OVER WEIGHT INTRODUCTION: Overweight refers to an excess of body weight compared to set standards. The excess weight may come from muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. Obesity refers specifically to having an abnormally high proportion of body fat.[1] A person can be overweight without being obese, as in the example of a bodybuilder or other athlete who has a lot of muscle. However, many people who are overweight are also obese.

MEANING: Overweight: The term "overweight" is used in two different ways. In one sense it is a way of saying imprecisely that someone is heavy. The other sense of "overweight" is more precise and designates a state between normal weight and obesity.

CAUSES OF OVER WEIGHT: Being overweight is generally caused by the intake of more calories (by eating) than are expended by the body (by exercise and everyday living). Factors which may contribute to this imbalance include:

* Limited exercise and sedentary lifestyle

* Overeating

* Genetic predisposition

* A high glycerin index diet (i.e. a diet that consists of meals that give high postprandial blood sugar)

* Hormone imbalances (e.g. hypothyroidism)

* Metabolic disorders, which could be caused by repeated attempts to lose weight by Weight cycling,

* An eating disorder (such as binge eating disorder)

* Stress

* Insufficient sleep

* Psychotropic medications

* Smoking cessation VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS FOR OVER WEIGHT: Calcium : To reduce body fat Gamma linoleic acid: Helps burn more calories Potassium : Helps combat fluid retention Iodine: Helps stimulate a slow metabolism Lycopene: A vital antioxidant Magnesium: Helps fight stress and is associated with weight management Selenium: Improves the action of vitamins C & E and beta carotene Sulphur : Reduces free-radical damage Vitamin B6: Excellent fluid fighter Vitamin C: Powerful detoxifier and helps strengthen skin Vitamin E: Improves circulation and is essential for healthy skin TIPS FOR REDUCE FAT: To help cut down on your fat intake, use the following tips when preparing foods:

* Use evaporated skim milk instead of cream when preparing sauces or desserts.

* Create your own nonfat salad dressing by mixing balsamic vinegar, mustard and herbs. If you really prefer an oil-based dressing, try using three parts vinegar to one part oil.

* Drain non fat yogurt through a sieve or cheese cloth over night in the refrigerator, and use in recipes that call for cream.

* Sauté foods in chicken broth, vegetable stock, tomato juice or wine instead of frying them in oil or butter.

* Keep olive oil in a spray bottle to a lightly coat sauté pans.

HOME REMEDIES FOR REDUCING OVER WEIGHT: Treatment using Lime Juice-Honey: Fasting on lime juice-honey water is highly beneficial in the treatment of obesity. In this mode of treatment, one teaspoon of fresh honey should be mixed with the juice of half a lime in a glass of lukewarm water and taken at regular intervals.

Treatment using Trifala: Trifala, an herbal combination of amalaki, bibbitaki, and haritaki is good for losing weight.

Treatment using Jujube: The leaves of jujube or Indian plum are another valuable remedy for reduce weight. A handful of leaves should be soaked overnight in water and this water should be taken in the morning, preferably on an empty stomach. This treatment should be continued for at least one month to achieve beneficial results.

Treatment using Cabbage: Cabbage is considered to be an excellent home remedy for obesity. Recent research has revealed that a valuable chemical called tartaric acid is present in this vegetable which inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction. Substituting a meal with cabbage salad would be the simplest way to stay slim.

Treatment using Tomato: One or two ripe tomatoes taken early morning as a substitute for breakfast, for a couple of months, are considered a safe method of weight reduction. They also supply the food elements essential to preserve health.

Treatment using Finger Millet: Finger millet is an ideal food for the obese, because its digestion is slow and due to this, the carbohydrates take a longer time to get absorbed. By eating preparations made of ragi, the constant desire to eat is curbed, thus reducing the daily calorie intake. At the same time, ragi supplies an abundant quantity of calcium, phosphorus, iron, Vitamin B1 and B2 and prevents malnutrition in spite of restricted food.

DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR OVER WEIGHT: Here are some simple and dos and don'ts that one can adhere to: Do's

- Increase the quantity of fruits and vegetables and low calorie foods.

- Eat tomato in the morning and in salad. Make it a regular habit.

- Mint is very beneficial in losing weight. Have some salads, vegetables with it.

- Have raw or cooked cabbage as it inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat.

- Include a source of vitamin B-12 in your diet.

- Use vegetable oil instead of butter or stick margarine.

- Prefer eating steam, boiled, microwave vegetables

- Eat less salty foods, alcohol, dairy products, sugar, margarine

- Replace whole milk with skim or low fat milk for your preparation

- Roast, bake or boil meat, fish, to destroy all the fat present Don'ts

- Avoid intake of too much salt as it may be a factor for increasing body weight.

- All kinds of milk products-cheese, butter, and non-vegetarian foods should be avoided as they are rich in fat. Be sufficient with twice a glass of milk.

- Avoid rice and potato, which contain a lot of carbohydrates. Among cereals wheat is good.

- Avoid high calorie foods like chocolates, ice cream, sweets, butter, heavy refined foods which have high calories.

- Avoid meals when under stress or tension.

- Stop taking bread prepared with wheat alone as the key ingredient. An ideal mixture must consist of whole grams flour and soyabeans.

OTHER TREATMENT FOR REDUCING BODY FAT: Exercise and perspirational activities:

* Exercise is an important part of any weight reduction plan. A workout for at least 30 minutes to an hour every morning is beneficial.

* Walking is the best exercise to begin with. Other exercises include swimming, bicycling, trekking and so on.

* Curb negative emotions and develop: positive outlook Above all, obese persons should make every effort to avoid negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, hostility, and insecurity, and develop a positive outlook on life.

Acupressure: Acupressure points such as the middle of the upper lip, below the nose and an inch below and one inch up the naval point on the stomach are points of relevance incase of obesity. Press these points 3 to 4 times a day for 5minutes each. It helps control hunger and in the overall control of obesity.

Behavior Modification towards Eating: For three months, eat food by chewing a single morsel at least 50 times, so that it turns into almost a liquid before gulping it down. It has very effectively reduced the obesity of many people.

DIET RECOMMENDED FOR REDUCING BODY FAT: Early morning: Juice of half a lemon mixed in a glass of warm water and a teaspoon of honey.

Breakfast: Wheat or Mung bean sprouts and a cup of skimmed milk.

Midmorning: A glass of orange, pineapple or carrot juice.

Lunch:

* Salad of raw vegetables such as carrot, beet, cucumber, cabbage, tomatoes. Steamed or boiled vegetables

* Whole grain bread or whole wheat chapattis (Indian bread) and a glass of buttermilk.

* Roasted cumin seeds, green coriander leaves, a little salt and some grated ginger mixed in the buttermilk.

Mid-afternoon:

* Coconut water

* Dry fruits

* Lemon tea

* Fresh vegetable soup Dinner:

* Whole grain bread or chapattis

* Steamed vegetables

* Seasonal fruits except banana and apple.

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