Obesity in America -- The Growing Epidemic!

Obesity is a disease that affects approximately 60 million people in the United States, where women are especially affected. Over one-third of women between the ages of 20 and 74 are obese, the majority of them being African American or Mexican American. With more and more pre-packaged food and less and less activity, the number of obese people in America has steadily increased since the 1960s.

But what is obesity? Many people think obesity means that a person is overweight, but thats not exactly true. An overweight person has a surplus amount of weight that includes muscle, bone, fat, and water. An obese person has a surplus of body fat. Most health professionals concur that a man is obese if he has over 25 percent body fat, and a woman is obese if she has over 30 percent. Women physiologically have more body fat than men, so that why theres a difference in percentage.

It is difficult to determine the exact percentage of body fat a person has, but estimates can be made in a number of ways. First, using a tweezer-like tool called a caliper, you can measure the thickness of skin folds on different points of your body and compare the results with standardized numbers. You can also use a small device that sends a harmless electrical current through your body and measures your body fat percentage. The most commonly used method to determine if a person is obese is to look at his/her Body Mass Index (BMI). A person with a BMI over 30 is considered to be obese, and a BMI over 40 is considered to be severely obese. Its important to remember though that BMI could be misleading in pregnant or lactating women and in muscular individuals. There are some free tools to find your body fat percentage at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/body-fat-calculator.html.

With obesity, comes the increased risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and breast, colon, and prostate cancer. In addition, obesity has been linked to mental health conditions such as depression or feelings of shame and low self-esteem. Health experts say that even losing 10 to 15 percent of your body weight can dramatically decrease the risk of developing these serious conditions. In addition, many obese people are discriminated against and targets of insults and other verbal abuse. Find out if you are at risk for health disease using the health calculators at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/high-blood-pressure.html.

A number of factors, such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, genetics, and certain medical disorders, cause obesity, but it can be conquered. One major obstacle to being more physically active is motivation and accountability. Find a friend with similar fitness goals and begin a simple exercise program together. It takes time to see the results, but your health is worth it!

Written by Shelley Hitz, Licensed Physical Therapist and Certified NASM Personal Trainer.
Sign up for her free exercise Advice journal at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/journal.html or read more of her articles at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com. Get your free unbelievable abs ball workout here!

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A Look at Punta Cana Weather

The weather in the Dominican Republic remains tropical year-round with the temperatures averaging around 25C (77F). The summer and winter seasons differ by only a slight variation in temperature. Visitors coming to the Dominican Republic, practically any time of the year can expect to be treated with extended periods of blue sunny skies -- ideal weather for getting a nice tan.

The best time to visit Punta Cana is during the "cool" season from November to April. During these months, the weather is pleasantly warm with relatively low levels of humidity and low precipitation. Temperatures along the coast are constant around 29C (84F) during the day and drop to a comfortable 20C (68F) at night.

The "hot" season runs roughly from May to October when the average temperature rises to 31C (87F) during the daytime and drops to about 22C (72F) at night. But with the high humidity levels during this season, the temperature feels much hotter. Rains do bring some respite from the heat during May through August, but usually this turns out to be no more than a 30-minute tropical shower. It is advised that travelers pack light and include a lot of cool and light fitting cotton clothing.

Despite such minimal difference between the temperatures in summer and winter, the climate tends to vary a lot from year to year due to the influence of the weather phenomena known as "El Nio" and "La Nia" among others. The greatest threat to the Dominican Republic comes from hurricanes. The Caribbean hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. August and September are the more hurricane-prone months. The major resorts have become adept at getting back on their feet quickly after a hurricane.

As in most tropical areas, in Punta Cana too the menace of mosquitoes looms large. The mosquitoes usually appear after dusk but they are seasonal and more noticeable in the rainy season. Visitors are advised to wear long, comfortable cotton pants after dusk and use insect repellent sprays before venturing outside.

Punta Cana Info provides detailed information about Punta Cana resorts, hotels, real estate, beaches, weather, and the Punta Cana airport. Punta Cana Info is the sister site of Cozumel Web.

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Review Of The Negative Calorie Diet Part I And II

The two articles sound like a hybrid of the Raw Foods (vegan diet) and the 6 week body makeover diet by Michael Thurmond. Both experience very good weight loss if done properly. In the two programs they stress either no animal protein (vegan) or in small amounts 3 to 4oz in 5 to 6 meals per day (6 week body makeover). The Thermal calorie burning is key in both programs.

If the body is allow to burn or uses all the calories taken in at one meal before the next, weight loss will happen. Protein is much harder to metabolize than fruits and vegetables, so eating less protein allows your metabolism rate to go up. Higher the Basal metabolic rate the more calories burned and the more weight that is lost.

The important thing to remember with a strict Raw Food diet is? Because of reduced levels of calcium, iodine, and vitamins B12 and D, vegans are encouraged to take dietary supplements. On the minerals, salt should not be uses during weight loss. Any salt intake retains body fluids which hurts your weight loss program. The quicker you show weight loss the longer you will stay on the program.

No matter what diet you use Water is the key part of any successful weight loss program. The liver plays the main roll in the metabolism of fat in the human body. If the kidneys are deprived of water the liver has to pick up part of the kidneys functions, which in turns lowers the efficiency of metabolizing fat. You need at least 64oz of water a day for the human body to run like a fine tune machine.

This is a fine example of someone taking two weight loss programs and making one that works for them. Human body types are like cars, some run ok on cheap gas while others become clogged and breakdown. Not every diet fits every body type, so do the research and find out what works for you.

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