Now imagine how a fat child would feel in a slightly different scenario…never being chosen, or the last chosen, for any type of activity–whether it’s a birthday party or a team sport. No one chooses to be overweight or obese, particularly a child.

In fact, if you took a poll and posed the question “Why Be Fat?” to a number of adults, they’d be unable to come up with one reason! Yet, ask them the advantages of being slim and trim, they could come up with three to ten reasons right off the top of their head.

Despite the availability of weight loss programs, low-fat foods, and diet pills, Americans are still gaining weight.

Although carrying around a few extra pounds is not dangerous, too much fat poses significant health risks. Even moderately overweight people may experience weight-related health problems.

Shortness of breath when walking or climbing stairs is one of the first signs that your body is struggling under too much weight. Carrying unnecessary weight burdens your back and legs, and may worsen conditions such as degenerative arthritis and varicose veins. Excess fat can crowd the inner organs, making it difficult for them to function fully or properly. Also, it causes the liver to produce more triglycerides and cholesterol, which increases the risk of developing gallstones. In addition, high blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases have all been associated with an excess accumulation of body fat.

Additionally, studies suggest that being overweight increases the chances of having a stroke. Strokes occur when fatty deposits accumulate in arteries that supply blood to the brain, interfering with the blood flow. Eventually, a clot can entirely block the path of blood, resulting in serious disability or death.

Hormonal disruptions caused by excess weight also put overweight women at increased risk for breast, uterine and ovarian cancer and irregular menstruation; overweight men are at an increased risk for prostate cancer.

More than $50 billion a year is spent on health care for weight-related ailments.

However, being overweight is less of a health concern than being obese. But the impact of being moderately overweight can still be significant. Studies indicate that being 2 to 6% above ideal weight can shorten your life span.

Although we can’t see the damage we’re causing to our health when our diets consists mostly of high fat and high sugar foods, that doesn’t mean we aren’t causing damage to our bodies. We may not feel or notice any changes when, for instance, our insulin levels go through the roof, but our pancreas, liver, heart and brain sure feel the strain, and are constantly trying to make adjustments for our unhealthy dietary lifestyle choices. Ultimately, even the strongest body will crack under this type of constant pressure.

Medical science has proven that many conditions such as heart disease, cancer, weight problems, arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure are caused by the wrong diet, and can be treated or reversed to some degree by foods. Dietary modification is the weapon of choice against these diseases that would have been treated mainly with prescription drugs a generation ago.

Of course, along with any dietary change you must prepare for it mentally. Even though logically we know that what we are doing is harmful to our body it has become such a habit that we may feel helpless to break the cycle.

Diets come in all forms and one that many people have had success with is the low Glycemic Index Diet. Following the Glycemic Index (GI) recommendations offers a healthy way for anyone to lose weight. Low-GI diets are easy to put in practice, using a “This for That” approach, and they don’t restrict variety as many traditional diets. Eating the GI diet way is absolutely healthy for the body as well as the mind.

The best thing you could ever do is to start now and learn how to control your Glycemic Index and then pass these recommendations on to your family. By starting these habits with your children while they are young you will be instilling in them a lifetime of good health. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know that your children may never have to struggle with weight issues or the threat of diabetes? And as they age and continue in this lifestyle they may avoid so many other diseases and serious health issues.

Here’s a health quick tip for you. Along with maintaining a healthy weight and getting regular exercise, the best way to control diabetes is with a glucose or sugar-steadying diet.

People with diabetes are usually advised to eat a lot of whole grains, legumes, and other food high in complex carbohydrates. The traditional “diabetes diet” consists of 60 percent carbohydrates, between 15 and 20 percent protein, and 25 to 30 percent fat.

Some experts believe, however, that it’s equally important to eat carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, such as low-fat yogurt or rice bran. These foods gradually release glucose into the blood, which is easier for the body to manage and helps keep glucose levels steady. This is important because high levels of glucose may damage tissues throughout the body, including in the eyes, kidneys, and blood vessels.

It’s good advice, but things aren’t quite this simple because every carbohydrate acts differently in the body.

The glycemic index was first developed in 1981, when researchers compared rises in blood glucose that occurred when people ate specific foods. Pure sugar, which is almost instantly turned into glucose, was given a score of 100; every other food was compared to that.

High-GI foods (with a GI of 55 or above) contain carbohydrates that cause a dramatic rise in blood sugar levels. Foods with a low GI (below 55) contain carbohydrates with much less impact.

Most experts believe that the glycemic index is a useful tool for controlling diabetes, but they don’t always recommend it for their patients.

It’s more complicated than other diabetes plans because it requires people to think about numbers when they choose among hundreds of carbohydrate-rich foods.

But as a rule of thumb, you don’t have to memorize long lists of glycemic values in order to manage your glucose levels. Foods with the most fiber are also the ones with the lowest glycemic numbers. The fiber in fruits, vegetables, and other complex carbohydrates break down slowly in the intestine, which slows absorption of glucose in the bloodstream.

To make things even more complicated, the same food may have different glycemic values, depending on ripeness and other factors. An overripe banana, for example, has a glycemic index of 84; one that’s underripe is valued at 51.

Experts also worry that people who follow this plan will avoid nutritionally rich foods, such as grains or potatoes, if they happen to have high glycemic numbers.

The most recent findings concerning the use of glycemic index for diabetics is that it’s all about balance. Keep your blood sugar levels just right by eating a combination of low and high GI foods. This allows your body’s metabolism to function as nature intended.

The bottom line is that if you have diabetes, your main concern is to achieve the proper balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Once you’ve done that, it’s fine to use the glycemic index as an additional aid to planning a healthful diet.

Perhaps you’ve been starting to notice that your child has been putting on a little extra weight, or maybe you’ve noticed it for some time now and it’s become a cause for concern. If your child has developed an overweight problem there are some steps that you can take to help them to start getting their weight back under control.

To start with, take your child to your family doctor for a routine checkup. Your doctor can determine whether your child has an under functioning thyroid or any other medical problem that may be causing the weight gain. Once cleared of any medical conditions, the doctor may suggest a certain type of weight loss diet and or exercise program for your child to follow.

At home, you can start to encourage your child to develop healthier eating habits. You can buy more fruits for snacking rather than the usual high fat ones found in the snack isle. You should even let him/her pick which fruits you buy so you know they are ones that they will eat. Also, rather than buying soda for your child to drink, buy sports drinks like powerade or various fruit juices. Also, try to get your child in the habit of drinking more water, and use the sports drinks and fruit juices for occasions like lunch or dinner time.

Plan healthy meals every day, and plan out your child’s portions wisely, and make sure your child never skips breakfast. Skipping breakfast can make your child hungry and looking for less healthy things to eat later in the day. Also try to avoid eating fast food as often as possible. Eating healthy meals at home can help your child start to learn to develop better eating habits. If it becomes a regular household routine, he/she will be more likely to “go with the flow” and start to enjoy eating different healthy foods.

Never use food as a reward for your child to get them to eat healthy. By telling your child that you will give him/her a slice of cake for desert if they eat all of their vegetables, you are in effect telling them that the cake has a higher value than the vegetables. The cake becomes the “pot of gold” you get for reaching the end of the rainbow.

Another thing you can and should do is to encourage your child to get more physically active. Encourage him/her to join an activity at school such as basketball or track. Find out what activities are offered through the community such as swimming or volleyball, and try to find one that your child might enjoy.

Make time to go on bike rides with your child or to take walks through the local park or hiking trail with them and make these things a weekly event you do with them on a regular basis. Have your child help you wash the car every weekend. Give them some household chores to do and make these chores their responsibility every week. The idea is just to have them doing things that will keep them active and moving.

If a reasonable amount of time has gone by after you’ve changed your child’s eating habits and gotten him/her more active and you don’t see them reaching a healthy weight, you may want to consider a weight control treatment program.

Many of these programs will have a variety of people on staff who are experts in specific areas such as doctors, registered dietitians and fitness trainers. They can collectively assess your child’s individual needs and formulate an overall plan to best deal with the problem. They can also help you learn how to keep up the healthy eating and exercise habits for your child after the program ends. Your family doctor can refer you to a treatment center that will best suit your child’s needs.

Remember that the first step is simply the fact that you recognize if there is a problem with your child’s weight. Being in denial about your child’s weight problem if there is an obvious problem existing only serves to lead your child to unwanted, potentially dangerous health problems as time goes by. Taking steps to help your child with this sooner, leads to a healthier life for your child later.

Manage your weight loss diet to a successful conclusion.

If you’re going on a diet for the sole purpose of losing weight, it requires discipline, a regular exercise program and counting calories, but not much else. What? Isn’t that enough trouble? Sure, but think of your weight loss diet program from the positive, glass-half-full perspective. People who are on ‘restricted’ diets, such as heart or diabetes patients, have many more factors to consider with every bite they take. So take heart. You can do it! The properly managed and planned weight loss diet lets you plan your menus and count calories, while allowing for an occasional forbidden treat. Let’s go over each aspect and see how you can stick to the program, without undue suffering, and still achieve your goal.

We’ll start with the discipline factor. Just as with any endeavor, you need to abide by the rules. For example, you’ve got to be on time to work. Students need to turn in assignments on a timely basis and drivers have to obey traffic laws. Conforming to these rules becomes simply a matter of habit. However, managing your weight loss diet program means that you make the rules.

For example, if your goal is to lose one pound a week, you’ll need to reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories a day. Let’s say you normally drink four or five regular sodas a day. Cutting back to just two a day cuts your calories by an awesome 400. Substituting a piece of fruit for your usual afternoon candy bar and you’ve reached your weight loss program goal!

Now let’s move on to exercise. If you want to enhance the effectiveness of your managed weight loss diet, know that exercise is your friend. A regular program of daily exercise burns calories. Your weight loss exercise program of choice makes all the difference. If you hate jogging, you won’t follow through. Choose something you truly enjoy. Do you like dancing to music? Turn on some music and dance to your heart’s content. A half hour of such activity burns lots of calories. With headphones, you can lose weight in the wee hours of the morning, without disturbing anyone and have a good time doing it! Do something you like and do it every day.

OK, how about counting calories? On a weight loss diet program, calories are the bottom line. Tailor your menus for maximum satisfaction and minimal suffering. If there’s nothing you like more than a juicy burger, there are a number of ways to have your cake and eat it too. Instead of packing your burger bun with beef, try a chicken or turkey burger. Soy burgers are another healthy, low calorie option, loaded with nutrition. Just as juicy and tasty, these burgers have far fewer calories.

Good weight loss diet programs include foods high in fiber. High fiber foods sometimes require that your body expend more calories in digesting the food than the calories contained. Fruits, like apples, and vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens and carrots are high in fiber, packed with nutrients, and low in calories. Here’s a great weight loss secret. Eating an apple before lunch quenches your appetite, due to the high fiber content, making you feel full before you ever tackle lunch. You’ll need less food for your meal, consume fewer calories, feel satisfied rather than deprived, and burn off some of the calories you’ve already ingested.

Managing a successful weight loss diet program is easier than you might think. Planning is the key. Count your calories, exercise and stick to your menus. This formula allows you to lose weight while enjoying an occasional piece of cake or an ice cream cone without guilt! It’s doable! Watch the pounds disappear.