A scientific research has proved that getting a sound full night’s sleep is an easy way to prevent weight gain and obesity.

There was a research which was conducted, the results of which stated that people who have irregular sleeping habits have the tendency to eat more and consume more calories leading to obesity.

This research was conducted by the American heart Association’s epidemiology and prevention nutrition, physical activity and metabolism 2012 scientific sessions.

In this research, the study analyzed the sleeping patterns of 17 healthy adults and checked their eating habits, the energy they expended, and the levels of appetite hormones Leptin and Gherlin. While half of the participants slept normally for eight days, the other half were allowed to sleep one hour twenty minutes less than normal, with no diet restrictions.

The research also found that the sleep deprived group consumed 550 additional calories every day, but the amount of energy burnt was similar. Further examination also revealed that lack of sleep also caused the body to release more Gherlin, a hormone that signals hunger and less Leptin, the hormone which signals you are full.

Thus, we can safely conclude that one of the means to curb obesity is to have proper sleep.

So sleep tight and stay away from being obese.

Obesity is a state where you gain weight when your intake of calories is higher than the requirements of your body, and the excess calories turn in fats in your body.

The excess fat changes its form in shape, size; proportions and we get affected by a deadly disease that is ‘Obesity’.

Obesity in turn leads us to other ailments like heart stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, pain in the legs, weakening of the knee joints, and increased levels of cholesterol.

Some of the causes of obesity are mentioned below:

1. Eating junk food.
2. Missing out on nutritious food.
3. Irregular timings of having our meals.
4. Over eating some foods.
5. Unorganized life style.
6. Bad sleeping habits.
7. Lack of exercise which is essential to burn calories.
8. Lack of participation in any kinds of physical activities.
9. Smoking.
10. Due to family genes as obesity sometimes runs in the family.
11. Emotion factor also leads to obesity as when we are angry or depressed, disappointed with life, stressed, and when our feelings are bottled up and we feel low, we tend to over eat and gain weight.
12. Age factor- when our age increases we lose our body muscles which turn in to fats and we gain weight.
13. Due to medical history- when we suffer from food disorders or bulimia we tend to gain weight.

With a proper diet plan and a complete change in the lifestyle we can combat this deadly menace of obesity.

To reduce weight we have a passive slimming technique whereby with the help of some equipment we tend to lose weight instantly. These methods are a rage in these days due to paucity of time and lack of efforts all want to cut down weight by using these slimming methods.

Some Passive slimming methods are as follows:

• Slim belts.
• Tablets, herbal or allopathic weight loss pills.
• Electro- reflexologists consisting of shoe insole and finger bands.
• Massage chairs.
• Slimming apparel like trimming swim wear.
• Passive slimming has its disadvantages too like.
• Long term health hazards for short term weight loss.
• Losing weight instantly weakens the elasticity of skin.
• Your body loses vital vitamins and nutrients.
• If you lose weight instantly you tend to gain weight instantly too.
• The metabolic rate should be raised in your body with proper diet, exercises, work outs, swimming, avoiding junk foods, eating regularly on time and not by passive slimming.
• Sauna belts have proved to be harmful for your internal organs.
• Excessive mechanical stress of technique can damage your tissues.
• Slim belts cause irritation, rashes, allergy to your skin.

In spite of all these disadvantages if you still wish to go for passive slimming then choose your slimming centre wisely and carefully by checking all their techniques and take assistance from experienced professionals in the field of passive slimming.

Some tips to gain better control of your weight are as follows:

1. Keep fried and other fatty food stuff at bay.
2. Avoid sweets, chocolates and ice creams as they are very rich in calories.
3. Include a substantial quantity of sprouts in your meals.
4. Consume fresh vegetables and fruits.
5. Indulge in physical activities such as jogging, running, swimming etc as this will help in burning the calories.
6. Practicing yoga will ensure that your overall wellness is maintained and you do not gain weight.
7. Drink a glass of warm water mixed with the juice of one lemon. Also add a teaspoon of honey to it as this will help to burn the fats.
8. Include Dietary changes for weight loss, Tips to lose weighte bitter gourd in your meals.
9. Have a platter of salad which includes raw tomatoes and onions.
10. Consume two leaves of neem. This also helps to purify your blood.
11. Chew a flake of garlic daily as this helps to cut the fats.
12. Include food which is rich in fiber.
13. Replace white rice with unpolished or brown rice.
14. Discontinue consuming packaged food.
15. Aerated drinks spell disaster and should be banned from your life.
16. Consume more of buttermilk. But ensure that the buttermilk is made from fat free milk.
17. Include drumsticks in your diet.
18. Have a bowlful of raw cabbage as a mid morning snack.
19. Drink a large quantity of water as this will help to flush out the toxins.
20. Consume coconut water as it acts as a coolant and facilitates digestion.

These twenty tips are simple, easy to follow and help you to lose weight without starving.

In this state our body consumes more calories than we require and burns lesser calories in comparison. Hence we tend to put on weight and be obese. Obesity can result in heart stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes.

Obesity is spreading fast throughout the world and the causes are:

1. Over eating of high fat foods.
2. Eating junk and fast food which have excessive calories.
3. Lack of exercises and not following the fitness routine daily.
4. Slow body movements, no brisk walking.
5. Lack of proper sleep due to hectic and fast life style.
6. Genetic cause as obesity may run in the family.
7. Low self esteem: This makes us eat more leading to increase in weight.
8. Medication like insulin, steroids, anti depressants also increases our weight.
9. Lack of nutritious balanced diet.
10. Excessive intake of alcohol especially beer.

There are many other causes which lead to obesity. But the abovementioned ones are the most common ones.

The condition of obesity can be cured or controlled by making some changes in our everyday diet and lifestyle and including a vigorous exercise regime.

In the present era, modernization and work load has increased the intake of fast food coupled with a hectic life style our eating habits have changed for the worst leading us towards obesity.

Deadlines, stress at work and home front, competition etc have all led to binge eating, which is one of the major causes of obesity. Lack of physical activities and sleeping directly after a heavy meal, no proper meal timing all pave the way for obesity to set into our life.

The after effects of obesity are heart strokes, blood pressure, breathing problems and this is because of the weight our body has increased, hence weight management plays a very important role if we want a healthy body.

Weight Management: Weight management is the burning of the excess calories in our body and this can be done by making the following changes.

1. Exercise regularly and be fit.
2. Practice yoga in different postures. This makes your body flexible and leads you to lose  weight.
3. Swim and play outdoor games to burn your calories.
4. Go for a brisk walk regularly. A walk of half an hour day burns 200 calories.
5. Cycling, cardio exercises make you sweat and reduce your weight.
6. Eat and follow nutritious food and avoid processed foods, sugar laden foods, white bread, pasta, as they are too high in calories.

Consuming a substantial amount of fiber in your meal helps in weight loss and management. Adequate intake of fiber is imperative for the wellness of the digestive tract.

Consuming Fiber rich food keeps hunger pangs at bay for a longer duration. Also it makes you feel satiated and hence your appetite is reduced. Fiber intake is also helpful in controlling the blood sugar levels. Hence fiber rich foods are recommended for all patients suffering from diabetes.

Even for normal individuals the increase in the blood sugar levels leads the pancreas to secrete insulin more than the normal permissible levels. This causes the fat to accumulate around the stomach.
Intake of fiber ensures that your digestive tract is clear of all toxins. Fiber also facilitates clear bowel movement which is essential for detoxification and weight loss.

Including a fiber rich diet reduces the cholesterol in your body and gives a feeling of satiation in your body.

Fiber combines with the fatty acids which are part of your intestines. This combination is useful to reduce hunger pangs and reduce weight.

Fiber is available in green leafy vegetables, fruits like papaya, pineapple, grains, seeds, brown rice, beans, oats, corn barn, lentils, barley, Flax seed, etc.

The World Health Organization defines Obesity as “a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems” .

Obesity is the one of the most prevalent nutritional disorder in children. It is on the rise constantly and it is found that it has increased by an alarming 30% during the past three decades. The number of child obesity cases is growing at a rapid pace.

The causes of child obesity are-

1. Overeating.
2.  Lack of physical activity.
3.  Stress.
4.  Genetic factors.
5.  Unhealthy eating habits.
6.  Insufficient sleep.

The main effects of child obesity are-

1.  High blood pressure.
2.  High cholesterol.
3.  Breathing problems.
4.  Bone problems.
5.  Psychological disorders.

The ways to cure child obesity are:

1. This a battle where a child needs a complete back up and support of his parents to overcome his obesity. Hence parents must cultivate healthy eating habits in the child by providing him the right diet and avoiding junk food.
2.  Counsel and guide your child that this too shall pass and de-stress him.
3.  Your child must exercise, walk, and swim regularly.
4.  Reduce your and your child’s TV watching and video time.
5.  Avoid all high cholesterol foods.
6.  Maintain a weight chart of your child.

An obese child is often the butt of many jokes and this may lead to him losing his self confidence and retreating into his shell. Such children shy away from strangers and turn into introverts. It is imperative for the parents and family members to keep the child’s morale high in this battle of fighting obesity and you shall succeed.

Here we have stated a basic yoga posture. This posture is simple and can be performed easily without supervision. But caution should be taken not to overdo it else it may have an adverse effect.

Bhujangasana. The pose of the rising snake (Cobra)

Bhujangasana is very simple to perform even for people who have no knowledge of yoga. It is very useful and effective to get rid of the extra inches from your tummy. Caution should be taken so that you do not end up injuring your back.

Steps for Bhujangasana:

• Lie down on the floor facing downwards on your stomach.
• Place your palm on the floor at nipple level, (parallel to the point of our nipple).
• Inhale and lift your chest and head upwards from the floor.
• Remember that only your chest should be lifted while your navel should be in contact with the floor.
• Stretch your body as much as possible.
• Hold still in this position for a minimum of 20 seconds and gradually increase the time duration till a minute.
• Lower your body while exhaling.
• Relax for a few seconds and repeat the process again.
• You can safely do three to five sets of this exercises.
• You can also do it more than once in your everyday routine as time permits.
• Exhale while slowly lowering the upper body to the floor. Rest for a few seconds, and then repeat the exercise 2-5 times.

Advantages:

The cobra pose helps you to strengthen the core abdominal muscles and lose inches rapidly. This asana is very beneficial as it is said to relieve menstrual irregularities, constipation and gas trouble. People who regularly do Bhujangasana or the Cobra Pose vouch that it is a magical cure for back aches. Bhujangasana also strengthens the ovaries, liver and uterus.

Yoga has Postures for each and every part of the body. It is best left to us to explore the vast ocean of yoga for our overall wellbeing.

This was the most unanimously accepted fact until the results of a research conducted by a team from the Purdue University managed to show contra results. This research was funded by the Almond Board of California. Based on their research they came to the conclusion that contrary to the belief that almonds are detrimental in weight loss, they rather showed that almonds had a pivotal role to play in weight loss.

The results have now shown that eating a handful or two of almonds regularly as a part of a snack helped to curb weight gain. Almonds are rich in magnesium and anti-oxidants. They are also a great source of vitamin E which is essential for the overall wellness and the development of the brain. It is seen that people who consume almonds in the gap between their meal times attained a sense of satiation and hence experienced lesser hunger pangs. This reduces the tendency to binge on other unhealthy, junk food. Thus the regular body weight does not have an adverse impact.

Consuming almonds does help people by making them feel fuller and thus help them to overcome their addiction to munch on unhealthy foodstuff or packaged foods.

But excess of anything is bad, and this holds true in the case of almonds also.

So people who want to manage their weight but cannot curb their munching urge can now be free of guilt and enjoy their quick bite in peace.