by Paulin Soleyman

Created on: December 12, 2008   Last Updated: December 23, 2008

Americans are fighting a deadly epidemic that claims nearly 280,000 lives a year. The good news is that obesity, the number one health problem in the United States, is a preventable cause of death. The bad news is that due to various factors such as the overwhelming availability of fast food, monstrous portion sizes, and our increasingly sedentary lifestyle we are currently losing the battle of the bulge. One of the main reasons why we, as a society, struggle so much with our weight is because we are a convenience-minded group of individuals who have forgotten the joys and benefits of physical activity. Adding to all this is the fact that everyday we are bombarded with pharmaceutical adds offering quick weight loss solutions that devalue exercise.

So, it's no surprise that most Americans do not know how to go about starting an exercise program. Even more troubling is the fact that most of us confuse fad diets for exercise programs. Fad diets are something that we undertakes for a month or two in order to drop one or two dress sizes quickly. Exercise programs, on the other hand, require us to educate ourselves regarding how our bodies work and make conscious, long-term, lifestyle changes in such areas as nutrition and exercise.

The first step towards establishing an effective exercise program is getting to know your body. Every one of our bodies is slightly different. Such factors as our weight, age, sex, genetics, and overall physical constitution directly effect our metabolism and cardiovascular exercise capacity. Consult your health care professional before you begin any exercise program. The next step is to get moving!

Join a Gym

Gyms can be intimidating places, especially for inexperienced, out-of-shape or obese individuals. It is important to do your research and find a gym with an environment conducive to your needs. One of the main reasons why people join a gym, attend once, and never set foot in there again, is because the environment does not compliment their personality and the facilities do not meet their needs. This is especially true for obese individuals. In most traditional gyms, the equipment are not designed for over-weight bodies and the staff is not trained to deal with the needs of these individuals. The result is a very uncomfortable, and often humiliating or unsafe experience for the obese client. Luckily, today more and more gyms are seeing the need to cater to the needs of the obese clients. It is up to you to do your research and find

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