Year after year, the obesity statistics in the western world get worse and worse. During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States and The U.K. Currently, more than 64% of US adults are either overweight or obese, according to results from the 1999-2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). According to a report entitled "Reducing and Preventing Obesity - Everything Must Change" - February 2004, published by the Royal College of Physicians, the Faculty of Public Health, and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, over half the UK population is either overweight or obese in 2002 70% of men and 63% of women.

So Why is the Problem Growing?

Firstly, there is a huge reduction in exercise and activity for most individuals as more and more labour saving devices become part of every day life. Also, the quality of food has dramatically reduced over the past 100 years.

The levels of stress and toxicity in our lives has also risen greatly over the last 20-30 years.

Building Health to Achieve Optimal Weight

To achieve your ideal weight, you must understand that it is essential to achieve optimal health. Being overweight is a symptom and symptoms are there to point out to you that something is not right with your health.

Ignoring symptoms is a bit like being in a boat with a hole in it and saying, "Oh no, I'm getting wet." Not only will you get wet, but the boat will sink and you may drown. In your sinking boat, you have two choices. One is to block the hole and not allow water in and the other is to keep pouring the water out as it comes in.

I don't know about you, but I would rather plug the hole.

In your body, plugging the hole is analogous to building health from the ground up. Pouring water out may be analogous to eating 'diet' and 'low fat' foods.

Holistic Approach to Building Health.

To build health in the body, which is essential to achieving and maintaining your ideal weight, you may need to address the following areas:

1. Emotions

2. Thoughts

3. Breathing patterns

4. Hydration

5. Eating right for your Metabolic Type

6. Food quality and detoxification

7. Food intolerance, allergies, fungi and parasites

8. Exercising right for your level of physiological load

9. Stress

10. Sleep patterns

Quite simply, a hundred years ago, there were very few overweight people. Many of the above causes of being overweight were far less of a problem then. In today's society our busy, stressful, yet sedentary lifestyles with the desire for cheap (and therefore poor quality) and fast food have created the above problems.

What's the Next Step?

Now you have an idea of what's involved who can you turn to for help? If you are serious about achieving your ideal weight and 'plugging the hole of the sinking boat,' you will need to find a practitioner or team to help you achieve optimal health.

There are many fantastic practitioners out there available to help you. They include:

• C.H.E.K Practitioners

• Holistic Lifestyle Coaches

• Metabolic Typing Advisors

• BodyTalk Practitioners

• Doctors of Chinese Medicine

• Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Practitioners

• Life Coaches

• Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioners

What is crucial is that you know which areas are causing the problems and to address them head on.

If you use more than one practitioner it is important that they all communicate with each other regularly to synergise their efforts to help you. To find any of the above practitioners or for more information, you can enter the wording into any internet search engine.

I wish I could tell you there is a magic pill or there is a simple way. However, we are the most complex beings on this planet. Therefore, many people need to obtain physical, mental and emotional health to achieve their ideal weight and size. With the right help it is definitely possible. Good luck!

© Leigh Brandon