Overcoming Obesity and Achieving a Healthy Weight

Shedding the Pounds: Few natural ways to Overcoming Obesity and Achieving a Healthy Weight.

Obesity is common, serious, and costly. Obesity is no longer just a lifestyle concern—it is a public health crisis in India.

According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), over 23% of Indian men and 24% of Indian women are overweight or obese, with urban areas showing significantly higher numbers. The World Obesity Federation projects that by 2035, over 27 million Indian children could be overweight or obese if current trends continue.

The National Health Portal of India defines obesity as the accumulation of abnormal or excessive fat that harms health, typically with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more. In India, obesity not only strains healthcare systems but also impacts workforce productivity, family well-being, and economic output.

This epidemic is putting a strain on families, affecting overall health, health care costs, productivity, and military readiness. Obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and also to mental illness (caused by lack of productivity or inferiority complex) Obesity is really the cause of most of the other diseases and often leads to relationship disputes.

Following are some common causes of Obesity, however it can also be hereditary.

Sedentary lifestyle and work i.e desk top work like receptionist, sales in a retail showroom or computer based work

Lack of regular physical exercises, i.e. Yoga, Running, Swimming, sports etc,
Toxic relationships & stress,
Unbalanced Diet & Lifestyle - i.e. late in sleep and late in wakeup,
Incorrect seating postures (Reclining seats and sofas leading to spine not straight)
and Child birth can also lead to obesity among women post pregnancy.

Following are some tips for natural weight loss (Suitable for all age groups and all locations).

Do's

Reduce and gradually stop buying outside food and packaged snacks, as they contain preservatives and artificial colors which are harmful for your digestive system, leading to gradual indigestion issues. Indigestion leads to obesity, as the undigested food gets accumulated in your body. Hence, prefer freshly cooked home cooked food, and seasonal fruits and salads.
Drink Alkaline Water to improve metabolism.
Drink lukewarm water before meals but do not drink water, cola or any other aerated drink immediately after your meals.
If you are a non-vegetarian, you must gradually shift to a vegan / vegetarian diet, and increase the intake of fresh fruits and nuts (Frugivorous diet)
Drink natural fresh fruit juices and coconut water early morning. (Avoid packaged or canned fruit juices)
Intermittent Fasting - This can have different meanings for different people. You can do it daily or once a week (maybe on a Sunday) when you allow your stomach to detox and take rest. This fasting involves not having any food for 14 - 16 hours in a stretch, ideally you can skip your dinner and drink just lukewarm water. (Pls do not have snacks or tit bits to cover up the fast)
Practice regular exercises, Yoga, Pranayama and Jogging early in the morning in a park or natural open-air environment. Bare foot jogging on grass is especially beneficial compared to a closed environment of a gym - treadmill brisk walk.
Routine Yoga practices specially the hip and abdomen region (to activate the basic chakra)
Take Sunbath, Sauna, Steam, massages on a regular basis (Weekly, Fortnightly or monthly depending on your gym or club membership plans) . It helps loosen the fatty tissues and reduce visceral fat. Routine body massaging / deep tissue spa with sesame oil will help loosen up the fatty tissues with sea salt application
Wake up early and practice deep breathing practice (Alom Vilom) where you breathe in from one nostril and breathe out from the other nostril, by covering the nostrils with your index finger.
Regular daily Meditation - Download the SRF / YSS Mobile app from your App Store or Play Store and practice the free guided meditation practices

Don'ts

avoid aerated drinks, colas, alcohol especially beer
Reduce your weekly intake of packaged outside food, i.e. chips, burgar, pizza, breads (Avoid maida based food)
Switch to a vegetarian diet - Its difficult to stop directly, so you can gradually reduce your meat intake and then completely stop non veg

March 4 is World Obesity Day. According to figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, four in ten American adults now have a body mass index at 30 or above, classifying them as obese. This has climbed since the turn of the century, when it was approximately three in ten people

Overcoming Obesity and Achieving a Healthy Weight

Overcoming Obesity and Achieving a Healthy Weight

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