Washington, April 9 (Reuters) - People who are 100 pounds (45kgs) or more overweight are the fastest-growing group of overweight people in the United States, researchers reported on Monday.

They found the proportion of the severely obese was 50 percent higher in 2005 than it had been in 2000 - a startling rate of growth. 

 "The proportion of people at the high end of the weight scale continues to increase at a brisk rate despite increased public attention on the risks of obesity and the increased use of drastic weight loss strategies such as bariatric surgery" said Roland Sturm, an economist at Rand Corporation, a nonprofit research institute.  "The explosion in the use of bariatric (weight loss) surgery has made no noticeable dent in the trend of morbid obesity," Sturm added in a statement.

The researchers found that based on self reported height and weight, which tends to underestimate the weight part, 3 percent of Americans are already severely obese - defined as having a body mass index of 40 or kilograms by the square of a person's height in meters.  The researchers, whose report was published late last year in the journal Public Health, found that the proportion of Americans with a BMI of 30 or more increased by 24 percent between 2000 and 2005.  The proportion of people with a BMI of 40 or more increased by 50 percent and the proportion of Americans with a BMI of 50 or more increased by 75 percent.

The number of bariatric procedures, which include stomach stapling and stomach bypass surgery, rose to an estimated 200,000 in 2006 from 13,000 in 1998.  More than 30 percent of Americans are overweight, with a BMI between 25 and 29, and another 30 percent on top of that are obese, defined as having a BMI of 30 or above.  Overweight people have higher risks of heart disease, diabetes and some cancer, and obesity makes the risks much more imminent.

Maggie Fox

TIME TO BELIEVE...YOU CAN DO IT

If you have teenagers that are studying for or writing exams, what are some of the phrases you would say to them to encourage them?  More than likely you would pass comments such as "just do your best", "believe in yourself" or "you can do it", to name but a few.

Do you realsie just how wise those words are:  people who believe in themselves tend to achieve better results than those who don't.  This is because the way you view a situation inevitably affects how you react to it, and so is a big factor in determining what happens.

This applies as much to weight loss as it does to passing exams.  It's important that you remain positive and confident in order to achieve the results that you desire.

This is always much easier to do when things are going well.  When you make healthy choices at a restaurant, when you pass the ice cream section at the store without succumbing to your temptation, and when you step on the scale and it registers a weight loss.  This will make you think about how good you have been, and you will automatically feel great about yourself.  You know you can do it.

But what happens when you give in to a cream cake, spend the evening devouring a big bag of potato crisps - all because you had a bad day at the office, or get on the scale and it registers a weight gain?  How do you possibly continue to believe in yourself when all the signs are clearly telling you not to?

Be Aware of Your Thoughts...Thoughts lead to actions and actions lead to thoughts.  "I feel fat" can lead to eating a cream cake - and eating a cream cake can lead to "I feel fat".  By becoming aware of what you are thinking, and challenging any unhelpful thoughts - or beliefs - you can break this cycle.  By substituting a more helpful thought for the unhelpful one you will begin to get yourself back onto a positive cycle again.

Here's How...Mary gained a fair amount of weight from last week when she weighed herself this morning.  Although she wasn't 100% diligent on her eating plan, she was surprised at the weight gain and started thinking that she was never going to succeed.  She reached for the cookie jar, and was about to give in to her temptation, when she realised that her negative thoughts about the weight gain were causing her to continue on an unplanned eating spree...

Instead of eating the cookie (or maybe two cookies), she viewed the weight gain as a 'warning' about what would happen if she carried on eating the foods that were not a part of her eating plan.  She turned a negative situation into a positive one, and decided that the next week when she climbed on the scale, she would make sure that she lost, not only what she had gained but even more. 

Something incredible happened here.  She made a decision not to turn back to her old eating habits, but to push on with a positive frame of mind and achieve the goal she had set out for herself.  Weight loss was once again upper most in her mind...and nothing was going to stop her.  She positively spoke to herself, and that is what we all need to do to ourselves.  Yes, we go through a bad patch, but what we do with that patch is what determines our weight loss outcome.  We can get negative and say "I will never succeed, so what the hang...eat...eat...eat".  Or we can say, "I've hit a bump in the road, but I have to achieve this weight loss goal, and I am not going to let one bump in the road stop me from getting to my destination".

Constant positive re-inforcement and encouragement to yourself, will get you to where you want to go. 

Nats 

May 01, 2008.  I am excited to say the least.  It is the 'dawning of a brand new day' in the world of weight loss.  The Asian Secret is taking the world by storm.

After being in the weight loss industry for the past 10 years, I have a pretty good understanding of the human body and how it works.  Which foods are good for us and which foods are not.  After much research into the eating habits of the Asian cultures, I discovered that there was definitely something to the foods they eat, and how they eat them.  I found that most Asians are a good body weight, they are not burdened by the dreaded 'cellulite' and colon cancers and stomach problems are not very common amongst their communities.  They live 'til a 'ripe old age', very few of them have grey hair, and they have the most amazing complexions with very few wrinkles.  Sound incredible... well it's not!  Those are Asians that are still practicing their ancient eating habits.  Many of the Asians that have become Westernised are not blessed in the same way their fore fathers were.

The Asian Secret is taking the world by storm.  It is so simple to follow, yet so effective.  You will literally see the excess weight fall off your body.  You will begin to feel healthy and alive.  A healthy person is a happy person.  As your body begins to feel brand new, you'll want to take on the world.  Imagine that...climbing Mount Everest.  Wouldn't that be awesome!  Say goodbye to common ailments such as heartburn and flatulence.  Watch your 'cellulite' become smooth...until it finally disappears.  You'll never go hungry, as you can eat until you are satisfied.

Teenagers and young adults who are going through pubity are often embarrassed by the onslaught of acne and body odours.  The Asian Secret eliminates this to a large degree.

As we have entered the gateway into the 21st Century, the world has become more aware of Wellness and Weight Loss.  Never before has mankind been so adamant about health and vitality.  We are surrounded by it on a daily basis.  So many of the ancient traditions are once again becoming fashionable.  With so many obese children walking around the planet, we have had to do something before it's too late.  The  Asian Secret has made it possible for us to have a new found victory over these kinds of dilemmas.

Let 2008 be the year you celebrate the victory over something that has been a thorn in your side.  Whether it is shedding that extra weight you've been threatening to loose for the past few years, or your teenager that needs a little guidance in the arena of correct eating habits, or your overweight 6 year old.  We still have 8 months left of this year.  Do something worthwhile towards your health and the health of your family.

Jump, shout and declare that this is the year of victory!!

Continue to shine with health and vitality.

Rae Fox