AARP's 50 Ways to Stay Healthy (10 Ways to Beat Obesity)-- Part 3

From AARP magazine, October 2015 (p, 36-46)

(abridged by Blog editor)

Being slightly overweight may reduce your risk of dying prematurely. But being obese (BMI of 30 or more) raises your risk of dying by 18 percent. Check out 10 ways to fight fat and win.

21) Consider a crash. A recent study shows that those who severely restrict calories are more likely to achieve their target weight and have the same chance of keeping the weight off as those who do this over time. Don't get too radical. Very low-calorie diets are associated with a variety of health risks, including the formation of gallstones.

22) Be naturally sweet. Stay away from diet drinks with artificial sweeteners. Try honey and maple syrup.

23) Trick your appetite. Eat off smaller plates, 10 inch plates rater than 12 inch plates. And go for the blue plate special... the blue-colored plate will make food appear unappetizing and you'll likely eat less. (Do you really want to make food unappetizing? Blog editor)

24) Make skinny friends. (Not a suggestion that you shun your chubby friends, or is it? Blog editor) If one person gains weight, his or her close friends are more likely to gain weight too.

25) Keep it uncomfortable. By keeping your home a bit colder in winter and warmer in the summer, you may force your body to burn more calories to adjust. That makes you body work harder and you burn more calories to adjust.

26) Watch your cravings. Depressed people with decreased levels of serotonin have a tendency to overeat. Overeating-- especially carbohydrates (simple and complex) may be an attempt to self-medicate to restore serotonin levels. A small portion of your favorite pasta can achieve the same effect.

27) Pick protein. A recent study found that people who ate eggs instead of a bagel for breakfast lost 65 percent more weight and had a 34 percent greater reduction in waist circumference.

28) Don't default to antibiotics. Dont' overuse antibiotics. May contribute to obesity. They have an adverse effect on digestive microbes that influence your metabolic rate.

29) Check you neck. If you're gaining weight for no discernible reason, it could be a faulty thyroid gland.

30) Cut back. Studies show that exercise alone has no effect on weight loss. A survey of American adults found that despite increase in physical activity between 2001 and 2009 the rise in exercise was matched by a jump in obesity. If you're really trying to lose weight, focus on your food intake and quality.