The human body is naturally designed to move and get exercise each day, and this is a relic from the days when our ancestors hunted wild game across the plains of Africa. Some of these early hominids gave up their tree-bound lifestyle in favor of hunting game, and eating cooked meat allowed their brains to grow. This, combined with bipedal walking and other evolutionary adaptations, led to modern Homo Sapiens. Today, Americans aren’t chasing their dinner, but the human body “remembers” that lifestyle and expects it. Now, hunting game is replaced with visiting fitness centers and gyms, home workout routines, cardio, weight training, and even martial arts. Getting some good gym equipment is a fine way to build muscle and burn calories, and exercise equipment may be easy to find in one’s local area. Many retailers are bound to have some gym equipment in them, and an online search such as “gym equipment Chicago” or “sports store Anchorage AK” is a fine way to start.
What Causes Obesity
The bad news is that many Americans practice unhealthy lifestyles that lead to rapid weight gain and related health issues. Many American adults and adolescents are overweight or obese, and such excess weight may cause health problems such as increased risk of heart disease and stroke, diabetes, and arthritis. That, and mood and sleep disorders, too. Some factors have been identified as causes for all this.
One common cause is a poor diet, seeing as many Americans ignore healthy organic food in favor of fast food and processed foods. The problem is that these foods have a lot of added ingredients, including added sugars and fats designed to make the food taste better. These unhealthy additions pack a lot of extra calories and fat, and this may lead to rapid weight gain. Something similar can be said about processed foods, which are often frozen and found in grocery stores. Even “fat-free” processed foods are a problem, since they tend to have their fat content replaced with sugar. In some ways, that’s even worse.
A lack of exercise is another problem, and many children and adults alike fall short of the American Heart Association’s guidelines for weekly exercise. Children spend hours each day on electronic screens instead of exercising, and adults often work sedentary jobs and sit around at home rather than visiting a gym or doing cardio. This means that too few calories are burned in a typical day, and that combined with a poor diet leads to rapid weight gain. The good news, though, is that nearly anyone can reverse this and take control of their health.
Weight Loss Done Right
An interested party may first consult their doctor and a nutritionist to make sure that their new diet and exercise regimen will be safe and effective, and this may factor in food allergies, diabetes, recent surgery, a heart condition, or anything else relevant. Once the person has medical guidelines in place, they can start transforming their diet and their lifestyle for the many health benefits of exercise and healthy food.
A new diet will involve discarding all fast food and processed food in favor of wholesome and natural foods from across the food pyramid. Such a new diet doesn’t have to be bland or boring; in fact, it may involve a lot of flavor and new recipe ideas, adding to the appeal.
Meanwhile, a person can get some good exercise if the join a local fitness club or buy some gym equipment from a local retailer. The right gear may include items such as jump ropes, ab wheels, medicine balls, dumbbells, and more to get a person fit, not to mention stationary bikes. The person may also find some workout clothes in these retailers, such as breathable, lightweight shirts and shorts, sweat bands, and athletic shoes. They may even find towels and swimming goggles, and bicycle helmets.
Good exercise varies widely for any intended activity level. Someone can try cardio to get the heart rate up, such as bicycle riding, swimming, and jogging, which may be great fun. They can also try weight lifting or even taking martial arts classes. Martial arts teach new skills and work out many different muscles while burning calories at the same time.
