6 reasons why you're overweight

6 reasons why you're overweight

Not sure how the number on the scale got so high? You're not alone. Here are six reasons why you're overweight—and what you can do about it

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2. You eat out too often

The average Canadian family now spends almost 30 percent of its food budget at restaurants and fast-food joints, according to Statistics Canada. "People who eat out a lot tend to eat less-healthy food and to be heavier," says Melodie Yong, dietitian for the Heart and Lung Institute of St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. In fact, the decline of cooking at home tracks very closely with the rise in obesity over the past 30 years, she notes.

Solution: A recent Angus Reid poll found that two-thirds of Canadians admit to having cooking anxieties—they’re afraid their own families won’t like what they serve. But who cares if the meal you cook isn't worthy of Michelin Stars? Start cooking with simple recipes and have fun experimenting with wholesome foods.