?According to medical experts, obesity is described as excessive body fat. This equates to thirty pounds or more over ideal body weight or a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or more. You can also define obesity as 20% over an ideal and healthy weight.  Obesity is actually recognized as a disease by the International Classifications of Disease, the U.S Food and Drug Administration, and the Social Security Administration. Sadly, this “disease” affects about 60% of Americans in our country.

Obesity is a result of too much body fat.  There is a difference between being obese, and being overweight.  One may be overweight from extra bone, water, and muscle, as well as too much fat, however that is not the only factor.  Obesity has many negative health side effects. These include, but are not limited to,  bone, joint, and liver problems.  Also, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and sleep apnea. More seriously, diabetes, heart attacks, heart disease, heart failure, and stroke.  

So how can you tell if you are fat? Learn to calculate your Body Mass Index. This is a simple way of determining if you are under weight, at a healthy weight, or over weight.  Experts say that a score between 20-22 is ideal. If you are under that, you are too thin, and if you are over 23, you are at an unhealthy weight.  A person with a score of 30 or above is in the “danger zone.”

Once you identify yourself as over-weight… it is time to take action. Make a realistic and healthy diet and weight loss plan. Regular and extensive exercise combined with a complete and nutritious diet that is both high in protein and low in calories.  Creating a good balance between a healthy diet and a decent amount of exercise will decrease your body fat and therefore results in weighing less almost immediately. Burning more calories than you consume is key here. With extensive exercise you could even lose 3-4 pounds of fat per week!