In recognition of National Obesity Awareness Week Lleisure want to share with you some guidance on how to improve your health and manage your weight.
According to the NHS (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/), in the UK it’s estimated that around 1 in every 4 adults and around 1 in every 5 children aged 10 to 11 are living with obesity. Obesity is a complex issue with many causes. Obesity is caused when extra calories, particularly those from foods high in fat and sugar, are stored in the body as fat.
Living with obesity can cause a range of day-to-day problems including:
- Breathlessness
- Increased sweating
- Snoring
- Difficulty doing physical activity
- Often feeling very tired
- Joint and back pain
- Low confidence and self-esteem
- Feeling isolated
Long-term obesity can increase your risk of developing serious health conditions including:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Asthma
- Several types of cancer
- Gallstones
- Reduced fertility or issues during pregnancy
- Osteoarthritis
- Liver and kidney disease
- Sleep apnoea
So how can you prevent and tackle obesity?
- Eat a healthy, reduced-calorie, balanced nutrition diet
In order to understand how many calories you should be consuming per day based on your gender, age, height, weight and activity level you can find calorie calculators online such as the one on bodybuilding.com (https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/macronutcal.htm)
Remember that your body requires sufficient water to function effectively therefore ensure that you drink 2 litres of water per day to ensure you stay hydrated.
- Do regular physical activity
The NHS (https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-guidelines/physical-activity-guidelines-children-and-young-people/) states that:
- Children (5-18 years) should aim for an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per day
- Adults (19 years +) should do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week
Managing obesity is tough and adapting your lifestyle, losing weight and creating new positive habits requires time and commitment so remember to stay patient and motivated.
Many people find that having services to support them on this journey is beneficial, you can speak to your GP regarding the services in your area that are available.
For support with your physical activity, Lleisure offer an exercise referral scheme designed to help people improve their health. To enquire please email activelifestyles@lleisure.co.uk
