One way to know if you are obese is to check your Body Mass Index (BMI) and if it is 30 or higher, you’re considered obese. You are at a higher risk for developing Coronary Artery disease, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, diabetes, stroke, neuropathy and other health problems than individuals with a lower BMI.
Obesity varies with several factors, including genetic, cultural, behavior and lifestyle.
After the holidays, we usually make a resolution to lose weight. The best way to lose weight is to control your intake of food, particularly of excess carbohydrates, sweets and soft drinks. One should also avoid eating after 6 p.m., avoid cold foods, increase physical activity, and develop more muscle mass.
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One should take 6 – 8 small meals per day, roughly the size of your palm, and you will go through your day less hungry and thinking about food. You will avoid the highs and lows of blood sugar, leading to mood swings, low energy and headaches. Also, the small meals will have your digestive system less taxed spending less time to digest meals. Be sure to thoroughly chew your food for a while before swallowing. This also makes it easier for your digestive system to work properly.
Avoid eating foods right out of the refrigerator. That means less drinking of ice cold beverages, salads, and foods that are not at least warmed up to room temperature. Ayurveda and Chinese medicine look at this as lowering the “Stomach fire” or Agni, that is, of interfering with the enzymatic action of digestion. When digestion is impaired, according to Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine, one gains weight, and retains undigested food in the intestines. The solution would also be to do a digestive cleanse with the Chinese Herbal formulaBao He Wan (Preserve the Harmony Pills) and/or the Ayurvedic standard calledTriphala.
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By avoiding eating after 6 p.m. you induce the fat burning mechanism of your body. Since the body is going into “fasting” mode, it will begin to burn off excess reserves overnight. A good way to stave off hunger pangs in the middle of the night is to drink a warm glass of water or tea, or even a clear broth.
It is important that you walk at least 30 minutes twice per day, everyday. If you do, by the end of the week you will have amassed 7 hours of exercise per week. That will burn off approximately 2940 calories – which is about a good holiday big binge!
By developing more muscle mass, you have increased your metabolism to burn even more. With more muscle mass, your caloric requirements are greater, and if you eat the same amount of food, you will have automatically lost weight! Mild weight training like the clean and press and deadlift are great, but you should get instruction in these drills. Body weight exercises such as push-ups, squats, and crunches also help.
These simple tips can contribute to your overall well being. Of course, if you need help, we have other methods of natural healing to help.
Robert Chu, PhD, L.Ac., QME
1028 N. Lake Aveune, Suite 107
Pasadena, CA 91104
U.S.A.
(626) 345-0441 Clinic
(626) 487-1815 Cell/VM
