While it is usually not one’s objective to learn how to become obese, there are clear signs that you might be heading to an unhealthy body weight that will earn you the “obese” label. When an individual is 20% or more above the normal weight for their height or when their Body Mass Index (BMI) is over 30, the medical community considers them obese. Whether you are nearing the BMI of 30 or are already in the obese category, it makes sense to examine your lifestyle and behaviors and consider making some changes.

Below are the top five ways people find themselves becoming significantly overweight. By considering these unhealthy behaviors, you can identify them in your own life and make the necessary changes to lose weight and get your health back on track.

1. Eat Large Quantities of Food
While it may seem like common sense, many people have forgotten that large amounts of food make you fat. Our plate sizes in restaurants have expanded over the years, and our waistlines have followed suit. People have grown accustomed to eating large platefuls of food on a regular basis. In a culture of excess, our belts have taken the real hit, and it is no surprise that childhood obesity is on the rise as children are raised in homes in which overeating is the norm and completely accepted.

2. Consume Primarily Fast Food and Convenience Food Items
Ah yes, we live busy, chaotic lives, and that’s why fast food and convenience food items seem like a necessity. For many people, a typical day of eating looks something like: a donut from the convenience store for breakfast, a mid-morning sugary, gourmet coffee drink, fast food restaurant for lunch, a trip to the office vending machine in the afternoon, and the local bar and grill for dinner. The problem is that these foods are usually packed with trans-fats, sugar and carbohydrates—these essentially make up the roadmap on how to become obese.

3. Drink Soda and Other Sugar-laden Beverages. From soda and coffee drinks to energy beverages and sports drinks, we have at our fingertips an endless supply of drinks with a high sugar content. While these beverages may provide a quick boost of energy and a brief moment of satisfaction, these sensations are short-lived. In no time, you feel more lethargic and thirsty than you were to begin with. What’s worse, you have ingested numerous empty calories—meaning they contained little if any nutritional value.

4. Eat in Secret. If you are too embarrassed to eat what you are eating in front of someone else, chances are you are eating foods that will contribute to weight gain. It is unlikely that you will eat in secret if you are enjoying, say, a salad or a regular, balanced meal. It’s much more common for a secret-eater to be binging on a half-gallon of ice cream or an entire bag of chips. If you are trying to learn how to become obese, take up secret eating. If not, eat your meals with others, or at least not in the closet.

5. Avoid Exercise at All Costs. You’ve likely read the magazine articles on losing weight. One key suggestion is to get more exercise—take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for a walk instead of watching the third hour of television in a row, or actually go to the gym instead of just paying for an unused monthly membership. If you are enjoying your path to obesity, don’t do it. Avoid exercise every chance you can. It burns calories and cleanses your body and even improves your outlook on life, which may help you to conquer overeating.

Yes, it is silly to think someone would want a guide on how to become obese. But it can be an eye-opening experience to actually stop and consider the common behaviors of obese individuals and then determine if you see these behaviors in your own life. By making small changes in your lifestyle today, you can be on your way to a healthier, slimmer body that is worthy of a “normal” body weight label.