According to the Center for Disease Control (2008), the number of overweight people in the United States has almost doubled since the mid-seventies, resulting in approximately two-thirds of today’s population being overweight; and out of that number, half are morbidly overweight (obese). Moreover, as a result of this marked increase, obesity has become the leading cause of preventable death in this country (Carmona, 2008).
Contributing Factors to Obesity
There are several reasons why Americans have become increasingly rotund over the past 30 years. One main reason, however, is a decrease in physical activity. People have simply become more sedentary.
This lack of exercise is directly related to a corresponding increase in technology. People sit to surf the Web, answer e-mails, play computer games, or interact with other sedentary people on sites like MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube. They sit to watch high-definition wide-screen plasma televisions. They sit to use their cell-phones, IPods, Palm Pilots, Blackberries, and other electronic gadgetry. And the reality is, if people are sitting, they are expending only minimal calories.
Another contributing factor to America’s weight problem is its diet. In today’s fast-paced world, people rely upon fast food. It is convenient. The problem, however, is that most fast food is extremely high in calories. For example, a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder with Cheese contains 510 calories; a large serving of fries, 570; and if you add a large cola to the order, you also add an additional 353 calories, for a grand total of 1,433 calories (acaloriecounter.com).
The Best Way to Lose Weight
If you consume more calories than you expend, you will gain weight; continue to consume the same number of calories, and you will neither gain nor lose weight; consume fewer calories than you expend, and you will lose weight. Therefore, the secret to shedding unwanted pounds is either to consume fewer calories or to expend more calories.
Since 3,500 calories equals one pound, either decrease your caloric intake by 500 calories a day or increase your caloric expenditure by the same number and you will lose one pound a week. Of course, if you decrease the intake or increase the expenditure by more than 500 calories, you will lose more than one pound; but a loss of one to two pounds per week is considered a safe weight loss, as well as one that will not lead to feelings of deprivation and, ultimately, sabotage your diet.
The Strategy for Losing Weight
According to calorie expenditure tables, a person who weighs 130 pounds burns the following number of calories per hour for the listed activities:
- General House Cleaning = 207
- Walking 4 miles per hour = 236
- Bicycling 10 miles per hour = 236
- Running 5.2 miles per hour = 531
However, these activities may not appeal to you, and if not, then find something that does. Walk the dog, go swimming, take up fishing, or learn to play tennis. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you do something.
The other option, as previously mentioned, is the consumption of fewer calories; but in order to slash the number of calories consumed, you do not have to give up fast food. You simply need to make wiser decisions. For example, instead of the Quarter Pounder with cheese, choose a regular burger, for a reduction of 250 calories; and opt for a small order of fries and a diet soda, for a reduction of over 500 calories (acaloriecounter.com). Or strive for a healthier diet entirely and dine on a crisp green salad, although you really should exert some willpower and forego the croutons, bacon chips, shredded cheese, and creamy ranch dressing.
Carmona, R.; The Crisis is Obesity; Office of the Surgeon General; retrieved March 15, 2009
Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Overweight and Obesity; retrieved March 15, 2009
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