Obese vs. Overweight | Tips to Overcome Obesity | The Takeaway
Overview
Obesity in the U.S. has been rising steadily with few interruptions since 1999, making this condition a legitimate epidemic.[1] In fact, it’s projected that by 2030, most Americans will be overweight or obese![1]
That’s a frightening statistic when one considers the health drawbacks of being overweight, let alone obese.
Government, health advocates, and educational bodies have tried for years to stem this tide, but obesity and its inherent conditions continue to rise.
Technological advances have made sedentary lifestyles increasingly common, while cheap, ultra-processed foods designed to get taste buds to crave more have found their way onto our tables.
It may sound hopeless when one looks at it from this decidedly stark perspective. Still, the kind of change that needs to happen when carrying unhealthy amounts of body fat can be made successfully on an individual level.
Keeping this in mind, let’s look closely at obesity and some tips that can help you.
Obese vs. Overweight
Obesity is a body mass index (BMI) over 30.[2] BMI is a rule-of-thumb calculation that broadly categorizes human bodies based on body tissue and height.
Using the same method, someone considered ‘overweight’ would fall into the category just below obesity at a BMI range of 25 to 29.[2]
Although BMI is not a perfect form of measurement (for example, someone with a lot of muscle may be categorized as ‘overweight’ based on BMI but carry very little body fat), once the number reaches 30 and over, it’s very safe to assume that the person is in dangerous territory health-wise.
Carrying large amounts of body fat is a known precursor to certain types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and stroke.
If you find yourself in this situation and want to change, please know that it is possible to do so and even to reverse some of the adverse health effects of this condition.[3]
Tips to Overcome Obesity
Treating and overcoming obesity is more than just a matter of ‘shedding a few pounds or cutting out certain food groups for a meal or two here and there. It is a complex condition that requires a multi-functional approach to treatment for success to be realized.
Before implementing these tips, you should see your doctor to rule out any metabolic issues driving a predisposition to gain fat.
1. Realistic Goals
Fad diets may promise a lot of weight loss and successful maintenance for life, but there is fine print in everything that sounds too good to be true. The tried-and-true weight loss method for an obese person is a lower calorie intake combined with higher calorie expenditure. And yes, this means diet and exercise.
Don’t be put off by these words. Sure, they can be enough to strike fear into anyone who has yet to try either (and we mean really tried), but remember, we’re trying to be realistic here. It’s relatively easy to learn about what foods are considered high-calorie and what foods are considered low-calorie foods. It’s more challenging to apply this knowledge in real life.
First, calculate how many daily calories you need to remain at your current weight. Then, cut your total calories by around 600 calories per day to achieve a weight loss of about 1-2 lbs per week, which is generally considered safe and sustainable.
The easiest way to do this is to swap very high-calorie foods (think most fast food – burgers, fried chicken, and pizza are just a few examples) for lower-calorie, natural foods such as leaner meats that are stir-fried or baked, larger portions of non-starchy vegetables and high-fiber whole grains.
You may also try intermittent fasting. This approach is where you alternate between periods of not consuming calories and eating. An example would be fasting for 16 hours and confining meals to just eight hours of the day, every day. Intermittent fasting is not for everyone depending on health status, so please consult your doctor before considering this weight loss method.
2. Move
Humans are not meant to be sedentary. In fact, many bodily functions, such as blood circulation and digestion, depend on movement. Sedentary people have higher chances of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and overall mortality[4]. When one is obese, these risks start to rise exponentially.
Being active burns more calories revs up the metabolism so that more calories are burned while at rest, and provides physical conditioning that is even more important for moving freely for a long time into the future.
If you have a heart condition, diabetes, or high blood pressure, speak to your doctor before starting any exercise program to see if there are any limitations.
When you are ready to incorporate exercise into your lifestyle, remember to start reasonably, meaning don’t aim to run a marathon right away or set lifting records at the gym. It means beginning to appreciate movement and working up from there.
Walking, biking, stationary biking, recreational swimming, and aqua aerobics can all work here to get you started. Aim for 150 minutes of this moderate type of activity per week – considered the standard minimum by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As you start to lose weight and feel that your body can handle more activity, start incorporating resistance exercises such as lifting weights, using resistance bands, climbing stairs, or walking up steeper hills.
Muscle is far more metabolically active than fat, so the more muscle you build, the more calories you can burn long after exercising.
3. Setbacks Can Happen
Like many people trying to lose weight, this could be your first time trying to do so. Sometimes it takes a few tries for something to finally ‘stick.’
If you have overindulged at a meal, don’t think this is the end of the road, and certainly don’t beat yourself up over it. Losing weight is a change of lifestyle that doesn’t always happen overnight, so don’t get discouraged.
Get right back on your weight loss journey. Learn from the situation that caused you to overeat this time and try to sidestep it in the future as much as possible. It could be avoiding areas at work where temptations are available.
Another good tip would be to ensure you only eat at home in a specific location, such as your kitchen table.
4. Social Support
This tip could be crucial for many people trying to beat obesity. Here, we are not only talking about the support of family and friends – and make no mistake, those are incredibly important, especially in the same household – but this could also include counseling and psychotherapy, and online support group[4]
Obesity (especially the very high-BMI type) is often a symptom of something going on emotionally and cognitively. Past trauma can influence self-destructive behavior, such as overeating and lack of motivation to perform physical activity, so don’t be afraid to ask for help.
5. Other Methods
If you have tried any or even all of the above methods to lose weight and have seen limited success, it may be time to consider medical intervention.
Some medications can help with weight loss by either decreasing appetite or blocking the absorption of macronutrients such as fat.
The Takeaway
It is essential to remember that medications are not meant as an alternative to diet and exercise; instead, they can enhance your weight loss efforts and make it easier to realize your goals.
You may also be a candidate for bariatric surgery.[5] In either of these scenarios, please consult with your doctor.
References:
- Wang, Y., Beydoun, M. A., Min, J., Xue, H., Kaminsky, L. A., & Cheskin, L. J. (2020). Has the prevalence of overweight, obesity and central obesity levelled off in the United States? Trends, patterns, disparities, and future projections for the obesity epidemic. International journal of epidemiology, 49(3), 810–823. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyz273
- Smith, K. B., & Smith, M. S. (2016). Obesity Statistics. Primary care, 43(1), 121–ix. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pop.2015.10.001.
- Haase, C. L., Lopes, S., Olsen, A. H., Satylganova, A., Schnecke, V., & McEwan, P. (2021). Weight loss and risk reduction of obesity-related outcomes in 0.5 million people: evidence from a U.K. primary care database. International journal of obesity (2005), 45(6), 1249–1258. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-021-00788-4
- Institute of Medicine (US) Subcommittee on Military Weight Management. (2004). Weight Management: State of the Science and Opportunities for Military Programs. National Academies Press (US).
- Arterburn, D. E., Telem, D. A., Kushner, R. F., & Courcoulas, A. P. (2020). Benefits and Risks of Bariatric Surgery in Adults: A Review. JAMA, 324(9), 879–887. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.12567
