You would think that in such a health-conscious nation, that Americans wouldn’t have the type of obesity numbers that we have. Despite all of the dieting gimmicks, weight loss videos, aerobics classes, low-carb diets, weight loss pills and fairly new surgical procedures, we are still a nation that is dominated, if not bursting at the seams, with fat people. Granted, some people have conditions which have contributed to their weight gain. However, the vast majority of overweight people in the United States don’t really have an excuse.

Five Ways To Get Fat Without Even Realizing it

America is a country of movers and shakers. Out of most couples today, both work full time jobs. There are also many people who work well beyond the normal 40 hours a week. Because we are constantly on the go and looking for ways to cut corners in order to save time, this often results in poor food choices. Pair that with other bad habits, and suddenly you’ve got the perfect recipe for gaining weight. Here are just a few bad habits that can make you fat:

1. The Television: The TV, especially when you watch it for long periods of time (aka: sedentary lifestyle choice) can make you more prone to gain weight, especially when there’s food involved. Studies have shown that when a person watches TV for a couple of hours without doing much else, their heart rate, blood pressure and metabolic rates decline, which results in your body burning a lot less calories per hour than it normally would if you were..uh…moving at all.
2. Eating Too Fast: Eating too fast is, perhaps, one of the worst habits that many Americans possess. Blame this one on the fast paced environment that we live in. The tricky thing about eating fast is that you can actually pack more food in that mouth of yours than your brain can process! It takes the human brain approximately 15-20 minutes to start signaling to the rest of your body that it’s full. Many researchers and scientists propose that eating fast is one of the major factors for the metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a combination of the symptoms such as high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance. So, slow down!
3. Multi-task Snacking: Have you ever noticed that while you are sitting in front of your computer, driving or talking on the phone that you’ll suddenly find one of your favorite junk foods in you hand? It’s almost magical, isn’t it? Snacking doesn’t have to be a bad thing, as long as what you’re snacking on is something healthy!
4. Excuses NOT to Exercise: Where does exercise fall on your list of priorities? If you answered “somewhere near the bottom,” then you are not alone. In fact, it is not uncommon to find that many Americans make excuses for not getting as much exercise as they want. It’s the number one New Years Resolution that never seems to get resolved! The truth of the matter is, if your health is important to you (or anything for that matter), you make time for it. Simple.
5. Sleep Deprivation: Did you know that not getting enough sleep can make you fat? As it turns out, sleep deprivation can increase your risk of obesity by boosting ghrelin, which is an appetite stimulating hormone. It also lowers leptin, which is an appetite suppressor. So, make sure you get your rest!

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Tags: Health, Healthy Eating //