Improve Your Wellness Goals Through Weightloss
Updated March 22nd 2022
Do you want to lose weight and improve your wellness goals? If so, the Mediterranean diet may be a great option for you.
This diet is based on the traditional eating habits of people in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. It is a diet for weight loss and help improve overall health. In this blog post, we will discuss how the Mediterranean diet can help you lose weight and help with wellness goals. We will also provide some tips on how to follow this diet correctly. So, if you are interested in improving your health and shedding some pounds, keep reading!
The Alarming Truth about Obesity And Wellness
Obesity is a threat to wellness because it increases the risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Although obesity can be caused by factors such as genes and hormonal imbalances, in most cases it is the result of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. The good news is that obesity is preventable and treatable with lifestyle changes such as eating healthy foods and exercising regularly.
Obesity is associated with number of co-morbid diseases and conditions that require treatment. Obesity can harm people’s prospects in life, their self-esteem and their underlying mental health. Research published in the BMJ found that people who are obese or overweight are less likely to exercise in public as they feel discriminated against because of their weight.
The rising rates of obesity have resulted in significant increases in direct medical spending for obese and overweight individuals.
The individual costs associated with being obese are: lost wages, presenteeism and absenteeism, and higher costs associated with the purchase of personal goods. While individuals bear the full burden of some costs, such as the value of lost life or lost wages, employers and employees share the burden for many other costs such as direct medical costs, short-term disability, and productivity losses.
In the USA, the government pays a significant portion of costs associated with obesity for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Estimates of the medical cost of adult obesity in the United States range from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion per year. The majority of the spending is generated from treating obesity-related diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, among others. Obesity is responsible for $61.8 billion in Medicare and Medicaid spending. In the absence of obesity, Medicare and Medicaid spending would be around 8.5 percent and 11.8 percent lower, respectively.
If obesity rates continue on their current track, medical costs associated with obesity are estimated to increase by $48 – $66 billion per year in the U.S., and the loss of economic productivity could be as high as $580 billion annually by 2030.
Fast Facts: The Cost of Obesity – STOP Obesity Alliance
UK Obesity Levels
In the UK nearly two-thirds of adults (63%) were classed as being overweight (a body mass index of over 25) or obese (a BMI of over 30) in 2015. The prevalence of obesity is similar among men and women, but men are more likely to be overweight.
It is estimated that obesity is responsible for more than 30,000 deaths each year. On average, obesity deprives an individual of an extra 9 years of life, preventing many individuals from reaching retirement age. In the future, obesity or weightloss is likely to overtake tobacco smoking as the biggest cause of preventable death.
Failing to address the challenge posed by the obesity epidemic will place an even greater burden on NHS resources. It is estimated that the NHS spent £6.1 billion on overweight and obesity-related ill-health in 2014 to 2015. More broadly, obesity has a serious impact on economic development. The overall cost of obesity to wider society is estimated at £27 billion. The UK-wide NHS costs attributable to overweight and obesity are projected to reach £9.7 billion by 2050, with wider costs to society estimated to reach £49.9 billion per year.
Annual spend on the treatment of obesity and diabetes is greater than the amount spent on the police, the fire service and the judicial system combined.
How Can Extra Virgin Olive Oil Help Weight Loss?
We all know that EVOO is great for drizzling over salads and creating that perfect bruschetta. It is, unquestionably the most flavor-some and aromatic of all the olive oils. It is also incredibly healthy. EVOO has been widely researched and the health benefits are evidence based including:
- EVOO reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases
- EVOO has beneficial effects on ulcers and gastritis
- EVOO maintains the digestive tract in good health
- EVOO helps to reduce blood pressure
- EVOO controls healthy cholesterol levels
- EVOO eases or prevents diabetes
- EVOO lessens the severity of osteoporosis
It has now been shown to have proven weight-loss properties, which can be achieved by having three tablespoons or about 50ml of EVOO a day.
These are the findings of US nutritionist and associate professor of clinical medicine Dr Mary Flynn, who’s been studying the effects and health benefits of EVOO since the 1990s.
“The general body of research says that once you have two or more tablespoons a day, you’ll improve your blood pressure, your glucose levels and your good cholesterol,” Flynn says. “But I’ve found that the weight-loss effect comes into play at three tablespoons, so that’s what I recommend. It’s an amazing food – it does all these things that help your body, plus it tastes good.”
It’s important to note that when Flynn refers about “olive oil”, she’s talking about extra-virgin olive oil, like Morocco Gold which is rich in nutrients.
An EVOO diet As Part of Your Wellness Plan
Consuming three tablespoons of EVOO isn’t enough to start shedding the kilos, Flynn says, explaining that the weight-loss effect kicks in when it’s combined with a healthy Mediterranean-style diet. This is rich in vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains, moderate in dairy and low in meat (about three serves of white meat or fish a week for women, and red meat only once or twice a month).
“This way of eating essentially takes the calories you’d normally be consuming with meat and gives them to vegetables and EVOO,”
Dr Mary Flynn
Flynn proved the success of a diet that’s high in healthy fats in 2010 with a study of 44 women over 50 who’d become overweight during breast cancer treatment. Each woman trialled two eight-week diets. Flynn’s EVOO-based diet and a low-fat food plan as recommended by the US National Cancer Institute. Both diets were made up of 1500 calories a day.
After the 16 weeks, the average weight loss was 7kg, however, the women lost twice as much on the EVOO diet as the low-fat diet. They also showed improved breast cancer biomarkers, lower triglycerides and higher levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol. In addition, when the women were asked to choose the diet they preferred all but one chose the EVOO diet. They found the food more appetising, accessible and affordable.
While the benefits of being a healthy weight are particularly important to women who’ve had breast cancer (being overweight increases the risk of the cancer recurring), being overweight or obese also increases the risk of cancer and other illnesses generally. “I recommend this EVOO diet to everyone,” says Flynn.
Veg And Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A Perfect Match For Weightloss
Flynn says the key to the success of the EVOO diet is to cook your vegetables in olive oil. There are two main reasons for this. The first is that carotenoids. A powerful antioxidants that give orange, yellow and red veg their colour and are also found in abundance in leafy greens. They need fat to be absorbed. She also believes the nutrients in cruciferous veg such as broccoli and cabbage are better absorbed with oil, but that’s still yet to be conclusively proven. The second reason is arguably more important: Vegies taste better with EVOO, so people are likely to eat more.
“My rule of thumb is one tablespoon of EVOO to one cup of veg,” Flynn says, adding that sautéing them or roasting are tasty options, plus these methods maintain much of their nutrient value. “Eating veg like this fills you up and stops you being hungry.” An added bonus, she says, is fibre from the veg also improves bowel regularity.
For anyone daunted by a diet of less meat and three cups daily of vegetables, Flynn advises: “Start by having three dinners a week where you combine vegetables, EVOO and some starch (potatoes or wholegrain pasta or rice). Then see if you can add some lunches in as well. The more you take in, the more benefit you’ll get.”
Source: bodyandsoul.com.au
Ways To Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil For Weight Loss
Extra virgin olive oilis the perfect companion for all kinds of food and you can add it in any culinary preparation. But if you are interested in losing a few extra kilos, here are some ways to use extra virgin olive oil to lose weight.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil With Lemon
One way to use extra virgin olive oil to lose weight is to combine it with lemon. One of the most powerful remedies that exist to purify and eliminate toxins from your body. Lemon contains, in addition to vitamin C, hesperidin. A flavonoid that contributes to improve the function of lymphatic drainage and, with it, the retention of liquids. Take some extra virgin olive oil with half a lemon at breakfast and you will see how your figure is improving little by little.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil With Ginger
Ginger is a root that, when ingested, produces a thermogenic effect in the body. Ginger is able to activate your nervous system and, as a consequence, activate all processes that produce energy (which also supplies fat). That is, ginger is a natural fat burner. Another excellent way to use extra virgin olive oil for weight loss. Add some ginger and extra virgin olive oil to dress your salads.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil With Cucumber
Good weather is synonymous with lots of fruit and vegetables. And among them are the cucumbers. Delicious and very refreshing. A food that helps you lose those extra pounds. Its high-water content makes it have a low amount of calories. In addition, cucumber contains a lot of fibre that helps eliminate toxins from the body. Add extra virgin olive oil to a couple of cucumbers and you will get a great starter that will help you lose weight.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil With Cayenne Pepper
Although it may not seem like it, cayenne pepper is a digestive stimulant. This spice stimulates the production of juices and gastric enzymes that digest the food you eat, eliminating the toxins that are generated in your body. It also speeds up metabolism and fat burning. A trick to add some cayenne pepper to a daily ‘shot’ of extra virgin olive oil.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil In Smoothies
Detoxifying green shakes to reduce weight have become fashionable. And with good reason. They are a time bomb against the body’s fat and toxins. Full of vitamins, minerals, fibre and other nutrients that help keep your weight at bay. But you can enhance its power much more, and especially the flavour of these shakes, adding a little extra virgin olive oil.