Here in the United States, there is no doubt about it that obesity has become a considerable problem – and a rapidly growing one, at that. In fact, up to one third of the entire population (adult population, that is) of the United States as a whole could be considered to be obese and, in addition to this, an additional one third is overweight. This means that a shockingly small percentage, a mere 30% or so, of adults living here in the United States are actually considered to be at a healthy weight.
While much of this can certainly be attributed to a poor diet, as fast food restaurants have become more prevalent than ever all throughout the country, a lack of exercise can also be seen as a main cause for obesity and being overweight here in the United States as well. And it starts young too, with less than half of all children in this country getting up and moving even on a daily basis. By the time that people reach adulthood, only around 5% of them will actually even exercise for thirty minutes in a day, with a scant one third exercising to the amount that is recommended over the course of a week as well.
Of course, it’s no surprise that many people are out of shape, overweight, and obese here in the United States. Fortunately, however, the addition of regular exercise can actually change a person’s life. If you’re looking to lose some weight, starting today is optimal, as weight loss when it is necessary can have a wide array of health benefits. For instance, just posting as little as 5% of your weight can help your blood pressure reduce by as much has 5 mmHg and sometimes even more – when it comes to your systolic blood pressure as well as your diastolic blood pressure.
And the health benefits certainly do not end there. In fact, this same amount of weight loss will also likely reduce your HDL cholesterol and therefore your overall risk of heart disease. Sometimes, this reduction in weight can lead to as much as a five point increase in this type of healthy cholesterol. This goes to show that even the smallest of changes and the littlest of weight losses can actually end up having quite the considerably impact on your health overall.
If you’re interested in both losing weight and getting into shape, consider joining a gym. The best gyms in the United States are quite commonly found, as more and more high quality gyms could easily be considered the best gyms – or at least the best gyms of the area. The best gyms, however, will all have a variety of options for working out and getting fit, form working one on one with the best personal trainer to taking a weight lifting for seniors class (of just a weight lifting class in general, if you’re not a senior).
Going to one of the best gyms will also give you access to all of the equipment that you need – and might not have the space or the money to invest in for your own home. For instance, weight training has become particularly popular here in the United States – but most average people will not have the necessary weights in order to advance themselves adequately and make muscle gains and the appropriate amount of weight loss as well. The best gyms will also have the equipment for cardio activity as well, like ellipticals and treadmills which, for many people, will be the starting point for exercise when they first join these best gyms in question.
Many of the best gyms here in the United States will even offer a variety of groups fitness classes. Depending on the gym in question, everything from yoga classes to Zumba sessions are likely to be available. For many people who are struggling to find the motivation to lose weight, these classes can be instrumental in changing their exercise experience to something that is wholly enjoyable and likely to be kept up.