Are you an overweight dad?

           Dads of all age listen up! This post is for you. We all want to be in our children’s life. Your kids are going to rely on you for anything to everything. You going to be there for support during his first t-ball experience, you’re going to need to be around to give advice about cars, girls and anything in between. For fathers of daughters you need to be there to walk her down the aisle to the man that will take her hand for the rest of her life. Let me ask you a question, are you overweight? Are you considered to be obese according to your BMI? What do you think the life expectancies are for overweight men? I’ll tell you. Over the next few decades, life expectancy for the average American could decline by as much as 5 years unless aggressive efforts are made to slow rising rates of obesity, according to a team of scientists supported in part by the National Institute on Aging (NIA). That’s not all. Men rarely worry about their weight. Recent surveys have shown that most men know little or nothing about health and nutrition, and a very small percentage are interested in learning more. Since men have a more carefree attitude than women, they are more likely to eat what they want without paying heed to daily caloric intake or long-term consequences. Even if they are overweight and they know it is bad for them, men will rarely take steps to overcome obesity till they get a wake-up call in the form of a heart attack or a diagnosis of diabetes.

If you are the breadwinner in your household, you probably spend most of you time at work. Constantly worrying about project deadlines, the promotion, the mortgage and bills. Such high levels of stress make even ten minutes of exercise a day seem like a daunting task. Add to that the hassle of making healthy food choices through the day and most men would rather not bother at all. Also, society and the media have always focused more on women looking good and maintaining their weight. So, men rarely have any motivation to watch their weight.

Forget the cosmetic factor; obesity is disastrous to health. If you are obese, you are at a higher risk of developing many adverse health conditions:

o Gallbladder disease, gallstones

o Liver disease

o Type 2 diabetes

o Gout

o Osteoarthritis

o Certain types of cancer

o Heart disease and stroke

o Sleep apnea

o High blood pressure

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Men who are obese are more likely to die of cancer of the prostate, rectum, and colon. They also project lower levels of strength and endurance than obese women. Recent research shows that obesity increases the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. There has also been a significant rise in the number of premature deaths among obese people.

Take heart in the fact that it is never too late to begin your fight against obesity. A few small steps starting today can ensure a longer, healthier life and a more fulfilling life.

Good health is not a struggle, nor is it an extraordinary feat. Healthy living is about understanding what your body needs and what is good for it. Re-discover good health and make good health a way of living! You want to be there for your kids, you need to be and they need you to. Love yourself and make the changes. If you have any struggles with weight loss or just confused where to start, email me and I’ll get you into the right direction.

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