In the last 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity and related health problems. Food trends that promote larger portions, unhealthy foods, and limited physical activity are only part of the problem. Busy lifestyles and longer work hours are also contributing factors.
Statistics now show that nearly two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. Studies show that the prevalence of obesity has been steadily increasing among both sexes, all ages, spans all racial and ethnic groups, and affects people of all educational levels. Since 1960, the number of overweight people has increased from 45 to 66 percent, with the largest increase occurring after 1980.
If current trends continue, obesity will soon overtake tobacco as the leading preventable cause of death in the US Obesity can increase the risk of numerous health conditions and lead to an unhealthy lifestyle.
But, there is a solution…weight control. That means weight loss and a corresponding lifestyle change to keep it off. Losing weight is the first step and, surprisingly, it is the easiest part of the process. We put all our energy into losing weight and spend little time planning how to keep it off. The result is the yo-yo effect: the experience of taking it off, getting it back, losing it again, only to get it all back…and more.
As a society, we are programmed to want things to happen faster, with less effort. We want change without changing. The desire for instant results sets the stage for the yo-yo to spin wildly for years, sometimes a lifetime.
But don’t despair, there is a solution. As we move into a new decade, we have a new opportunity to do it differently this time. We can make a fresh start and plan for our success. We can create a new lifestyle and live the best life possible.
In the past, the explosion of fast foods and instant mixes gave us a false sense of security that we were still getting the same nutritional benefits we used to get from fresh whole foods. We now know that this is not true.
We have sacrificed good nutrition for convenience. We consume tons of empty calories, which leaves our bodies craving the nutrients it needs. The evidence is in the rising levels of obesity in our children and adults. Never before have so many children developed what used to be diseases of mature adults, such as high cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes. All of these conditions can be traced back to poor eating and exercise habits.
Fortunately, we are waking up! More and more people are realizing that change is not only necessary, but is required for our children to survive and live longer. Research shows alarming statistics that for the first time in our history, the current generation of children will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.
The time to act is now. And thanks to new insights into how the body works, a return to more natural whole foods, and an increased focus on physical activity, we’re changing things. We now know that fast weight loss is not necessarily the best way. We know that losing weight is only half the battle; that if we want to maintain it and experience better health, we must learn new habits to replace the old ones.
So whether you choose a reduced eating program like Weight Watchers or Nutri-System, or a dietary supplement like Acai or Hoodia, you need to include a lifestyle change to maintain your weight loss for maximum long-term benefit. .
I have dieted off and on for most of my life. Yo-yo’d and ho-ho’d on just about every diet out there. It wasn’t until I learned how to make my diet work for MY lifestyle and planned for life after dieting that I finally achieved the success I had always dreamed of.
You can too. I offer a free report packed with tips to help you get through the tough times and handle the real-life situations that often sabotage our weight loss and push us off the weight loss bandwagon. I encourage you to do more than just a diet this time. This time, choose a weight loss program you can live with and create a plan to handle the challenges you know will come and change your lifestyle after you reach your goal. It will greatly improve your chances of success.
Here are 5 things you can do to say on the track:
1. Be prepared for those ‘temptation moments’. Make your own snacks and take them with you.
2. Carry water with you at all times. You have to drink it anyway, make it easy.
3. Eat your first meal within 2 hours of getting up. You will avoid the lion of hunger!
4. Eat 4 to 6 small meals 2 to 3 hours apart, instead of 1 or 2 large meals.
5. When eating out, ask for a doggie bag when you order and put half of your food in it before eating.
It’s a new year and a new decade. Make this year the year you don’t just keep your resolution to lose weight, make it the year you quit and keep it off… forever!
