Obesity is an epidemic in America today. Contrary to popular belief however, obesity is an issue that rarely has to do with laziness, lack of discipline, or gluttony. Discrimination against obese people is widely accepted in today’s society.

The most effective way to deal with this negativity is to ignore it. Stop worrying about what size you should or shouldn’t be, and start worrying more about what you’re eating! Forget how much you weigh, and concentrate more on the quality of food you’re putting into your body.

Over time, focusing on health instead of size or weight will work with your body to override imbalances and correct unhealthy habits. Obsessing over weight is an unhealthy mindset that often leads to “yo-yo” dieting, and repeated cycles of failure. This is not the best way to improve your health.

Here are a few simple steps that can help you to improve your health and lose weight over time:

• Pay attention to what you’re eating! How does the food you’re consuming make you feel? This notion can seem foreign to many people, but really it’s very simple. Try keeping a food journal, but don’t worry about recording the portion size; only record what you’re eating.
  
  
• Practice what’s called “Temporary Elimination”. Eliminate something in your diet for 1-3 weeks and then re-introduce it later on. Be acutely aware of how you feel and what happens when the food returns.
  
  
• Move! Do whatever way makes you feel good. Moving and exercise helps to strengthen every cell in your body.
  
  
• Add, don’t subtract. Eat health-boosting foods first. Add the power foods to your diet and consume them before anything else. Try to eat at least 10 daily servings of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, yogurt and fish. Soon you’ll be so full of the foods that you promised yourself you’d eat, that there won’t be much room for anything else!

Remember, improved health, not weight loss, is the true quest, and obesity really does create a serious risk to your health! It’s been proven that obese people are much more likely to develop serious health problems. For example, a person who is 40% overweight is more than twice as likely to die prematurely as someone who has an average weight. This effect is normally seen after about 10 years of being obese.

According to researchers, approximately 300,000 Americans die per year from obesity related issues. The risk of premature death increases with even moderate weight gains (10-20 pounds). Individuals who are classified as obese (body mass index over 30) have a startling 50-100 percent increased risk of premature death from all causes compared to individuals with a healthy weight.

The good news is that losing even a small amount of weight can reduce your chances of developing heart disease or strokes. Reducing your weight by 10% can decrease your chances of developing diseases by improving how your heart works, blood pressure, and levels of blood cholesterol and triglycerides. Studies show that you can improve your health by losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds. You can start today by making healthy, conscious decisions day to day and remaining aware of what is being put into your body.