Obesity has become one of the leading causes of serious diseases. Obese individuals have an increased risk of conditions such as gallbladder disease, diabetes, stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure, and various types of cancers. To reduce the potential health risks and enhance the quality of life, it is important to manage and treat obesity the right way. Adapting an effective program of weight management can help in gradual weight loss and adopting healthier habits.

Ways to Treat Obesity

There are various programs designed to treat obesity and manage your weight. Being more physically active and eating healthy are the best and most effective ways of preventing and treating obesity. However, the right treatment method is dependent on the overall health, existing disorders, and obesity level. The usual ways of treating obesity are as follows:

Changing Diet

Healthy eating, decreasing the intake of calories, and eliminating junk and processed food from your diet not only treats obesity but also helps in maintaining a healthy weight. Adopting healthy eating habits helps in slowly and steadily losing weight and is the most effective way to permanently eliminate fat. It is essential that unrealistic and drastic dietary changes are avoided like crash diets. Here are a few things to consider:

• Cut back calories – effective weight loss comes from decreasing the amount of calories you are consuming. Determine the amount of calories you are currently consuming and what is the recommended calorie count for you. Then gradually make changes in your diet to cut back the calories. It is best to seek help from a nutritionist or a dietician to come up with a meal plan.
• Focus on healthy foods that keep you full for longer – there are various foods that have fewer calories but help you feel full. Add more vegetables and fruits as they are more filling and help in reducing hanger pangs.
• Make healthy swaps – start eliminating junk, processed and sugary foods from your diet and include healthier foods like soy, lentils, beans, lean meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, and nut, canola and olive oils.
• Decrease or eliminate unhealthy foods – reduce the amount of full fat and high carbohydrate foods and eliminate sugary foods including sweetened beverages and sodas.

It gets tempting to try easy, fast and fad diets for quick weight loss but you need to keep in mind that there are no quick-fixes or magical pills to help you lose weight. These may work for a while but you would gain back all the weight you lose or even more with such quick fixes.  

Increasing Physical Activity

Regular exercise is also essential to treat obesity and maintain weight. It is recommended that you do at least 45 minutes of high intensity exercise every day to lose weight and maintain the weight loss. Keep on increasing the duration and intensity of the exercise as you gradually build endurance. Look for ways in which you can keep moving, for instance, walking to the store instead of driving, talking the stairs instead of using elevators, gardening, and doing more home chores.  

Considering Surgery

In certain cases, surgery is required to lose weight. It is best to consult a doctor to determine if you need surgery and discuss the potential risk. There are various surgeries available, including:

• Gastric sleeve
• Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB)
• Gastric bypass surgery

With obesity, it is essential to stay cautious about weight even if you lose a lot. Continuous balanced diet and physical activity is important to help you maintain the weight loss. Make sure you get support from your friends and family and always keep consulting with your doctor to make sure you are moving in the right direction.