Habits That Will Pack on the Pounds

We hear a lot about obesity these days, and with good reason. Over the last three decades, obesity rates have risen significantly in the United States. As I mentioned in a blog post a few weeks ago, the number of obese adult Americans is now equal to the percentage who are merely overweight—at 34 percent each.

Here are four common (bad!) habits that will put you on the fast track to obesity:

1. Eat lots of starches and sugars—the more the better! If you continually replenish your glucose stores, you’ll never get the opportunity to burn the body fat you have. If you really want to gain weight quickly, eat a lot of fats and carbohydrates together, which ensures that you’ll produce excessive amounts of insulin that will lead to additional fat storage.

2. Skimp on protein. Protein is highly satiating, in fact, it’s the most filling of all foods. It tides you over between meals, especially if you are including a small protein-rich snack, and makes over-eating a thing of the past. Several studies have shown that when lean protein is added to the diet, people eat fewer calories, even if they’re able to eat as much as they want. So, one of the fastest roads to obesity is to skimp on your protein intake.

3. Load up your plate, and go back for seconds. One of the best ways to ensure you won’t lose weight is to eat more calories than you burn. That’s why portion control is more important than ever. If you load up your plate with piles and piles of calorically-dense foods, and avoid low-calorie fare like fruits and vegetables, you’re sure to pack on the pounds.

4. Spend most of your day sitting. Your metabolism shifts into high gear while you’re exercising, and remains elevated even after you stop. Studies prove that you continue to burn fat, even hours after you stop exercising. Plus, exercise helps to build lean muscle tissue, and the more lean muscle you have the higher your metabolic rate. One of the best ways to keep the weight on is to spend as much time in your lounge chair as possible.

Obviously, these suggestions are made in jest. The best way to avoid obesity, and lose excess weight is to do the complete opposite of all this “advice.” Try to adopt one healthy habit a week, and before you know it the pounds will start to fall off.

Now it’s your turn: Have you adopted any healthy habits to help you lose weight?

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