OVER WEIGHT CHILDREN
AND ADULTS
The first thing every overweight child or adult should know is;
"Diets Don't Work"
use these links or scroll down the page
The first thing every overweight child or adult should know is;
"Diets Don't Work"
use these links or scroll down the page
Once you become more familiar with healthier foods and physical activities, you will discover a whole new world of options that will not only satisfy you, but, will please you as well. When you start loosing weight, you will become more energetic, physically active and you will look and feel much better, but, most of all, you will be healthier both physically and mentally.
This section deals with the two very important aspects of losing weight; "Food and Physical Activity". Both are essential in the battle to loose weight and become a healthier person. The reason I don't call them "Diet and Exercise" is because diets are a temporary method of restricting your intake of food that only works for a short period of time, and exercise is not the only way to become physically active.
Please try to follow the guidelines below and set realistic goals for yourself. Since everyone looses weight at a different rate and some people loose easier than others, you should NOT weigh yourself, but, measure your success by how you feel. If you are one of those people who has a hard time keeping your weight under control, don't get discouraged, just keep on trying and NEVER give up on yourself. Be patient and realistic. Weight loss does not occur overnight. It takes a gradual improvement of your eating habits and a gradual increase in your physical activities to loose weight properly and become a healthier person.
Seek professional help if you need to and avoid people who are negative to your needs and goals.
Instead of concentrating on what not to eat, you should concentrate on what you should be eating. Instead of concentrating on the weight you want to loose, you should concentrate on becoming healthier. Instead of concentrating on weight lose as a way of doing without your favorite foods, you should consider it an opportunity to experience a whole new variety of good healthy things to eat.
During an "eating healthy" program, you should never feel hungry. Hunger only makes you crave the foods you are trying to limit in your diet. If you feel hungry, eat a piece of fruit or healthy snack. Use the "Some Great Substitutes" link below to help you find a satisfying, low fat alternative to high fat foods. Do not totally eliminate the high fat foods you now like to eat, but, try to eat them on a very limited basis.
Use the "Some Great Substitutes" section (use the link below) to give you ideas of what types of foods can be easily substituted for the unhealthy ones you now desire.
At mealtime, try to eat more slowly. This will make time for your stomach to tell your brain when it is full. Even if your meal tastes great and you only have one more bite left, you should always stop eating as soon as you feel full. Every additional bite will add calories and fat to your diet. If vegetables are not your favorite choice of foods, try eating them first when you are most hungry. At meal time, never save the best for last. This will only encourage you to finish your meal after you are already full.
When eating out, try to avoid "buffets" and "all you can eat" restaurants. They only make you eat more than you should.
Try to enjoy the selection of great healthy foods available to you. Experiment with frozen fruits such as grapes and bananas. Use 1% milk or skim milk with cereal and fruit for breakfast and fat free yogurt for a snack before lunch. It won't be easy at first, but it will become easier when you get used to the new way you experience food.
Beware of the low fat, low calorie foods on the market, they sometimes have allot of sugar and other starches that will turn to fat if you do not burn the calories. Pay special attention to serving sizes even on these types of foods. Eat all foods in moderation.
If you over eat or ate something you shouldn't have, don't give up. Try a little harder the next day. Remember, becoming a healthier person is something that is achieved over a period of time, and not in a week or two.
The most important thing to help you succeed at being a healthier person, is support from friends and relatives. Encourage your parents, friends and other people around you to help you accomplish your goals. Let them know how important it is for you to feel and look better than you do now.
You can loose weight without exercising, but, you cannot keep it off and become physically fit without it. Any type of physical activity may be considered exercise if it is done over a certain amount of time or distance. Whether you walk for half an hour after dinner or you ride a bike four or five miles to a friend's house, you will be helping your body burn fat and gain strength.
To make these types of activities work as exercises, you will also need to increase the amount of time you perform them or the distance from week to week. If you find walking for fifteen minutes an easy task, try increasing the speed at which you walk and add five minutes onto your time every week. This will gradually increase your strength and your ability to perform. Try using a walkman with your favorite music to help you control boredom.
Other forms of physical activities that can be considered exercise:
Without filling your head with pages of statistics and reasons for changing your eating habits, the following list will help you make the right decisions regarding your health and appearance. To be successful, however, you must gradually incorporate these wonderful changes into your daily life. Remember them and use them as a guideline to become healthier and more productive.
After loosing some weight, you will have more energy to perform some of the other exercises in the amateur-sports.com "Health and Fitness Program". You should stretch before, during and after any exercise and you must continue eating properly if you want to weigh less and become healthier.
Amateur-sports.com wishes you good luck and would like
to hear from you with your questions, comments, success stories or suggestions.
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