The figures are shocking:
* 2/3 Americans over age 20 are overweight
* Nearly 1/3 of Americans over age 20 are obese
* Worldwide obesity has nearly doubled since 1980.
Obesity is now classified as a disease by the American Medical
Association (AMA).
See how many people become obese every second: World Meters Info Obesity
Eric Schlosser in his book "Fast Food Nation" says that the annual
health care costs in the United States from obesity is close to$240
billion.
We can't afford to be overweight and obese. Let's learn how to do
something about this now! Start with learning which foods make us fat.
Many of these you will already know about as it is common sense.
10 Foods Guaranteed to Make You Fat
1. Artificial Sweeteners:
Diet soda does have less calories and less sugar than regular soda.
This doesn't mean it's healthy. A study found that people who drank
two or more diet sodas a day had six times the waistline compared to
those who skip the diet cola.
Research has also shown that NutraSweet, one of the most popular
artificial sweeteners, leads to the same surge of insulin as white
carbs (see No 7 food below) –- because of sweetness detectors in the
small intestine.
2. White s ugaris full of caloriesthat sabotage healthy eating and
prime your palate to crave sweets.
The world is filled with sugar addicts. When our blood sugars are high
we are high. When our blood sugar is low, we feel totally run down and
exhausted and want more sugar. Sugar has no vitamins or minerals, just
lots of fat-building calories. Watch out for hidden sugars!
3.Cheese can be a fattening food.
It contains a large amount of fat and is hard to digest.(a deadly combination)
Poor digestion causes weight gain!Fat has nine calories per gram,
protein and carbohydrates have only four.
The most fattening food in the world is considered to be cheese fries.
4.Gluten rich foods are fattening but so are most common gluten free
packaged products.
Read the labels; they are full of starch and sugar. A study discovered
that it was easy to eat too many slices of bread in one sitting.
5.Potatoes were found to be the top food making us fat. This
surprised me!But the study found potatoes to be top of the list. Who
would have guessed.
The study found all forms to be fattening. Every serving of fries
eaten in a day was linked to weight gain of more than three pounds,
while eating an extra serving of potato chips led to a gain of 1.69
pounds.
6.Alcohol blocks the body from burning fat.
Alcohol increases the release of the hormone cortisol that breaks down
muscle and retains fat. The loss of muscle can slowdown metabolism
making it easier to gain weight. Also, alcohol causes a drop in
testosterone in men, a hormone which helps burn fat.
Fat metabolism can be reduced by as much as 73 percent after only two
drinks of vodka and lemonade in a one hour time period. (American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition). Alcohol dehydrates the body which
needs to be hydrated to build muscle and burn fat. (Had no idea that
alcohol would be fattening on its own)
7. White Carbs(white rice, pasta, white bread, and starches) are
fattening because they are high glycemic index foods.This we all know.
Astudy suggests that such carbs are a problem for people wanting to
lose body fat. Findings show that consumption of the wrong carbs
creates body fat. Ludwig and his colleagues at Children's Hospital
Boston
8.Fats and Oilsare fattening especially when they come as deep fried
foods and baked goods.
Fats and oils also contain 120 calories per tablespoon. Even olive
oil has lots of calories even though it has significant health
benefits.
9. Processed Foodsare loaded with calories and almost no nutrients!
Diet microwave meals and frozen meals are high in sodium and
calorie-rich fat to preserve flavor. Eating them causes you to retain
water in your arms and legs, leaving you puffy.
Research by the London University College team, suggests that a diet
high in processed food increases the risk of depression.
10.Processed meats (lunch meats, bacon, sausage, hot dogs) are high in
calories, fat and sodium.
Sixty eight percent of bacon's calories come from fat, almost half is
saturated fat and each ounce has 30 milligrams of cholesterol.
Too much saltin your body leads to water retention and bloating. NO
amount of processed meat is considered safe to eat, according to the
American Institute for Cancer Research.
Do not this is not speaking of meat in general….just processed meat.
We are the result of what we eat.
Let's not short change our body with foods high in fat, sugar, and
chemicals. If you are still eating many of the foods listed above,
simply start decreasing the quantity until you are in control. (Every
bit helps!)
How do you decrease the "bad" foods. It's simple. Increase the GOOD ones!