3 Small Lifestyle Changes That Fight Obesity

Obesity is a raging worldwide issue, with over a billion people diagnosed with this condition across all age groups. This represents a two-fold increase within the last 33 years alone. In the US, obesity rates among men and women rank as the 10th and 36th highest around the globe, respectively.

Obesity poses a serious issue because it is the leading form of malnutrition. As a result, those who are obese are more likely to suffer from significant health issues like impaired mobility, depressive ideation, and chronic diseases such as cancer. With that said most people think that fighting obesity requires hardcore solutions like bariatric surgery or taking medical weight loss medications. However, while these interventions can help those who are deemed eligible by doctors, there are far simpler yet almost equally impactful lifestyle changes that can also keep obesity in check. 

Understanding obesity 

Before anything else, it’s important to understand what obesity is and isn’t. Contrary to popular belief, obesity is not just brought on by poor diet or a lack of exercise. Instead, it is a complex condition that various factors like genetics, medical history, environment, etc can influence. Aside from this, obesity is not the same as being overweight. Although both conditions denote having excess weight, the difference between obese and overweight individuals is more nuanced. Most notably, they differ regarding body mass index (BMI). Most overweight individuals will have a BMI between 25 to 29.9. Meanwhile, obese people’s BMI exceeds 30. This indicates a progression from simply being overweight, meaning the associated health risks are also higher. Specifically, obesity is linked to more than 200 related sicknesses, which underscores the need to treat it. 

Simple lifestyle changes to try

Sleep in longer

According to surveys, the average American adult only sleeps a little over five hours a night. This falls short of the recommended seven to eight hours of nightly sleep. Admittedly, two hours might not seem like a big difference, but that time lost that the body could’ve used for critical system regulation and recovery. As a result, studies on the relationship between sleep and obesity find that not sleeping enough encourages weight gain. Primarily, this is because lacking sleep can increase the body’s leptin and ghrelin levels. These are hormones responsible for appetite. Since hormonal imbalances are tied to the circadian rhythm, shorter stints of sleep make you feel hungrier. As such, try to structure your sleep so it hits at least seven hours. You can do this by making your sleeping time more relaxing by removing digital distractions from your bedroom, keeping your space dim and cool, and using calming aids like aromatherapy. 

Get on your feet

Exercise is obviously a big part of weight loss and management as it helps burn fat. Despite what most people think, though, effective exercise need not always be intense. As a matter of fact, even just moving for 30 minutes a day of moderate cardiovascular movement can usher in great results. Since the CDC reveals that most people spend up to eight hours just sitting daily, you can incorporate simple movements into your routine. If you’re an office worker, some sneaky desk workouts can include stretching, leg lifts, lunges, and inclined push-ups. You don’t need much space to execute these workouts, and you can spread out a few reps across your day. By doing so, you can break your sitting hours and add more movement without compromising your regular schedule. 

Take in more sunlight

Getting enough sun is crucial for regulating many aspects of wellness. Besides helping boost moods and body clocks, the sun’s Vitamin D has also been found to help with weight loss. This is because evidence suggests that sunlight can help boost metabolic rates and burn visceral fat. Scientists note that this is another reason people are more likely to gain weight in colder months versus warmer ones. Of course, too much sun exposure can also be a bad thing. To safely reap the benefits of the sun, try going outside during the midday when the sun’s not at its peak. You need not linger for too long, either, which is why this tip is easy to practice. Only 10-30 minutes of sun a few times a week can already do wonders. Just remember that you should still apply sunscreen and stay hydrated during this time.