Over one-third of the United States population is considered to be obese. Obesity is often associated with numerous other life-threatening diseases such as types of cancer, heart disease, and stroke (Adult Obesity Facts). Along with the associated diseases, comes a severely increase in medical bills compared to those of a normal, healthier weight. All these complications, plus the mental and physical draining, along with the extreme judgement from society are all included in the negative effects of being obese. What is considered to be obese and how does one become obese? Obesity can be genetically passed down however, other factors can cause obesity such as medications, inactivity, overeating, and anatomy complications. The disease is often measured based off one’s BMI, otherwise known as Body Mass Index. BMI is measures through the comparison of height and weight in terms of kilograms and meters. Ideal BMI is between 18.5-24.9, overweight is between 25-29.9, and obese is thirty or above with above forty being morbid obesity (Carson-DeWitt). Although this method is most commonly used, BMI is not very accurate since it does not take into consideration muscle weight. Being obese is a difficult matter to deal with however, there are numerous ways to lose weight. Furthermore, there are methods that will not only lose weight but add on lean muscle that will contribute to a better overall appearance and lifestyle. The reasons for wanting to lose weight seem to heavily outweigh reasons the reasons not to try and lose weight. The positives include better figure, healthier lifestyle, lower medical costs, less risk of associated diseases. The only reason not to lose the weight for those obese is lack of effort. Overall, it all relies on finding a method that will maintain motivation and desire to continually improve. The best way to lose fat and gain muscle for those who are overweight would be weight training by utilizing volume and consistency, smart dieting, and a balance between steady and high intensity cardio training. 

To begin the path to a fit lifestyle, two aspects must be present to see success. These two aspects are consistency and volume. Consistency means to repeatedly perform an action without slacking in effort or taking shortcuts. Volume means to do a significant amount of an action, more than is comfortable in order to challenge oneself. Without these traits, goals are unrealistic and unobtainable. No matter what goals are in mind, consistency is always the most important aspect of the journey. Doing a task for a couple weeks and the stopping for multiple weeks is doing nothing but wasting time and efforts. The same holds true for trying to lose weight; to obtain real results, consistency must be the mindset. The human body is very adaptable. It adapts to new situations constantly and to keep seeing changes and gains the body must be put into different situations that cause it to work harder than previously. For example, the best way to study for a test would be to start several days before the actual test date and then to continue to study more and more each day until the information is retained. It also helps to study in many ways to fully understand and know the knowledge (flashcards, reviewing notes, practice tests, etc.). That consistency is what helps the brain to remember the most efficiently and productively. The same holds true when trying to lose fat from the body. To best lose fat, the body needs to be consistently worked and challenged until it adapts to the workload, which will then cause for a change in the workout so that the body can become challenged once again. Therefore, consistency is key in trying to lose weight. The next most important aspect is volume. Volume, which is closely related to remaining consistent, means to be doing a lot during the workout or expending a lot of energy. Since energy expenditure is ultimately what leads to fat loss, volume is key for people starting out lifting weights to lose fat. McGarr explained it best when he said, “Lifting lighter loads with more volume (sets x reps x load) provides a hard workout for your muscles.” This is especially the case for those who are beginners. Volume training is most effective for beginners due to the initial shock of muscles from being stagnant to performing a high number of repetitions and exhausting the muscles worked. This leads to a great jump in initial fat loss due to the amount of energy expended or calories being burned. Volume training also will prove to be most effective because it involves the usage of lighter weight, which will not overwhelm beginners and cause them to give up early in the process. Consistency and volume also plays a huge role in cardio training, another vital part of losing weight quickly. 

Cardio is a deciding factor on how much and how fast weight is lost. Any form of cardio has some sort of benefit that will torch body fat. Since cardio burns so many calories in a set period, it is a necessity to experience a difference in overall appearance and feeling. What is the best form of cardio? Kelsey Drain from Medical Daily said it best: “Practice regular yet diverse runs. Effective running routines include interval and hill workouts, in addition to long and recovery runs; a balance of all four is key.” Someone may benefit from only doing one form of running but to maximize results, diversity is needed. Diversity is needed because of several reasons. The first fact of the matter is the body adapts to the workout, as previously mentioned. It will only grow until the body becomes accustomed to or strong enough to do the workout. Once this climax is reached, there will be little to no added benefit. A good sign of reaching the climax of the workout routine is the difficult of which it takes to complete. If it seems too easy and does not completely drain energy, it may be time to switch the routine. Next, a variety in routine is needed to help the body best recover. The human body simply cannot endure constant high intensity training. However, instead of doing a day of no running a brisk jog or walk will continue to bestow benefits: “the secret, she says, is getting your muscles, connective tissues, and joints accustomed to the higher intensity by slowly sneaking jogging into your walking workouts” (Yeager). Other than burning calories, a slight jog can also loosen muscles to help prevent injury and promote recovery. Use a combination of high-intensity, interval running and relaxed, long jogs to maximize fat loss while maintaining a healthy, injury-free body. Although the idea of a variety of running seems like a big jump into fitness, it is not as scary as it may seem. A popular reason for not doing cardio is that it is too challenging and the initial soreness from beginning demotivates people. However, the initial soreness is a good sign. The body has just become very shocked, going from doing nothing to running is a big change. It is at the beginning where fat loss is maximized. Although the harder the workout, the faster the fat loss one way to overcome the initial lack of motivation is to ease into interval training. For example, instead of running up hills or sprinting and then slowly jogging, try jogging and then walk and repeat. Once the workout becomes too easy however, change is necessary and gradually build to the point of doing bursts of sprints followed by a slow jog. By gradually challenging the body, the initial shock will not have such a harsh reaction while fat is still being burned and motivation is being maintained. Above all else, consistency is the deciding factor in determining how successful the routine is. To maximize results, some form of running, biking, or swimming should be done three to five times a week. Additionally, a well-balanced diet accompanies cardio training to add lasting effects to losing weight. 

A smart diet plan is the deciding factor in how effective the cardio and weight training methods will be in fat loss. The methods previously discussed could be executed perfectly, but without an effective diet, the impact will be minimal. Combining a properly implemented diet with the methods previously discussed, one can lose weight more quickly while becoming healthier. It will also result in the weight to be less likely to return since most people who regain weight have a poor diet. The best way to lose weight when initially treating obesity is as quickly as possible: “A new study by Lisa Nackers and colleagues, from the University of Florida in the US, suggests that the key to long-term weight loss and maintenance is to lose weight quickly, not gradually, in the initial stages of obesity treatment” (Robert). Based from the study conducted, it was concluded that losing weight quickly when first pursuing weight loss results in sustained weight loss. In other words, fast weight loss will better contribute to keeping excessive weight off. An important aspect that will lead to fast weight loss is good dieting. A common misconception among dieting is between what actual dieting is and starving one’s body. Dieting is centered around caloric intake and the number of calories the body needs to maintain itself. Most people believe dieting is cutting out meals so that they will not intake any calories. This is wrong because the body needs nutrients from food, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, to maintain bodily functions. In fact, a bad diet plan or a wrong form of dieting leads to a lack of necessary nutrients which causes weight gain. The reasons for why a bad diet can cause an increase in weight is broken down into two specific components: “First, dieting is stressful. Calorie restriction produces stress hormones, which act on fat cells to increase the amount of abdominal fat… Second, weight anxiety and dieting predict later binge eating, as well as weight gain” (Aamodt). When people choose to drastically decrease their caloric intake, the body reacts poorly, since it needs a certain number of calories to carry out daily functions. Basically, the body feels hungry and reacts by releasing stress hormones since the body thinks it is starving itself. Furthermore, this results in an increase in cravings for unhealthy foods such as soda, fried foods, candy, and promotes overeating to compensate for the newly found hunger. How does one diet effectively? A good diet plan is built around the three main nutrients needed for day to day functions. These include but are not limited to carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The diet should have a well balance of caloric intake that are carbs (breads, rice, grains), proteins (chicken, fish, nuts), and fats (milk, eggs, dark chocolate). These foods are healthier for the body and will leave the body feeling full for longer which results in the healthy way to cut back on calories without starving the body. A strong diet that encompasses eating all three nutrients is the portion method, which is perfect for beginners and does not require counting calories. A method that is often difficult to pinpoint and record. This method focuses on eating five to six meals a day. For the main meals such as, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, have a portion of each of the three major nutrients with a portion being no bigger than a fist. For the remaining two or three meals a day, a portion of vegetables, fruit, or nuts will allow the body to receive vital nutrients and leave the body energized and full to complete workouts. Using this diet method, or one that is healthy and gives the body the basic nutrients ultimately will accelerate fat loss, especially when combined with previous discussed methods and will result in lasting weight loss. 

Although these methods prove to be effective in maximizing fat loss, beginner friendly, and simple to follow, there are several counterarguments for different methods and disagreements with previous statements. First, some people believe that a good diet should not encompass any carbohydrate intake. This is a common misconception among the fitness industry because people do not realize there is two types of carbs. Simple carbohydrates are easily broken down by the body resulting in quick digestion. In other words, the energy and sense of fullness gained from these carbs is short and people often feel hungry and sluggish within a few hours. Complex carbs such as wheats and sweet potatoes are more difficult for the body to process thus resulting in sustained energy and nourishment. In turn, this will cause one to feel less hungry throughout the day ultimately decreasing total calorie intake. When dieting, it is ideal to intake complex carbs while limiting simple carb intake, but a no carb diet is difficult to maintain and unhealthy for the body. Next, a popular debate is between which cardio is best for health and weight loss. There are multiple debates and reasons for each form of cardio previously mentioned that trying to pick solely one to be most beneficial is subjective. If both forms were used, the benefits from both types would be gained. This is why choosing to utilize both forms of cardio is the best option for those trying to lose weight. Last, people tend to believe that more is not always better when it comes to exercise. They think that the body needs time to recover and rest. However, light exercise/movement is better than sitting around and will still allow the body to recover. Volume and consistency is key, “the more you move, the more calories you’ll burn, which will set you up for greater success” (Roberts). Even on rest days, incorporating a light jog or walk will allow for an advantage when trying to slim down. 

Obesity is a known problem within America that only seems to continually grow. There is a prominent issue when the country is stereotyped as being overweight. Everyday lives are lost due to heart related problems because of being excessively overweight. People do not make a change for several reasons including, lack of knowledge and lack of motivation. The methods previously discussed are easy to follow and allow for all levels of experience to benefit from. With the overall percentage of people becoming overweight, it is vital that action is taken. The fastest and most efficient way to achieve a healthier country is through a well-constructed diet, consistency, and a combination of high-intensity and sustained cardio. 
