How Do You Get Fat?

Becoming "fat" happens in many different ways. There are several main factors that contribute to a majority of people's body fat content. These include overeating, a lack of exercise, and not eating a balanced diet.

Eating too much is probably the number one reason why people become "fat." Serving sizes are much larger than they should be, and people tend to eat larger meals, especially when eating at restaurants. Eating without being hungry is extremely common, and adds to the fat on our bodies. Snacking while at the movies, watching television, and at parties can get out of hand sometimes. Holidays and other special events are often celebrated with food, and people tend to eat more when other people are eating around them. People often lose track of how much they actually consume when they eat while doing other things. It is simply a habit to eat more than we need to, especially since food can taste so good!

Not exercising enough is also very common. Modern conveniences have spoiled many people into a lack of physical activity. Cars allow us to get to places faster than walking. The internet saves us a walk to the library. Cell phones keep us from running to the pay phone. Elevators keep us from using the stairs. Our busy jobs keep many of us at a desk all day. We consume many more calories than our bodies are burning because we don't move very much. There is so much entertainment that we can amuse ourselves and take care of our needs with little or no physically challenging activity. Most people aren't on sports teams, and few people make an effort to burn calories. We are either too busy, or too lazy.

This leads to my next reason why we have become "fat." Nutrition is not a priority on the list. Fast food is convenient, yet often very high in fat and carbohydrates. Most people do not get the proper balance of fruits and vegetables in their diet. Without the properly balanced diet, our bodies store the excess of the sugars and fats that it has an abundant supply of. Meanwhile, our bodies lack other types of nutrients. If we focused on balancing our diets to include the proper servings of what we need, we would not store as much fat.