If you want to reduce your weight to stay healthy, that's a worthy cause that we'll like to share some tips with you on. But have you asked yourself what could have caused this obesity? Or do you know the most effective preventive measure? All the answers are here. Let's get started.
Office Workers: The Major Sitting Ducks for Obesity
In almost every part of the world, many industries are losing millions of dollars annually due to workers' reduced level of output. And this is undoubtedly caused by the dismal rate at which workers suffering from obesity work while in the office. According to the American Journal of Public Health, it is becoming more obvious that overweight and obesity are connected to poor working conditions ravaging the corporate world. That's not all; it explained that folks at risk include those working in a completely passive workplace, sitting for long hours, and in a non-ergonomic working environment. The most difficult part of obesity is that it can lead to occupational asthma, neurotoxins, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), vibration-induced injuries, and cardiovascular diseases.
But is there any foolproof method you can explore to know if you're dealing with overweight or obesity? It's a simple measurement. And the rule is that you're overweight if your body mass index (BMI) is higher than 25kg/m2. On the other hand, anyone with a BMI higher than 30kg/m2 suffers from obesity. We need to treat it as a global public health crisis.
Now that you know which side of the divide you belong to, we need to come together to tackle this problem. If you're an employer, you owe your workers a duty to supply them with ergonomic office furniture and other accessories to make their work-life healthier. It would help if you encouraged your workers to maintain a healthy style of living both within and outside the office. If you encourage them to leave their corners during lunch hours, they'll be active and refresh their brains.
You can start influencing a healthy workforce today! You also owe yourself the obligation to watch your weight, steer clear of every harmful activity and live a balanced life. As you go through this article, you'll learn the possible causes of obesity, how to prevent packing in pounds of weight, and how you can relieve fats if you're already living with obesity.
Causes of Obesity
Although many metabolic, genetic, and hormonal influences can cause obesity, it happens mostly when you consume more calories than your body can burn. Of what implication is this overload? All the remaining calories get stored as fats in your abdomen and buttocks. Meanwhile, it's not advisable to leave the entire business of burning calories to your body. You should also assist through regular exercise and other activities. At this juncture, let's give the common causes a quick run.
Sitting for Extended Hours
Considering the desk-bound nature of many offices in our age, we don't need a soothsayer to tell us that office workers are more affected by the pangs of obesity. Many of them sit for 8 to 9 hours per day. According to the Mayo Clinic, excessive sitting is one of the most common causes of obesity among office workers. And this leads to accumulated strains on the spinal cord alongside other health problems. Again, many workers are now working from home. So it's expected that their jobs will be less physically demanding, and they don't tend to burn enough calories while working. Daily activities are now left out as well. Using escalators at work, remote control at home, and online shopping to get your edibles only need fewer calories.
Unhealthy Diets
In the United States, Mayo Clinic explained that most people's diets are too rich in calories. This assertion leads us to a question. Are they homemade foods? Mayo Clinic also continued that the calories are often gotten from beverages and fast food. And a common trait among people with obesity is that they consume more calories before feeling satisfied. Some believe that they eat this much due to anxiety or stress.
So if you're suffering from obesity, the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine opined that you might be lacking in vegetables and fruits. At the same time, you give yourself diets high in calories. Meanwhile, liquid calories can also contribute to excessive weight gain. It would help if you were careful because they're very deceptive. Deceptive in the sense that you can drink as many calories as possible without feeling full. They include sugared carbonated drinks, calories from alcohol, and others.
Lack of Quality Sleep
If your workplace has a heavy toll on your health to the point that you barely have a sound sleep at night, you can also be exposed to the risks of obesity. And it can be the other way around. Getting too much sleep can cause some hormonal changes in your body, and it might increase your appetite. Once that happens, you might start craving carbohydrates and foods rich in calories. All these can also contribute to your weight gain.
How You Can Prevent Obesity
Suffering from obesity is not a death warrant, so all you need to do is learn how to manage the weight. Besides, much research is being conducted to suggest ways through which you can prevent it. Now that the World Health Organization reported that obesity has evolved into an epidemic, with 2.5million people dying every year, you need to be very cautious of what you eat or do to win this war.
Diet
We'll suggest you prevent obesity by strictly adhering to the rules of healthy eating.
Here are some changes you can incorporate into your day-to-day eating habits, and they'll help you prevent obesity.
Eat Five Times a Day
Eating 5 to 7 plates of vegetables and fruits daily will build your body's immune system since fruits are very rich in nutrients. The World Health Organization (WHO) also confirmed that this is one of the cocksure ways to live a healthy and fulfilled life. Apart from having lesser calories, vegetables and fruits have some nutrients that reduce the risk for insulin resistance and diabetes. Finally, they also have fiber content that'll make you feel satisfied with fewer calories.
Avoid Processed Foods
You can also prevent obesity by reducing your intake of highly-processed foods like snack foods and white bread. If you can stay disciplined, we'll suggest you avoid them. Please don't give in to the temptation of eating them at intervals.
Reduce Artificial Sweeteners
Do you know that artificial sweeteners have been linked to diabetes and obesity? It was established in a Yale University Journal of Biology and Medicine report. To prevent these health conditions, we suggest you go for any natural alternative like honey.
Other preventive measures include:
- Skip saturated data.
- Eat homemade food.
- Go early to bed.
- Avoid sports and energy drinks.
- Try a plant-based diet.
- Reduce your sugar intake.
How You Can Relieve Obesity
If you're suffering from obesity, you should know that it's not the end of the road. On this note, Flexispot has built many ergonomic products to help you manage your weight, both at home and at work. But the most important among them are the standing desks.
Standing Desks
Since your workplace is sedentary, your best shot to control excessive weight is when you purchase our standing desks. Although we have various standing desks, we suggest you go for an Adjustable Standing Desk E8. You'll have the chance to switch to sitting and standing easily, which calms your body while working. With an adjustable standing desk E8, you don't have to worry about strains on your spinal cord or body pain. Standing will also help you stay focused and more productive.
Consistent Exercise
As a female adult between 25 to 49 years, we recommend that you get at least 2½ hours of intensive exercise per week. According to the Health Survey for England data in 2015, brisk walking is the best exercise for anyone targeting a healthy weight. Going for a fast or brisk walk will help you burn down excess fats more than any other outdoor exercise. Finally, experts have also suggested that you should always stay active throughout the day by taking regular stretch breaks and using standing desks.
