Over the last few decades, the medical world came to realize that obesity is, in its own way, just as dangerous as any disease. The prevalence of high calorie food with low nutritional value and a sedentary lifestyle has become a deadly combination that turned the more than half the American population overweight.

A person is said to be obese if his or her body mass index (BMI) is 31-40. The BMI is a standardized measurement of a person's ideal weight in relation to his or her height and age. Body fat is not evil in and of itself. It serves as cushion, insulator, and as a ready source of energy. However, too much of a good thing is always bad for you. Obesity has been linked to heart disease, type II diabetes, stroke, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and some forms of cancer.

As awareness of the health issues associated with obesity increased people started watching their weight. Canny businessmen quickly noticed the trend and the weight-losing industry boomed. Exercise machines, wonder pills, and diets (usually consisting of only one type of food eaten for all three meals a day) promised unhappily overweight people that they would lose pounds in no time at all. Unfortunately, not all products and exercise regimes out there are created equal. Exercise machines only work if you use them faithfully and regularly while some diet fads and dietary supplements are not only ineffective, they are even downright dangerous. With the myriad of choices out there, it can be difficult to pick just one exercise regime to help you shed those excess pounds.

The first thing you should know is that quick and safe weight loss can't be achieved in a day or even a week, by vitamin supplements, dieting or rigorous exercise alone. To lose weight effectively, you need a good balance of all three. Fat build up in the body when you consume more calories than you need. The extra calories you did not use get converted into fat. This is the body's way of helping the human race survive. This was useful back in the days when we were still hunters-gatherers, it was essential for us to have a goodly supply of stored energy when winter rolled around and food became scarce. So the obvious solution to this problem would be to -

a) Consume fewer calories per day while burning the same amount of energy
b) Expend more energy while consuming the same amount of calories, and
c) Lessen your calorie consumption while increasing your daily activities.

The lattermost option would be the best as it is the most sensible way to get rid of those extra pounds. It is also the most difficult one as it involves cutting back on delicious treats such as anything deep fried, carbohydrate-rich foods, and sweets.

Remember that when looking for a diet, dietary supplement, or exercise regime to follow, pick the one that suits you. Your weight loss diet should be something that you can realistically stick to. If you pick one of those forced-starvation type of diet, you will end up bingeing on you favorite food and gain weight instead of losing it. Watch out for those herbal supplements that scream 'instant' weight loss in their ads. There is no such thing. Don't forget to get your doctor's clearance before engaging in any type of vigorous exercise. Start slow and increase the number of repetitions gradually, letting your body adjust.

Losing weight doesn't have to be a drastic, life-altering thing. One small change at a time works too. Walking a few blocks everyday, snacking on carrot sticks instead of doughnuts, steak once a month instead of once a week. As long as you are consistent and committed to lose weight, in the end, it will all add up and you will be surprised when you look in the mirror and see a different you.

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