New Delhi: According to World Health Organisation, worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980. In 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 600 million were obese.
39 percent of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2014, and 13 percent were obese. Most of the world's population lives in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. 41 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2014. Obesity is preventable.
On the occasion of World Anti-Obesity day, Saumya Shatakshi, Senior Nutritionist, Healthians has come up with some points that will help you to keep 'flab' free.
1. Stay away from eating 'CRAP': Few things are a strict NO when it comes to keeping obesity at bay: Carbonated Drinks, Refined Sugars, Artificial Sweeteners and Processed foods. They are "taste bud-friendly," but definitely not "health-friendly". So, remember to stay away from CRAP.
2. Never Skip Breakfast - As the saying goes by, 'Breakfast is the most important meal of the day', always remember to start your day with a healthy helping. Moreover, skipping the first meal of the day makes you hungrier, which will add to your fast food cravings.
3. Re Think Your Drink - Try natural herbs like green tea, cinnamon tea or ginger tea as they control the storage of fat in the body and help in losing weight. Try adding a light dose of triphala powder in your tea. It is a mild laxative that regulates your digestive system and helps in weight loss. Drinking more water acts as appetite suppressant as a result you eat less. Water also cleanses and detoxifies the impurities of our bodies.
4. Give your Kitchen a Diet make-over -Ditch "junk" foods and start stocking up on healthy staples like fresh fruits, vegetables, wholegrain cereals, low fat dairy products in your kitchen. To make your fruit or vegetable salad tasty, you can also add low fat salad dressings or just squeeze half a lemon in it. It will not only enhance the taste but help in digestion as well.
5. Get More Exercise, Reduce More Weight - An active lifestyle will add many healthy years to your life but a sedentary lifestyle will give you many health problems. So, to stay healthy, you should concentrate on having an active life. Try and opt for stairs whenever possible, and keep taking short breaks and short walks in between your work. Always opt for healthy hacks like cycling, walk and talk and a stroll with a pet in your daily schedule.
6. Control your Portion Size and Chew Food Well - Reducing your portion sizes every time you eat can help you to consume fewer calories and have total control over how much food you consume. This technique will help you keep your weight in check as you are in total control of how much you are eating. Also, chewing each bite for a longer time helps digestion and increases absorption of nutrients, reducing your calorie intake at the same time.
7. Commit to Making your Own Meals - Eating out is not only puts a strain on your pockets but also adds more pounds to your waistline. When you eat out, you have little control over what is being put into the food that you're consuming and it definitely cannot help you keep a check on your healthy diet. Try to make at least one to two meals a day at home, following your healthy eating plan closely.
