce of food. The small intestine is then cut, and part of it is sewed directly onto the pouch. This procedure directs food from the small pouch directly into the second section of the small intestine instead of going through the entire stomach the first section of the small intestine. This limits the number of calories absorbed by the body. Most people who have gastric bypass lose around half of their excess weight, and many keep it off for 10 years or more. As successful as it may be, it’s not free of risk. Approximately one in 200 people die from the procedure, and people who have the surgery may experience side effects such as iron and B-12 deficiency, gallstones, and bleeding ulcers. Also, since the stomach is so small, eating too much could cause vomit or severe pain. Malabsorptive Surgery - Malabosorptive surgery is less common than restrictive surgery because it’s riskier. These surgeries limit the amount of calories and nutrients the body absorbs, causing an increased risk of malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies. Drug Therapy - Drug therapy is available for people with a BMI 30 or over with no medical conditions or for people with a BMI of over 27 with two or more obesityrelated conditions. Like surgery, drugs do not the place of a regular diet and exercise program. With regards to other medical solutions, there are three most commonly prescribed FDA-approved weight-loss medications. They are Orlistat, Sibutramine, and Phentermine. Orlistat - Orlistat is a fat-blocker. It blocks about 30 percent of dietary fat from being absorbed in the body. This undigested fat is removed from the body in bowel movements. Patients usually take one capsule three times a day with each meal. Side effects include oily bowel movements, stomach pain, increased number of bowel movements, and irregular menstrual periods. Sibutramine - Sibutramine is an appetite suppressant. People normally take it once a day with or without food. It is approved for long-term use, but it can be habitforming. Side effects include headache, constipation, insomnia, mood changes, and stomach pain. Phentermine - Phentermine is also an appetite suppressant. People usually take it one single dose in the morning or three times a day 30 minutes before meals. Phentermine is not prescribed for long-term use and is usually only prescribed for three to six weeks. It can be habit-forming. Side effects of phentermine include dry mouth, unpleasant taste, diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting.
Is Weight Loss Surgery Your Best Option? Although weight loss surgery has helped thousands of Americans lose weight, improve their appearance, and improve their health, weight loss surgery may not be for you. Most of the time, you will find that weight loss surgeons require their patients to be at least eighty pounds overweight. If you are not as overweight as recommend, you may not even be able to undergo a weight loss surgery. While there are some individuals who opt for weight loss surgery right away, there are others who only use it as a last resort. Although weight loss surgery, like gastric bypass surgery or lap-band surgery, is more than worth it, you may be able to lose your excess weight without having to spend a large amount of money doing so. Another factor that you should take into consideration, when determining if weight loss surgery is right for you, is your health. If you are overweight, have you been noticing any other health problems or has your doctor outlined the importance of losing weight for your health? If this has happened, you may not have a choice when it comes to undergoing weight loss surgery. For some individuals, weight loss surgery is, literally, lifesaving. As it was previously mentioned, two popular weight loss surgeries include gastric bypass surgery and lap-band surgery. Gastric bypass surgery requires the stapling of the stomach, whereas lap-band surgery involves an adjustable or removable band. When deciding which weight loss surgery you should undergo, your decision will need to be made in conjunction with a healthcare professional. When examining weight loss surgeries, you will find that most surgeries reduce the stomach pouch size. For that reason, your ability to follow all instructions given to you is important. After undergoing a weight loss surgery, like lap-band surgery or gastric bypass surgery, your healthcare professional will likely request that you develop yourself an exercise plan, as well as eat healthy. With weight loss surgeries that involve the reduction of the stomach pouch, an over consumption of food can be harmful to your weight loss, as well as dangerous to your health.
BEHAVIORAL CHANGES Obesity is a lifestyle, and conquering obesity is a lifestyle also. Losing focus is a common problem with those who are trying to lose weight and keep it off. Most of us do not have goals, and are generally not in the habit of goal setting. Many of us think we have goals, because we have stated what we want. However, if we haven’t written them down in completely positive language, and eliminated goals that conflict with each other, then we don’t truly have goals. What is positive language? A statement that uses positive words and not negative words toward achieving a goal. An example of a positive statement would be, “I weigh 150 pounds. I am fit and trim, and full of energy.” To the contrary, examples of negative statements are, “I will not be fat anymore. I will not overeat. I am sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. I will not eat fattening foods.” While these negative statements appear to say what you want at first, they truly only say what you don’t want, and the subconscious mind does not know the difference between want and not, it only focuses on subjects. Therefore, if you speak of not being fat, it only hears being fat; if it hears you speak of not overeating, it only hears overeating; and if it hears you being sick and tired of being sick and tired, it only actually registers being sick and tired. The subconscious is very literal, so use positive language at all times. Notice I also made the statement in the present tense, even though I may currently be 210 pounds and not 160. The subconscious mind does not register the words “I will” either, because it has no concept of past and future. Think of dreams; have you ever dreamed of something and it seemed like it was an episode that took forever, yet when you awoke you realized the entire dream sequence took place in minutes while you dozed off? Or have you experienced a dream where people you know may look as they did many years ago? This is because the subconscious is simply storing images and words as they happen, not in past or future tense. It is important therefore to speak into your life what you want, and not what you don’t want. Developing your goals is a process, and will help you in your quest to becoming motivated and staying that way. Ask yourself why you want to lose weight. Carry around a notepad and pen for a few days and write down every benefit you can think of that relates to weight loss. You will use these to develop not only a goal, but also a mission statement. Some common examples are wanting to have more energy to spend quality time with family and friends, being able to fit into all your clothes, improving your health for longevity, wanting to feel comfortable in public, desiring to climb stairs or perform daily tasks without becoming breathless or fatigued, wanting to be more active with your children, or wanting to wear a nice outfit you saw. In a few days, you should be able to write a statement similar to this: “By August 31st I weigh 150 pounds. I eat foods that are healthy for me, and I enjoy them. I am able to fit into that nice bikini I saw at the beach shop last month, and I look awesome in it. I am able to run and play with my children and have boundless energy. I remain energized throughout the day and am very alert at work. I feel great while following my new meal and exercise plan, and am happy that I am making changes that will improve my health and longevity, so that I am alive and healthy for myself and my loved ones for a long time.” Of course you will customize your statement to fit your life, but you get the point. Make sure all of your statements are positive and in the here and now. The next step is to keep focused on your goals. Once you write your statement down, keep it posted where you can see it daily, such as next to your bathroom mirror, or stuck on the refrigerator door. You must keep your goals literally in front of you in order to maintain focus. The mind begins to steer you in the direction that you are focused on, just as you steer a car down the road. Letting your goals out of your focus is like looking down or away while driving, or letting go of the steering wheel: eventually you will crash. Let’s avoid the crash and plan for success. The first week is always the hardest regardless of what your eating plan is, whether it be low fat, low carbohydrate or anything else you will no doubt feel the uncomfortable feeling of hunger pangs at first. The good news is that if you can make it through the first two weeks you will have a significantly better chance of meeting your goal. Your appetite will become significantly smaller, which will likely escape your notice at first. Realize that you aim to succeed by all means, but not meeting your goal does not mean total failure. If you end up cheating or missing a scheduled workout its not the end of the world. Beware of beating yourself up and deeming yourself a failure, and instead accept that everyone makes mistakes and get back up on your horse and right back on your plan. We're all human and we are bound to fail once and awhile. Another obstacle especially amongst Americans is that we tend to want instant gratification. Perhaps it is the trappings of automated society and high standards of living, but we want things to happen here and now. Keep in mind that this is a process, and things will not happen overnight. There is never something for nothing, so you must give things time to work Especially with the more natural lifestyle-change plans mentioned earlier, it can take weeks before you see improvements; give it time. If after about a month you don't see anything happening, you can then assess what you are doing and make some adjustments. It is great to build alliances with people who are striving to reach the same type of goals you are, and avoid spending excessive time with those who do not share the same goal you do-at least in the beginning of your new regimen. You might want to make an assessment of who you spend time with currently and what practices you engage in with them. Do you have regular associates that you binge with? Do you often go out with friends or family and visit restaurants that serve unhealthy foods? Although this is probably the hardest thing to do, you will have to excuse yourself from such activities for a while in order to accomplish your goal as you build up will power. After a few weeks, your habits will have changed and you will be able to resist temptation a lot better than you used to. One good practice is to exercise with a friend. Studies show that people who exercise with a friend are more successful at exercising consistently. You can keep each other accountable. Knowing that someone is waiting for you to exercise with them can be great motivation to show up and get it done.
Diet change strategies: Genetics does play a role in obesity, of course, but not as big a role as you do. Most health experts say that the concept of genes compelling you to be heavy is a myth. For the vast majority of us, genes may set the lower limits of our weight, but we set the upper limits by our food choices. Nonetheless, we all know that most of us tend to put on weight as we age. In addition, if there is one thing we cannot prevent, it is the aging process. But we can prevent eating more and exercising less as we get older. And first of all, you have to have surgeries for food control in your life, strategies that work. Good Nutrition
Good nutrition coupled with exercise is the key to being able to lose weight. Good nutrition is the key ingredient to improving your chances for weight loss. But we’re not talking crash diets here, or plain old starving yourself. We are talking about eating healthy and making sure your portions match the number of calories you need on a daily basis. It is believed that if you can create a 500-calorie deficiency every day between exercise and nutrition, you can lose up to a pound a week. Your calorie intake For example: If you were an adult male eating 3,500 calories per day you can drop 250 calories from your diet and increase your energy consumption from exercise by 250 calories. If you can do this everyday, you will create a 3,500-calorie deficiency over the entire week – and that is the equivalent of one fat pound. In order to lose weight you need to find a 500-calorie deficiency everyday. Do it through exercise AND reducing what you eat. Minimum Calorie Intakes Women should not consume less than 1,200 calories per day, or 1,000 less than your maintenance value (how many calories you need to keep your weight steady). The Harris-Benedict formula is one of the leading ways to calculate your maintenance value. Men should not consume less than 1,800 calories per day, or 1,000 less than your maintenance value. If you try a crash diet, where you are only consuming 1,000 calories per day and working out, or getting exercise, sure, you will lose weight. But, it isn’t going to stay off. When you don’t give your body enough fuel, it starts to consume the muscles in your body. As we learned earlier, the muscles are an important part of being able to metabolize your foods. • Eating too little is not the way to have sustained weight loss. • You risk burning muscle of you crash diet by not eating anything. Your body will consume your muscle tissue, actually making it more difficult to keep the weight off down the road. • Eating much less slows your metabolism. You aren’t eating enough food to keep your metabolism running on high octane.
Tracking your calories It might take a little bit of effort, but each food has a written caloric value on the packaging. If you take the time to notice what is on the package you will be able to monitor what your calorie intake is. When you can do this, you will be able to keep tabs on what you are eating and whether or not you are meeting your target intake levels. If you want to be serious about losing weight, then you need to take the matter into your own hands. Don’t just slap a healthy portion of lasagna on your plate and start chowing down. Calculate how many calories are in a reasonable serving and go from there. Remember there is probably a high-fat Caesar salad, dinner rolls, and probably another vegetable sitting on the table. You are going to have to monitor each of those in order to come up with a good caloric value from this meal. Most meals will have you in between 500 and 1,000 calories. This is a good target area. If you can calculate where you actually fit in there with each particular meal, you will be able to get a better idea of your plan for losing weight. What are the Calories in food?
WEIGHT-LOSS RECOMMENDATIONS So what should you eat if you’re trying to lose weight? The majority of obese people eat too much, and they eat too much of the bad stuff. But even if you’re eating the good stuff, you can still eat too much. So, you first need to know what to eat, and second, you need to learn how to recognize when you’re full and when you’re really hungry. It’s also important to remember that your weight should be lost gradually. Don’t expect miracles overnight like some fad diets promise. When you first start dieting, you will probably lose more water weight, therefore you may be losing more pounds initially. But, if you’re doing it right, your weight loss will slow down to an average of one to two pounds per week. Studies have shown that you can only lose three pounds of fat per week, so anything over that is water loss or muscle loss, which you need to stay away from. AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDATIONS The American Heart Association recommends that you eat a variety of foods from the different food groups. Meat, Poultry, Fish - You should consume no more than 6 ounces of meat, poultry, and fish per day. Lean cuts of poultry and fish have fewer calories than fatty red meat, but you can find lean cuts of red meat in your supermarket. Breads, Cereals, Starches - This food group includes bread, cereal, pasta, rice, and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. You can have six servings from this food group a day. A serving size is 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of cereal, and 1cup of rice, pasta, or ¼ to ½ cup of starchy veggies. So, if you eat Remember here, that whole grain is best. When you can, choose whole-grain bread, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta instead of their white counterparts that have been stripped of nutrients and fiber. Vegetables and Fruits - Fruits and vegetables are essential parts of your diet because they contain a variety of vitamins and nutrients. You can have five or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables. A serving size is ½ cup to 1 cup of cooked and raw vegetables, ½ cup of fruit juice, or one medium piece of fruit. Aim to choose a variety of colors in your diet because they have different vitamins and minerals. Let’s examine the colors you should include in your diet every day. Red - Red fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that help keep your heart and urinary tract healthy. They also help with your memory and lower your risk of some cancers. When it comes to red, choose from apples, cherries, strawberries, tomatoes, red peppers, and radishes, to name a few. Yellow/Orange - Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that keep your heart, vision, and immune system healthy. Some yellow and orange fruits and veggies include apricots, lemons, peaches, cantaloupe, yellow squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Green - Green fruits and vegetables help lower your risk of some cancers and keep your bones and teeth strong. Choose foods like green grapes, broccoli, avocados, spinach, green apples, and limes. Blue/Purple - Blue and purple fruits and vegetables lower the risk of some cancers and keep your urinary tract healthy. They also help maintain your memory function. Some delicious blue and purple foods are blackberries, blueberries, raisins, plums, eggplant, and purple cabbage. White - White foods promote your heart health, and if you already have healthy cholesterol, they’ll help maintain those levels. Bananas, pears, cauliflower, mushrooms, and garlic are tasty options you can fit into your meal plan. Milk Products - If you love dairy products, the good news is that you can still eat them and lose weight. However, choose low-fat or fat-free products. They contain the same vitamins and minerals, taste good, and lower your cholesterol all at the same time. Adults aged 19-50 should have three servings of milk products per day. A serving of dairy is 1 cup of fat-free or low-fat milk, 1 cup of fat-free or low-fat yogurt, 1 ounce of low-fat cheese (stay away from fat-free cheeses-they have too much sodium) or a ½ cup of low-fat cottage cheese. Fats - You should have no more than five servings of fats a day in the form of oil, nuts, seeds, olives, avocado, and mayonnaise. Fat servings include one teaspoon of oil, three teaspoons of nuts or seeds, 5-10 olives, 1/8 of an avocado and two teaspoons of mayonnaise. If you love the taste of butter on your vegetables, use a fat-free imitation butter spray. It really doesn’t taste that much different. Vitamin & Nutrient Associations
Further reading through our articles on health issues will give you a body of information that will help you decide what options you have to deal with the underlying causes of your morbid obesity problem through giving your body the nutrition products that will assist you body to heal from the inside out. We wish you well in your search for solutions to this problem and your movement towards better health in all areas. More Resources available about morbid obesity : Dealing With Childhood Obesity Obesity is a scary thing because it creeps up on you. Being a little cuddly, well built, of even a bit solid are things that are socially acceptable and really quite normal in today’s world. The trouble is that there is no clear divider between “well rounded”, chubby, over weight, obese and then potentially, morbidly obese. There are a lot of factors can affect the balance of diet, exercise and metabolism to push things further out of balance. Some people have specific health problems, like thyroid issues, that make it harder than it is for normal people to control their weight. Others have accidents or illness that affects their ability to exercise and slowly the kilos increase. These things make it harder but I have seen dozens and dozens of people with these problems who search out the information available on weight control, get themselves on a good nutrition program and turn their lives around. The day comes when the scales are not just unfriendly but are very mean in the things they say to you. Reading the medical charts you find that what was once being a little over weight has somehow moved into the obese category. It happens gradually and you can still do the things you need to do every day but the long term affects are frightening.
What are some meal replacement smoothie recipes? The most commonly used method to determine if a person is obese is to look at his/her Body Mass Index (BMI). A person with a BMI over 30 is considered to be obese, and a BMI over 40 is considered to be morbidly obese. Find out your BMI Level here: BMI CALCULATOR What are the Calories in food?
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Many more children between the ages of two years old and five years old are already on there way to becoming the next generation of obese teens, and eventually obese adults and obese seniors. 
