Should we examine some of the latest research and actions suggested that has been made available on the subject of Obesity?

- Can we rely on BMI? No. Don’t rely on BMI (Body Mass Index - the ratio of your weight in kilos- or pounds - to the square of your height in meters – or feet)
- Is BMI enough to tell the whole story? An assessment of a person's health risk due to being overweight should also take into account the amount of lean mass or muscle, which reduces health risk, and where the fat is distributed on the body. For instance around the waist presents a higher risk than around the hips.
- Is being overweight usually a sign which proceeds being obese? Yes, this is the tendency. So everyone who is overweight, adults and children alike, should reduce weight (we emphasize FAT rather than weight) by changing to a healthy diet and doing more exercise. N.B.: We would suggest you refer to any loss being aimed at as “Fat Loss” rather than weight loss, because “weight” will include important and necessary muscle tissue.
- What is the Medical profession doing about this quote? We cannot afford to wait for this research to begin addressing the problem of overweight in our patients and in our society.
- Do you agree that with more emphasis and education on “Prevention”, we could shorten this time span? Quote - It may take decades to reverse the health threats, experts say.
- Yet another fantastic opportunity in the fight against child obesity? September 24, 2007 - The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, announced an unprecedented effort to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. The Princeton, N.J.-based philanthropy said it plans to spend at least $500 million over the next five years on public health efforts focusing on kids and families in underserved communities. How are they doing? Can they pass on any of their studies to the obesity world?
- A mark against Fathers in the obesity war? December 17, 2007- Preschool age children may be more likely to have a higher body mass index -- an indicator of being overweight or obese -- when their fathers are either permissive or disengaged as parents, a study finding suggests.
- Does Depression and Obesity Coexist in Many Middle-Aged Women? Those 40 to 65 twice as likely to find either symptom fuels the other, study suggests
- Could the rising levels of obesity bankrupt the NHS? Yes, a British Medical Journal report warns, if left unchecked,. Experts, including government A&E tsar George Alberti and Glasgow University professor Naveed Sattar, said obesity treatment took up 9% of the NHS budget.
- Does Fast Food contribute to the obesity epidemic? A study published in the Lancet medical journal found those who frequently ate fast food gained 10 pounds more than those who did so less often, and were more than twice as likely to develop an insulin disorder linked to diabetes.
- Is this the reality regarding obesity? The World Health Organization estimates obesity has tripled in the past two decades and that one in 10 children and one in five adults will be obese in Europe and Central Asia by 2010 unless action is taken. Dr. Meera Shekar, senior nutrition specialist with the World Bank, says malnutrition slices 2 to 3 percent off gross domestic product in the hardest-hit countries, and obesity could cost the same.
- Is your waistline expanding? If you're wondering why your waistline is expanding, don't watch what you eat. Watch how you eat. Those who wolf down dinner apparently treble their risk of being overweight.
- The “Couch Potato? A British Medical Journal Online First blames the couch potato lifestyles of fast food, larger portions, TV dinners and the demise of family mealtimes for contributing to the problem.
- Do you eat until you feel full and quickly? Osaka University, Japan, carried out a study involving 3,200 Japanese men and women aged 30-69 years between 2003 and 2006.
  The group of participants who said they ate 'until full and ate quickly' had a higher body mass index or BMI, the scoring system that measures obesity levels. If you eat slowly then there is some feedback from the brain that this is enough.
  It could be that the joint impact of eating fast and until full overrides signals in the brain which would normally encourage a little more self control, which helps stop you from eating before you are full.
- You must chew your food thoroughly. Do you? The great dietary gurus of a century ago stressed the importance of chewing food for a long time and eating slowly, and those messages are even more important today.
- Do you fully understand the difference between Muscle and Fat? There is much confusion and frustration being caused by lack of knowledge as to the differences between Muscle and Fat in the Human Body. It is vital that the differences be fully understood and appreciated.
- Are you aware how alarming the financial cost of obesity is? EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou told Reuters in an interview that Obesity-related illnesses are estimated to account for as much as 7 percent of healthcare costs across the 27-member bloc.
- Did you hear of the EU & EUFA Ad campaign for Exercise? The European Commission and European Soccer's Governing Body UEFA announced they were teaming up in an advertising campaign aimed at getting people, particularly children, to take up exercise.
  The campaign -- with the slogan "go on, get out of your armchair, get active" -- will be broadcast to around 100 million viewers during each Champions League match week from September until the May end of the soccer season. UEFA has given the 30-second slot for free.

Have you read these facts from the World Health Organization? If yes, the big question is: How many obese people have noted the facts, taken the advice and acted positively to change their lifestyle habits?

- Globally, there are more than 1 billion overweight adults, at least 300 million of them obese.
- Obesity and overweight pose a major risk for chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and certain forms of cancer.
- The key causes are increased consumption of energy-dense foods high in saturated fats and sugars, and reduced physical activity.

What can we do about our consumption of energy-dense foods high in saturated fats and sugars, and reduced physical activity?

- Effective weight management for individuals and groups at risk of developing obesity involves a range of long-term strategies.
These include prevention, weight maintenance, management of co-morbidities and weight loss.
They should be part of an integrated, multi-sectoral, population-based approach, which includes environmental support for healthy diets and regular physical activity.

What do the key elements for general fat reduction include:

- Creating supportive population-based environments through public policies that promote the availability and accessibility of a variety of low-fat, high-fiber foods, and that provide opportunities for physical activity.
- Promoting healthy behaviors to encourage, motivate and enable individuals to lose weight by: - eating more fruit and vegetables, as well as nuts and whole grains; - engaging in daily moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes; - cutting the amount of fatty, sugary foods in the diet; - moving from saturated animal-based fats to unsaturated vegetable-oil based fats.
- Mounting a clinical response to the existing burden of obesity and associated conditions through clinical programs and staff training to ensure effective support for those affected to lose weight or avoid further weight gain.

In summary format, what do overweight (over-fat) and obese sufferers need to do?

- Take smaller mouthfuls of food, so as to allow them to spread the contents over as large an area as possible whilst chewing the contents to its maximum – change the contents from food to nutrients to eventually be absorbed in to the system.
- By adhering to this eating method, they will eat less, enjoy it more and provide the digestive system with what it needs and how it needs it.
- Eat in a relaxed mode without tension and aggravation.
- Avoid sloshing the food down with sodas and the like. If anything, enjoy a glass of wine.
- Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water per day, starting the day off with a glass of water rather than a coffee or tea.
- Be aware of your posture whilst seated. Don’t slouch forward but sit upright with a good back support.
- Don’t rely on one large meal a day. Rather have at least 3 or more smaller meals.
- Slowly try to include fresh vegetables and fruits in to the daily menus. The ideal is to eventually consume a combination of up to five per day, including cooked vegetables.
- It is preferable to have fruits before rather than after a meal.

Does Muscle turn to Fat if you stop exercising?

Fat is Fat & Muscle is Muscle!

There is much confusion and frustration being caused by lack of knowledge as to the differences between Muscle and Fat in the Human Body.
1. It is often the case that so-called “thin” people could be carrying too much “fat”. Their muscle structure and proportion of “Muscle” and “Fat” in their bodies can also be out of the healthy ratios.
2. The best method of checking your muscle, fat and water percentages and weight in the body is through the means of a simple Body Composition test that is non-invasive. Once your height and sex is recorded, it will measure body weight, percentage body fat and percentage of water in your body in relation to total weight. At this stage you can determine how much FAT needs to be lost, which must not be confused with weight loss which will include loss of muscle – just the opposite of what the aim is and what almost always happens when dieting.
3. Below is an illustration of 2.27 kg. (5 lbs.) of Muscle (on the left) seen against the same weight of Fat.
4. Besides the volume differential - +- three times – muscle is made up of 65 – 75% water whilst fat contains about 15%.
5. Another essential ingredient when discussing fat loss is to know in to which body type you fall in to. A heavyweight wrestler will find it a problem to finish up with a body of a marathon runner. This is important so that you will have a realistic target and picture in mind of what you will look like at the end of the period of treatment or discipline.
6. It is also a fact that if you include an exercise program (especially a strength or muscle building program) together with a nutritional plan, you will lose FAT, the main aim, but may be despondent because your body weight may have increased. This is normal and in fact a good sign. The Fat will soon start disappearing. You may find that your shape has changed, so although you may have gained kilos or pounds, you can surprisingly fit in to smaller size clothing that had been impossible for so long.
7. Why am I explaining these facts? To emphasize that the “language” being used in talking about overweight and obesity in general as well as through the media or by the medical profession MUST BE CHANGED FROM “WEIGHT LOSS” TO “FAT LOSS”.
8. Muscle cannot turn in to fat and fat cannot turn in to muscle.

Can or does Dieting make you Fat?

Have you ever heard of the saying? “Dieting makes you Fat”? DIETS have proven time & again to be a failure. In fact, dieting without a professionally designed and supervised exercise program does not only have a 90% chance of failure, but research and statistics have shown that you will have even gained more fat than you carried before the diet whilst you will have lost a substantial amount of the good stuff – muscle!

Why is there such an abundance of Diet books?

Simply because most diets do not work!



Photo: 5 Pounds of Fat (right) vs. 5 Pounds of Muscle (left)
Important note: Never lose Muscle – Aim always to lose the excess Fat!

Is Obesity a man-made disease?

Anyone falling in to the unfortunate category of weighing too much, whether it be classified as “overweight” or “obese”, will have to admit that trying to adhere to these guidelines is much more preferable than suffering from any one or more of the many diseases that will arise from poor eating habits.

There is no doubt whatsoever, that obesity is a MAN-MADE disease that is preventable! So we urge you to take control today and now – it is never too late. It must certainly be preferable as well, to having surgery either to cure a diseased condition, or to subject oneself to one of the many forms of stomach and intestine reduction surgeries.

Is Bariatric or similar surgical procedures the answer?

Quote: “Exercise is important, even after bariatric surgery.”

“Bariatric surgery is becoming a mainstream method of treating obesity. Despite the many risks of surgery, thousands of Americans undergo the procedure every year. Several different types of bariatric surgery exist, but they all involve altering the digestive tract to reduce food intake and nutrient absorption. Although the surgery generally results in drastic weight loss, experts agree that those who undergo bariatric surgery should be highly physically active to maintain weight loss and overall health after the procedure.”

Do you have all the facts about correct Eating methods, Stretching and Exercise program instead of the surgery?

Most people do not have all the facts or have not been educated about the needs of the Human Body. It is that simple.

They are possibly afraid of making a commitment, or adhering to new disciplines, or heard too many stories about the failure of diets, and/or do not understand the really simple needs and requirements of their bodies.

It is seldom heard, if ever, that anyone who provides their body with its needs is suffering hardships or pine for bad habits.

Their lives are generally more fulfilling, energetic, disease free and being enjoyed to the utmost.

Is the message about correct eating habits and exercise getting across?

Quote: “Part of the problem is that the message about eating well is necessarily more complicated than the messages of other health campaigns. The recommendations for preventing tobacco-related illnesses are pretty straightforward: Don't smoke. But given that "don't eat" is not an option, there isn't such a concise recommendation for eating well and staying fit. It's more like, "Eat plenty of these, and not so much of that or those, and remember to exercise a lot."

Unfortunately that sort or message is too vague and too general to be understood and/or to propel the overweight and obese to react and make some urgent positive changes. You need the guidance and step-by-step supervision and encouragement that “Me & My Body” is able to provide.

Once you make up your mind and understand that YOU are the only one that has the power to take control of your lifestyle habits, and that there is an alternative to being fat, you will be making a life-saving decision.

Who will guide me with eating, stretching and exercise?

We will slowly guide you in to a routine of

BETTER EATING HABITS,

FOLLOWED BY LIGHT STRETCHING AND THEN MILD EXERCISES.