Get Ready for Summer

Summer will be here before we know it. Days at the beach or the lake. Outdoor barbecues and picnics. Less clothes for everyone! Are you getting ready for looking good at the pool or the beach this Summer?

Many of us "battle the bulge" at some point. Whatever your goals are for this year and beyond, take advantage of the important role exercise plays in keeping your weight under control.

Carrying around too much body fat is a major nuisance. Yet excess body fat is common in modern-day living. Few of today's occupations require vigorous physical activity. Far too much of our leisure time is spent in front of video games , the tv or other sedentary pursuits.

Recent estimates indicate that well over 30 million adults are considered obese. Obese is considered 20 percent above your desirable weight. Even more potentially disturbing - is the increase in body fat levels in children and youth over the past 20 years. After infancy and early childhood, the earlier the onset of obesity, the greater the likelihood of remaining obese.

Excess body fat has been linked to such health problems as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis and certain forms of cancer. Some evidence now exists showing that obesity has a negative effect on both health and longevity.

Exercise is crucial to the loss of body fat in both obese and normal weight persons. A regular program of exercise is an important component of any plan to help individuals lose, gain or maintain their weight.

A certain amount of body fat is healthy, even necessary for everyone. Experts say that percent body fat for women should be about 20 percent, 15 percent for men. Women with more than 30 percent fat and men with more than 25 percent fat are considered obese.

Try this simple self-test:
Pinch the thickness of the fat folds at your waist and abdomen. If you can pinch an inch or more of fat (make sure no muscle is included) chances are you have too much body fat.

Exercise will increase your lean body mass while decreasing your overall fat level. Depending on the amount of fat loss, this can result in a loss of inches without a loss of weight, since muscle weighs more than fat. Its for real - the best way to lose excess belly fat is with the proper combination of diet and exercise!