Life Style Modification

Does our life style affect our weight?

Our lifestyles play a huge part in our body weight. This can include everything from the type of job a person has, how active they are, their nutrition, consumption of alcohol, sleep, stress levels, and so many other things. While genetics will also play a part, a large part of a person’s weight is tied to their lifestyle choices. Everyone’s body responds to lifestyle factors in different ways, but people who make poor or unhealthy lifestyle choices are more likely to be overweight or obese, putting them at a higher risk for a number of medical conditions.

Simple changes to your everyday life can have significant impacts on your health and body weight. Finding ways to reduce stress, increase your movement during the day, particularly if you have a desk job, get more sleep, eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole foods, and avoid or limit alcohol and greasy fast food are all small changes that can do a lot to reduce your body weight.

What life style factors cause weight gain?

We don’t gain weight overnight, instead, it will accumulate over some time, based on several lifestyle factors. The number of factors or the severity of those factors will determine if the weight appears quickly or slowly, but by recognizing when these factors are coming into play, people can make the necessary changes to slow down or stop the weight gain. And in time, reverse it by sticking to healthier habits.

Lifestyle factors that can affect a person’s weight, causing them to potentially gain extra weight are:

• A sedentary job is typically a desk job where people spend hours glued to a computer.

• Lack of sleep, as our bodies need this time to recharge and burn off the calories from the day.

• Stress can not only cause us to eat more or make unhealthy food choices, but it can also cause us to gain weight through the effects it has on our internal processes.

• Physical activity level plays a very large part in weight gain. Being physically active doesn’t have to mean sweating at the gym for hours a day, it can be simple things like moving around every hour or going for a daily walk.

• Your social life may be a contributing factor if your social engagements are focused on restaurant food, snack food, or alcoholic intake.

If you notice you have been gaining weight recently, look back and see what has changed in your lifestyle habits recently. You may be surprised by what you find has been contributing to your weight gain without you even realizing it.

What is a life style modification strategy to control obesity?

While many simple modifications can be made, such as minor changes to their diet, getting in more movement and physical activity in a day, and letting their body recharge with adequate sleep, these should always be done in consultation with a doctor. Any existing medical conditions will need to be closely monitored, and the individual will need to ensure that they are not pushing themselves too far, or too fast.

Dieting can be dangerous when done incorrectly, by not providing a person with enough, or the right, sustenance to maintain the body’s natural processes. Exercise can be dangerous as well, leading to injuries or serious medical conditions if the body is pushed too hard or forced to do the strenuous activity it is not used to.