Creating a nutritionally healthy home is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure the health of your child. To start, make smart food choices, and help your child develop a positive relationship with healthy food. Your children will learn their food smarts from your example.

Here are the top 10 tips for getting children to eat healthy food:

1. Do not restrict food.  Restricting food increases the risk your child may develop eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia later in life. It can also have a negative effect on growth and development.   Also by restricting food you will actually increase the risk of overeating later in the day which will cause weight gain.

2. Keep healthy food on hand.  Children will eat what’s readily available. Keep fruit in a bowl on the counter, not buried in the crisper section of your fridge.  Remember, your child can only choose foods that you stock in the house, by limiting ‘junk food’ you will, by default, teach your child how to choose healthier foods.

3. Don’t label foods as “good” or “bad.” Instead, tie foods to the things your child cares about, such as sports, academics and hobbies. Let your child know that lean protein such as turkey and calcium in dairy products give strength to their sports and academic performance, the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables add luster to skin and hair and the carbs in whole grains will give them energy to play.

4. Praise healthy choices. Give your children a proud smile and tell them how smart they are when they choose healthy foods. Kids thrive on positive reinforcement!

5. Don’t nag about unhealthy choices. If your child chooses unhealthy foods infrequently, ignore it. However, if your child always wants fatty, fried food, redirect the choice. You might try roasting potato sticks in the oven (tossed in just a bit of oil) instead of buying french fries. Or, if your child wants candy, you might make fresh strawberries dipped in a little chocolate sauce. Too busy? Then keep naturally sweet dried fruit at home for quick snacks.  With consistent effort taste buds change and soon your child will be craving healthy foods.

6. Never use food as a reward. This could create weight problems in later life. Instead, reward your children with something physical and fun — perhaps a trip to the park or a quick game of catch.

7. Sit down to family dinners at night. If this isn’t a tradition in your home, it should be. Research shows that children who eat dinners at the table with their parents have better nutrition and are less likely to get in serious trouble as teenagers. Start with one night a week, and then work up to three or four, to gradually build the habit.

8. Prepare plates in the kitchen. There you can put healthy portions of each item on everyone’s dinner plate. Your children will learn to recognize correct portion sizes.  Too often people go for seconds and even thirds just because the food is right there.  You might notice that you need less food to feel full!

9. Give the kids some control. Ask your children to take three bites of all the foods on their plate and give it a grade, such as A, B, C, D, or F. When healthy foods – especially certain vegetables — get high marks, serve them more often. Offer the items your children don’t like less frequently. This lets your children participate in decision making. After all, dining is a family affair!

10. Consult your pediatrician. Always talk with your child’s doctor before putting your child on a diet, trying to help your child gain weight, or making any significant changes in the type of foods your child eats. Never diagnose your child as too heavy, or too thin, by yourself.  If weight change is recommended seek the help of a Dietitian.

To develop a healthy eating program to maintain a healthy weight, it’s a good idea to do some research on health and nutrition.  If you’re not trying to lose weight but just want to eat well for good health, then it’s important to understand how your body uses food.  This makes it easier for you to choose healthy food and not be tricked when less-than healthy foods call themselves natural and healthy.

A healthy eating program should offer you much more than just a good balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates.  But if that balance isn’t in place to start with, the plan probably isn’t all that healthy.  Any plan that keeps fat at about 30% or less of the diet and stresses good fats over saturated fats probably has a healthy fat balance.  There should be plenty of sources of protein other than meat, like lots of fish, healthy dairy sources like yogurt, and beans.

And carbohydrates should be mostly whole grain sources like whole grain bread and oatmeal.  Whole grain pastas are better than regular pastas, and basmati rice is better than regular white rice.  A healthy eating program that stresses these smart choices over things like instant white rice and instant pre-packaged sweetened and flavored oatmeal is better than one that includes too many convenience items.

A healthy eating program should follow the government food pyramid pretty closely.  Whole grain carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, beans, fish, lean meat and dairy products can all be part of a very healthy diet.  But there are other things to look at, no matter what kind of diet you choose to follow.

You want to make sure your healthy eating program has enough diversity so that you don’t get bored, and you get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.  Baked chicken breasts, broccoli and a whole grain roll might be a healthy lunch, but no one wants to eat that several times a week.  Your plan needs to include a variety of vegetables, not just one or two.  There are more lean meats than chicken breasts, and many different ways to prepare these and other dishes.

You’ll also want to make sure that unhealthy things aren’t creeping into your meals.  Some diets stress that you use margarine instead of butter, for instance, because it’s lower fat and not full of saturated fat like butter. But margarine is mostly trans fat, a fat that even the government now agrees is worse for you than saturated fat. It’s a fat that should be eliminated, or at the very least severely restricted, from our diets. A healthy eating program that allows certain commercially packaged low-fat cookies and treats might not take into account the amount of trans fats and sugar in those foods, either.

You have to be the detective and examine all the parts of the diet you want to follow.  Yes, the balance of foods and nutrition is important, but don’t forget to look at all the other parts of your healthy eating program.

Are you one of the hundreds of thousands of people who need to lose weight in order to stay healthy? But you just can’t afford to spend $10.00 a day or more on special weight loss packages. How would you like to learn about the inexpensive green tea health benefits and how it can help you lose weight? This article will give you some down to earth tips about green tea and its benefits.

Green tea health benefits are almost a given. But as always when you are about to start a special diet with a supplement of any kind; you should always check with your doctor. When you do this you will know you are not endangering your health.

A great many people who are overweight are prone to developing high blood pressure and other related cardiovascular diseases. If you fall into this category you may not be able to use other diet supplements due to the increased danger of kicking your heart rate up higher. However, green tea will not increase your heart rate.

Recent studies have shown that green tea can help you lose weight by increasing your energy levels and speed up the conversion of fat into energy. As you gain this increase in your energy levels you will be able to safely step up your exercise program. The increased exercise will stimulate your metabolic rate which in turn will burn your calorie intake more efficiently.

One of the ingredients found in green tea is called catechin. A good number of scientists have theorized the large amount of catechin is what enables the green tea to have a dramatic impact on your energy levels. Some believe it increases the output of energy by as much as four percent.

Another of the green tea health benefits is its amazing ability to help the body eliminate toxic body waste. When it acts as an antioxidant it is believed it helps improve your body’s immunity system. And the end result of this action is you have less chance of becoming ill.

One thing you will notice with the green tea is the quick burning of calories. This may tend to increase your craving for certain foods to replace the calories you have already burned. It’s important for you to remember to control your calorie intake. If you should increase the calorie intake you are decreasing the chances of you losing any weight.

Green tea and a controlled calorie intake should allow you to have a gradual loss of weight over a extended period of time. However, if you should want to increase the weight loss more quickly, you reduce your calorie intake even further. In the mean while you would want to increase the amount of exercise which will also help speed up the weight loss.

There is one little drawback to green tea. You may be put off by the taste, however as you continue to drink it you will get used to it. If you just can’t stomach it you can always try the green tea extract.

By sticking with your controlled diet, exercise and the green tea, you stand an excellent chance of losing all those extra pounds and keeping them off. Clearly the green tea health benefits far out weigh the one little drawback of a different taste.

Understanding green tea health benefits can help you to begin and maintain a healthier lifestyle. If you’re the type of person who finds it challenging to maintain healthy eating and living, a great way to start is by making green tea a part of your daily diet. In today’s hurry up age, it is very possible to spend much of our days rushing to and fro, only taking time to grab a bite to eat on the run. We don’t blame you for being on the go, but at some point you have to stop and take care of your health and body to make sure they both last you for the long run.

There are many green tea health rewards that have been discovered by scientists and researchers over the years. While not all of these claims to healthier living have been verified, there are many which have. Of those substantiated, it has been reported that some major health incentives include reduction or resistance of impaired immune function, high cholesterol levels, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular disease and infection.

Deciding to establish a diet regimen based on the rewards of green tea health doesn’t have to be an ordeal but careful planning and consideration should be given to selecting the type green tea product you want to use. There are many different forms of green tea on the market, many of which are not the genuine article. Don’t fall for impostors that claim to be green tea but actually only have a small percentage of green tea extract listed as a fourth or fifth ingredient on the list.

Some green tea health products can be purchased over the Internet. This is a great way to not only research the various green tea products that are available, but it eliminates the need to travel to the store to buy them. As a rule, however, you should avoid trying products just because they offer a free sample. The something for nothing concept is usually an auto ship program that subtlety invites you to pay regular charges for automatic refills of a product that may or may not work for you.

When you do find a green tea health product that you’re interested in taking, it is the best practice to check with your physician, particularly if you are taking any other medications that may react to the addition of green tea to your diet. Once you’re cleared by your doctor, you’re ready to begin experiencing some of the great green tea health benefits that are said to have helped make green tea the rage that currently is in many countries around the world.

Remember, not all green tea products are created equal. When the truth is told, there are many lookalike products and even some pseudo green tea items that make the claim but substantiate nothing. So whether you are searching for green tea health items for the short or long term, make sure you are selecting authentic green tea items.

Green tea is quickly becoming one of the most popular beverages across the world, because not only does it offer a delicious taste and versatility, but green tea benefits your health and well being as well. The Chinese have long been using green tea for the health benefits that it offers for thousands of years. Green tea is not a snake oil, but rather is backed by scientific research that is showing that the green tea benefits are real, legitimate and measurable.

Green tea contains catechin polyphenols like epigallocatechin gallate, which is why green tea benefits the body in so many ways. You may better know epigallocatechin gallate as EGCG, a very powerful antioxidant that can help to curb the growth of cancer cells within the body, also possibly killing off already existent cancer cells without attacking the body’s healthy tissues and cells. EGCG is also capable of preventing blood clots, which will curb the occurrence of heart attacks and strokes.

Green tea has also been shown to relieve pain that is associated with rheumatoid arthritis in addition to fighting infections, repairing the immune system, and even preventing cardiovascular disease. Green tea benefits are not limited to just one or two facets of the human body, but rather it positively impacts your overall healthy and well being.

Another of the green tea benefits that are worth considering is that green tea has been linked to helping people lose weight, according to a study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the University of Geneva. The conclusion of the study was that when men were given green tea as a staple in their diet, they lost more weight and burned more calories than those who did not incorporate green tea into their diet. Additionally, green tea has been linked to fighting tooth decay and promoting a healthy smile. Green tea is capable of destroying bacteria, killing off the bacteria that cause plaque and abscesses in your mouth.

The ECGC in green tea can also help to boost your metabolism, ridding your body of the free radicals that cause cancer and other harm to your body. Free radicals can damage your cells, leading to premature aging, the development of cancers and other damage to your body. The antioxidants found in green tea can contribute to feeling younger and healthier and can give you an overall improved sense of well being.

Green tea benefits the body in numerous ways and is inexpensive and tastes great. Green tea is often organically produced, meaning that it is completely natural and cannot harm your body. Green tea has a taste that is naturally sweet, but balances well by an almost pleasant bitterness. It has a complex taste with a lot of depth, allowing it to appeal to the general public. Because anyone can afford green tea, and because it can be made fresh so easily, it is easy to implement green tea into your daily life in order to get all of the green tea benefits that your body needs.

Nearly everyone thinks that dieting would be a good idea. For many, it is. A recent study showed that the average American now consumes about 22% more calories than those of only a generation ago. With that, it isn’t hard to see why obesity could be a problem.

But dieting is not without risks, especially in an age when so many fad diets clamor for attention. The desire to lose weight rapidly can lead to health problems that outweigh the benefits of dieting. Rapid weight-loss dieting in particular can lead to a ‘rebound’, defeating the purpose in the first place.

First, what do we mean by ‘diet’ in this context?

No matter what specific weight loss plan one chooses, the basic equation of weight loss can not be eliminated: more calories consumed than burned equals weight gain as the body stores the excess in fat. Conversely, more calories used than taken in leads to weight loss, over the long run.

In a resting state, we burn about 70 calories per hour. In a vigorous hour-long hike we burn about 440 calories. A brisk walk for an hour will use up about 240 calories, jogging nearly 600. But balance that against the average 2,000 calorie per day diet. That shows it can be very difficult to lose weight solely by exercise.

On the other hand, reducing caloric intake means reducing the amount of certain foods and drinks. It may mean an apple rather than a candy bar. It might mean fruit juice instead of that high-calorie cappuccino. The cravings that typically accompany dieting can be hard to quell.

Second, dieting has to be done right to be beneficial. It requires the right weight loss plan.

Too-rapid weight loss from drastic diets leads to a ‘rebound’ effect. All too many dieters know the frustration of seeing hard-to-shed pounds return a few months or a year later. It tends to encourage subsequent overeating as the dieter is motivated to just give up.

Dieting by foregoing needed nutrients presents even more of a health risk. We need a certain amount of unsaturated fats daily to have proper nerve function and hormone balance. Carbohydrates are the body’s basic energy source, which is used to power everything we do from simple movements to life-preserving cellular reactions. Sodium and potassium are vital to proper heart and nerve function.

But there are definite health advantages for an individual who commits to a healthy diet and weight loss plan.

Obesity is a factor in the development of diabetes. It increases the odds of coronary heart disease. It increases stress on bones. It often plays a role in depression. All these are serious health issues and dieting is one of the best ways to combat obesity.

It isn’t mere vanity to want an attractive body, either. An attractive body is one that is fit. That leads to ample energy to carry out whatever goals one wants to pursue. Lack of energy makes it much harder to motivate oneself to complete challenging tasks.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting an attractive form for psychological or social purposes either. Humans are social. It’s appropriate to take pride in having achieved a certain body type, within the limits of what is possible to each of us. It presents an image of self-regard and that psychological self-assessment is a significant factor in basic health.

Done well, taken up as a long-term lifestyle strategy and not as a quick fix, dieting is healthy.

Nutrition and health science is constantly evolving, and it often seems as if the latest study contradicts earlier ones. It’s hard to know what to believe. But, over the last few decades, a wide array of independent studies has tended to confirm some conclusions about the relationship between excess body fat and associated health risks.

The basic conclusion is that anyone who is considerably overweight is at higher risk for a number of potential health problems. These include various forms of heart condition, high blood pressure, diabetes, colon cancer, liver damage, gallstones and others.

But what is ‘considerably overweight’?

There’s no static, ideal weight for any given individual, though there are various factors that provide a healthy range. One measurement that is a good starting point is BMI (Body Mass Index). To calculate it, just divide your weight (in kg) by your height (in m) squared. The following table is a rough classification:

Under 18.5 = Underweight
Between 18.5 and 24.99 = Normal Weight
Between 25 and 29.99 = Overweight
Between 30 and 34.99 = Obese (Class 1)
Between 35 and 39.99 = Obese (Class 2)
40 and above = Extreme Obesity

For those on the lower end of the BMI scale, health risks are no more (or at most only moderately higher) than for anyone. Genetic and other environmental factors will outweigh any body fat or weight issues. But for those nearer the higher range, there is strong evidence that health risks are higher.

For example, abdominal obesity (having large fat deposits around the stomach and abdomen) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance syndrome. For women, a waist circumference of 35 inches or more (40+ in men) is an indicator of abdominal obesity. Among other conditions, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and high cholesterol are all common factors associated with that condition.

Narrowing of the arteries, atherosclerosis, contributes to the possibility of a clot which can cause a stroke. Excessive body fat is one factor in producing that condition. At the same time, it plays a part in increased blood pressure (hypertension).

Rapid weight gain, from 10-20 lbs for the average person, increases the odds of developing Type 2 diabetes. Genetic factors are fundamental, but weight gain plays a role, according to most studies. The risk is double that of an individual who has not had a weight gain, when other factors are held constant.

Liver disease, apart from that associated with excessive alcohol consumption, can be caused by insulin resistance. That resistance is much more likely among those who are obese. There are many studies which have correlated BMI with the degree of liver damage. The higher the BMI, the greater the odds of liver trouble.

Gallstones are more likely to form in those who are obese, and may be correlated with a rapid rise in BMI. Sleep apnea (interruption of breathing during sleep) is another condition commonly linked to obesity.

In short, though no single study is definitive, and there are many genetic and other environmental elements, excessive body fat is a substantial factor in health issues. Being overweight is not merely an issue of acceptable appearance, it’s a health risk.

One sure way to lose weight, it might seem, is simply to stop eating for a while. Simple as it sounds, that idea is fraught with potential problems.

The basic weight loss equation certainly remains valid in this case: using more calories than are consumed results in weight loss. If you don’t take in calories by eating, it’s fairly easy to satisfy that equation. Your body burns 70 calories per hour even just sitting idle on the couch.

But while you may be idle, your body’s systems are not.

First of all, the body – deprived of food – will slow down the metabolism and burn calories more slowly. Weight loss can be sudden at first, but the rate slows very soon thereafter.

At first, it goes after glycogen stored in the liver and converts it to glucose to burn for energy. That energy is used to power all the body’s activities.

When that is used up (to a degree), the body then begins going after the energy stored in the bonds of certain molecules in fat cells. The process is called ketosis and accounts for why your breath sometimes smells like fingernail polish (made with ketones) after hard exercise.

So far, that all sounds good. You burn calories, reduce body fat and lose weight. Exactly what you wanted. But, unfortunately, this isn’t all the body is doing under these circumstances.

Because of the relatively rapid weight loss/calorie burning from this method of ‘dieting’ the body will experience a ‘rebound’ effect. In other words, it will cause you to crave food like crazy. The food you do eat will cause you to put on more pounds than you lost. The body is compensating for a radical deficit.

At the same time, there are serious health risks to simply starving or a long term fast. Going without food for a few hours or even a day isn’t dangerous, though it can be uncomfortable since you’ll get very hungry. But this method causes a number of carefully balanced nutrients to get out of whack.

It upsets the delicate balance of insulin, sugar and a variety of other essential compounds. Apart from regulating energy levels, they influence hormones that regulate the brain and nervous system.

Concentrations of potassium and sodium get out of balance unless you compensate with sports-style drinks, which can be more difficult to adjust in the absence of food. Those minerals are key to regulating the heartbeat, not to mention being found in every cell of the body and the fluid in between where they participate in an enormous variety of vital tasks.

Fatigue, dizziness and difficulty concentrating are only three of the milder symptoms that will result. Dehydration is likely, since much of the fluid we gain is from food, not just liquid. That can easily lead to heat stroke if the weather is at all warm and you are even a little active.

The kidneys will have a more difficult time filtering properly. They clean waste material from the blood, play a role in regulating blood pressure and stimulate the bone marrow to make red blood cells.

The odds of heart attack are increased, brain function suffers,… the list is endless. Even if the fast is ended long before death (at about 4 weeks), serious physical effects would occur.

Instead of fasting, eat a balanced, healthy diet of limited calories – combined with an age and circumstance-appropriate exercise program. That is the surest way to lose pounds safely. Your short term and long term health will be in harmony.

There’s no single answer to the question posed by the title that is right for everyone, of course. There are a variety of natural body types, some very thin, others on the stocky side. Still, official sources state that people now consume about 22% more calories daily than they did a generation ago. In light of that, it shouldn’t be surprising that society is tending toward obesity today.

A good exercise program is one of the twin pillars that can help reverse that trend. Along with the increased consumption has come a decrease in the amount of exercise the average person gets today. More time at the computer and a host of other reasons are responsible.

But the right diet is the other pillar that is a must. A ‘must’, that is, if the goal is optimal weight and body fat percentage, an attractive appearance, self-esteem and overall health. It isn’t mere vanity that prompts millions to seek that diet. They know, most having tried to diet at one time or another, that many real benefits follow.

Dieting is about more than just losing weight. It’s just as much about achieving optimal nutrition. It’s about creating the body image that you feel comfortable with. It’s about achieving your unique optimal weight range.

Note that important phrase ‘weight range’. No exact number represents your ideal weight. It will fluctuate slightly from week to week. What that range is depends on your BMI (Body Mass Index), your waistline and where you store fat, your natural body type and other factors.

BMI is just your weight (in kilograms) divided by your height (in meters) squared, or BMI = Weight / (Height x Height). To find your weight in metric units, just divide by 2.2, to find your height in meters, multiply inches by 2.54 and divide by 100.

So, suppose you are a woman 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 140 lbs. So, (66 inches x 2.54)/100 = 1.676 meters. Your Weight = 140 / 2.2 = 63.6 kg. Therefore, your BMI = 63.6 / (1.676 x 1.676) = 22.6, which is right in the middle of the normal range. See the full table and a BMI calculator here:

http://www.consumer.gov/weightloss/bmi.htm

But a woman 5 feet 6 inches who weighs a 140 pounds may still feel the need to diet. It’s not then strictly just a health issue. She may want to feel more attractive. She may legitimately believe that a slimmer physique or one with more muscle will give her more energy.

Or, she may not. That’s where self-image plays a significant role. She may adjust her body, or her attitude, or both. Or, she may be perfectly satisfied with herself as she is.

Part of that outlook will (and should) depend on age and personal circumstances. If that same woman is 26 she may feel the need to shed a few pounds in order to achieve her personal goal. If she’s 16, she likely has a few years of growth left and the whole situation will sort itself out with time. If she’s 56, she might be very pleased that she is in a healthy range and not pay much heed to other factors, but still want to diet to achieve optimal nutrition.

Personal situations count heavily when deciding whether or not to diet.

Phytonutrients are the new hot item in diet and nutrition. But what are they and why are they believed to be so healthful?

Phytochemicals are a class of compounds found in the highly colored skins of some fruits and vegetables. Since their nutritional properties are still under investigation no FDA guidelines are available about their health benefits. As a result, some avoid labeling them phytonutrients.

Still, numerous studies suggest that these compounds are very likely to have beneficial effects. Further, no one doubts that the foods that contain them are good nutrition. They are recommended by all experts. The chief area needing clarification is the degree to which they aid in combating certain diseases, such as colon cancer, or how effectively they aid the immune system.

What Foods Contain Phytonutrients, and How Do They Help?

Any strongly colored fruit or vegetable will contain some phytochemicals.

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene. While research is ongoing, many large scale studies have already shown a link between consumption and reduction of prostate cancer. In one, men who consumed more than 10 servings per week had a 35% lower risk, compared to those who only consumed 1.5 servings or fewer.

‘Eat your spinach’ is a familiar phrase from childhood. Phytochemicals called carotenoids may be the reason that it is good advice. Those who consumed it regularly had a 46% lower risk of macular degeneration, compared to study participants who only ate it once per month or less.

Another category called flavonoids are well-known to be beneficial, based on thousands of studies. That’s because they act as antioxidants. Roaming oxygen atoms called free radicals carry enough energy to damage cells. Antioxidants combine with them and render them harmless. Flavonoids are a rich source of antioxidants.

According to a European study published in Lancet, a leading British medical journal, Dutch men who consumed more than 30 mg of flavonoids daily had a 58% lower risk of heart disease than those who consumed only 19 mg or less per day.

Flavonoids are part of a larger class called polyphenols that have similar properties. They are in such foods as strawberries, blueberries, apples and more. Red wine, long known to be a boon to health in moderate quantities, contains polyphenols.

A study in the Journal of the AMA (American Medical Association) linked fruit and vegetable consumption to a decrease in the odds of stroke. For each additional consumption of three daily servings subjects had a 22% decrease in the chances for hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke.

How Much Do We Get?

The average American gets 3.3 servings of vegetables per day. But those containing phytochemicals are consumed in much smaller quantities, only about 0.2 servings. About 10% of the population eats less than one serving per day of vegetables.

Less than a third of the population (29%) eats the minimum number of daily fruit servings. Nearly half eat less than one serving of fruit per day. Even for those on a restricted carb diet that is very low.

Summary

Like many areas of nutritional science, research on phytochemicals continues at a rapid pace. But even at the present level of knowledge it’s clear that certain fruits and vegetables should be part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Nearly everyone today worries about being overweight. We’re constantly inundated with messages from TV and the Internet about widespread obesity and the risks of being obese. Whether it’s health issues or social acceptance, no one wants to be fat.

But if you look at it from an evolutionary aspect, the ability to store excess calories in the form of fat cells is a very life-serving ability. When a person consumes more calories than the body uses for muscle movement, internal temperature maintenance and cellular repair the remainder is stored in the chemical bonds of fat cells. Technically, it’s stored in something called ‘adipose tissue’.

Energy – which calories measure – isn’t a substance, so it’s not the same as fat. But that energy becomes available for use when those fat molecules break down into simpler products. That happens when a person increases movement or otherwise triggers a need for more energy.

Carbohydrates are one major source of that energy. Sugars (chiefly glucose) and starches are the two main forms and they participate in something called the Krebs Cycle. Also known in scientific circles as the tricarboxylic acid cycle, but don’t bother trying to pronounce it. Sugars come in, get broken down into something called ATP, then into ADP releasing energy in the process.

When the body runs out of glucose to use in the cycle, it turns to stored body fat as a substitute. Breaking down those fat molecules is, in essence, what causes a person to decrease the percentage of body fat. Sometimes increased muscle mass results, so the final result isn’t always a net weight loss.

But in biology, as in life, everything is best in moderation. When more calories are consumed than used over a long period of time, body fat increases to the point that the health risks can outweigh the benefits of a ready supply of energy. The result is an increase in the odds of heart difficulties, diabetes and other real medical problems. The social consequences are equally well known.

Knowing this, many will strive to maintain their weight and percentage of body fat within a certain range. That range differs from person to person (people have different body types), season to season (winter fat can actually be healthy) and according to their individual BMI (Body Mass Index).

So, in order to decide whether you are obese, only moderately over the preferred weight range, or just lack muscle tone, you need to consider those factors. Doing so requires knowing your specific body type, the ability to calculate BMI (very simple, actually) and recognizing that there is no exact, static, ideal weight for you.