Humans are one of the most fascinating species in the world as our weight affects our self image. Most people understand that being healthy helps one feel and look good, but putting that knowledge to action is the toughest mental problem.
So how do you know you're overweight or obese? The standard assessment for people older than 20 is called the Body Mass Index known as the BMI that is a measure of body fat based on your weight in relation to your height.
Being overweight is defined as having BMI greater than or equal to 25 and lower than 30, while obesity is defined as having a BMI equal to or greater than 30.
America is #1 globally in many categories such as having the most prestigious universities and disposable income, but is also #1 in the wrong categories such as having the worst life expectancy, infant mortality, and obesity rate in the world.
Global Obesity or Globesity as coined by the World Health Organization (WHO) is real with 9 out of 10 Americans expected to be overweight by 2030. Currently, ⅓ of the world or 2.1 billion adults are overweight or obese. 13% of the global overweight population lives in the United States, a country which accounts for only 5% of the world's population.
When looking at obesity alone (BMI over 30), America is the fattest in the world with 35% of the population or 78 million obese adults. China follows at a distant second with 46 million obese and India with 30 million obese adults.
The 2008 Disney Film Wall E depicted the future obese world with people hovering around in mobility scooters watching ads and sipping soft drinks all day. 10 years later in 2018, Hollywood is not too far off from reality.
Not caring for your waistline will kill your bottom line as evident with the United States spending $344 billion of healthcare budget on obesity in 2018 which is 20% of the total healthcare budget.
Being overweight (BMI > 25) increases susceptibility to health risks such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and chronic kidney disease. It's worth knowing that 70% of deaths are lifestyle related and preventable. Unfortunately, the amount of people dying from cardiovascular disease is the equivalent of four jumbo jets or 2,000 people crashing every hour, every single day, every year totalling 17.5 million a year.
​Per the World Health Organization, over 400 million people worldwide have diabetes of which 30 million are from the United States. You, your family, and friends who cast aside health put yourself at risk of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and even death. Fortunately over 90% of diabetics are type 2 who can improve their health thru nutrition and exercise.
Having personally overcome obesity 3 times in life: childhood (Age 10), college Freshman 15 (Age 18), and corporate (Age 22) from staying in hotels and eating out 200 nights a year for 4 consecutive years, I got the wakeup call during my annual health physical weighing in at 160 pounds for a 5'2''guy - which is obese (29.3 BMI) on an Asian BMI scale.
In a rut personally and professionally, prioritizing nutrition and exercise helped me kill obesity for good. Within a year, I lowered my weight to 140 pounds for a 25.6 BMI. Doctors approve this BMI as the measure overestimates body fat for muscular and physically fit people. With commitment to disciplined nutrition and exercise, I've been able to maintain this BMI level and health ever since - unlike those who gain all their lost weight back after participating in a fad diet program.
These fad diet program lovers who are stuck in the vicious cycle of losing and gaining that same weight back are called yo-yo dieters. This happens time and time again as fad diets (cutting calories under 1,000 a day) don't work because it's temporary and not a permanently healthy lifestyle change.
With nutrition as 70% and exercise as 30% of the battle, our team helps clients understand their causes for overeating and desire for unhealthy foods. We dig deep into areas that contribute to your ongoing struggles with weight and body image issues. Our goal is for you to break your bad habits and form healthy habits for life thru in-home personal training or onsite group fitness. If you're ready to invest in your health, reach out to us and we'll help exercise on your journey to great health and happiness.