Obesity

Obesity falls under the heading of a pandemic. A Pandemic is defined as an epidemic which spreads over multiple countries or continents. Biologists can create vaccines for physical ills but, there will never be a vaccine to cure obesity. The cure lies in awareness, education, and our commitment to changing our behavior. The following is a list of those behavior changes.

If you have the desire to lose the excess fat, you need to read both the World Health Organization’s report and the Wikipedia article. The URL’s for both follow below. Giving you the facts in this article will not help you. You need to have the drive to go get them on your own — read them — retain them.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/obesity#tab=tab_1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity_in_the_United_States

Now, here’s a FREE list of 12 behavior changes which will totally improve your outlook on life, reduce your food costs, and, justify a totally new wardrobe.

Pills and “diet” drinks don’t work. “Life coaches” don’t work! Why? Because neither one can provide the necessary internalized commitment you will need. Paying someone to change destructive behavior creates a dependency mind frame. You need to take full responsibility for your own success.

Set a long-term goal. A 25 to 30% weight loss will change many aspects of your life. You and your family will need this time to adjust. Some of these adjustments will be difficult. Think years!

Educate yourself. There’s an endless universe of detailed free information about how food works in our bodies at your finger-tips and through that keyboard. Discover the “Why” of healthy foods and vigorous exercise.

Stop eating white food. Sounds silly? Read this: https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/truth-about-white-foods WEBMD says it better than I ever could.

Exercise daily. Based upon your doctor’s recommendation for intensity and a maximum heart rate for your overall physical condition, your daily workout must be your top priority. Equipment expense? None! Walk, jog, or use the stairs indoors! Here too, as with understanding digestion, knowledge is power! Unless you’ve experienced it, you won’t believe the exhilaration you’ll feel when buying clothing 3 or 4 sizes smaller than what you’re probably squeezing into right now.

Avoid Temptation. You will be tempted to both skip your workout and eat junk food. The core of that problem is the TV. Cut back on TV time with activities which require using your brain. Actually, any hobby will work, but a quick fix would be replacing TV with jigsaw puzzles, yes, jigsaw puzzles. Do some research and you will find an elaborate global culture with millions of people dedicated to puzzles. Writing, reading, carpentry, knitting, anything that keeps you away from the refrigerator and the TV will work.

Chew Your Food. As usual, MoM was right. Chewing, and the salivation process are critical elements in getting the most out of what you eat. Do not allow TV viewing during mealtimes.

Understand food labeling. Read all food labels before you buy. Learn what the verbiage really means. If it says “Blueberry” on the front of the box, that doesn’t mean that there are blueberries in the box. The following URL is an excellent source of labeling “gobbledygook” translation.

//eatrealamerica.com/2020/01/theyre-magically-delicious-2/#:~:text=Pay%20attention%20to%20natural%20sugar%20vs.&text=But%2C%20some%20cereals%20contain%20REAL,%2D%20or%20no%20%2D%20added%20sugars.

What is “added sugar”? Added sugar in white bread??? In pursuit of the “The “Goldilocks” effect, i.e. getting it just right, highly compensated scientists and expert word craftsmen not only want to make the food taste better (read “sweet”), they want you to feel good about punishing your body with excess sugar.

Coaching sessions. Even if it’s only you and your significant other in the household, turn off the TV and talk about your efforts and progress. If there are children, the coaching is critical. They will insist on Cocoa Puffs! Be strong and informative. You will not succeed without the whole family’s participation.

Caffeine. 12 to 20 ounces per day is enough! None after 2 PM paves the way for a good night’s sleep.

Forget fruit juices. For better taste and nutrition, eat the whole fruit. You’ll need them close by for a smart snack. Plus, if you’re reading labels, you’ll find that most fruit juices have a huge amount of added sugar. The American Heart Association says, “—– read those labels carefully and realize that added sugar is added sugar, no matter what sneaky alias it’s using!”

Don’t live in denial. Get your head out of the sand. Obesity is extremely dangerous to your health.

I’m sharing these 12 steps because they worked for me. Within 2 years, my weight is down 19% with a full year to lose the last 7%. I will succeed because these 12 steps are habits for me now.

Going forward, it’s all up to you.