I've used this picture once before, but in honor of the nation's annual obesity rankings it seemed appropriate. And the title of this piece should really be a "weight gain update".
Here are the facts, the recommendations, then my analysis.
The Facts
In the last year during recession, people losing jobs, less spending, more weight loss diets, obesity rates in adults - measured as a body mass index of over 30 - rose in 23 states and didn't improve in any of the others. Impressive.
Mississippi leads the fat parade with a rate of 32.5%, and although this report doesn't go into the scandal of child obesity, Mississippi leads in that category at 44.4%. I guess they won't be losing the lead for many years. Colorado remained the only state under 20% at 19% while in every other state the adult obesity rate was between 22% and 32.5%.
The Recommendations
So here are the recommendations from the Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit public health group pushing for legislation to include community level programs to teach people to make better choices and, are you ready for this, build more sidewalks in residential areas so people can walk their neighborhoods instead of drive. Sounds like a winner to me.
Their quote focused on taking any possible solution out of the doctor's hands and putting it in the communities hands because "that's where we change norms". The Government To The Rescue Again!!
My Analysis
It's really hard to know where to start. Obesity is a self inflicted condition. If most obese people were honest with themselves instead of blaming everything from hormones, to stress, to a bad childhood, etc. then they would look in the mirror for the culprit.
Anyone can change their overweight situation if they truly want to. Look at Jared in the Subway commercials. Look at the popularity and great results of the participants on "The Biggest Loser". The problem most obese people have is they don't want to lose the weight bad enough. They're not willing to pay the price in discipline and hard work. When you're obese there are things you don't have to do, or can't do, and it takes you off the hook to have to contribute much or participate much.
My Recommendations
Stop putting junk in your mouth and swallowing. Eat real food that you find on the edges of the grocery store and stay out of the middle where all the processed foods reside that make you fat.
Find a common-sense plan that shows you exactly what real foods to be eating in a structured daily plan - then stick to it everyday!
The Trust group above said there is no "magic bullet", but maybe there is. Trustworthy information that you can review at http://www.WeightLossToTheMax.com will give you some excellent information about the key role "Leptin" plays in fat burning and storage.
The Summary
Public health and wellness education - particularly in our school systems - is a joke. Add to that all the conflicting crap that comes out of the media about what's good for you and not good for you or the latest "wonder diet", and no wonder no one knows the difference betweens real food and processed, artificial junk food.
As technology has advanced at a blistering pace we expect everything including weight loss to happen at warp speed. If it doesn't then it's no good. Keep in mind that the maximum healthy weight loss is between and 1-2 pounds a week. If you've let yourself get 100 pounds overweight then you can expect that will take between 1 to 2 years to lose it.
Finally, there are groups out there of obese people who try to convince other obese people that it's okay to be that way and to celebrate it. What great logic. So even though the harsh financial calculation that obese people would die sooner and that would save money has been debunked - obese people live about as long as others -new studies show they will just be much sicker for longer. Comforting I'm sure.
The bottom line - take control of your body and life and make the necessary dietary and exercise changes to allow you to be the best you can be. I'll be glad to help.
Your comments are always welcome below or email me or call me. With Independence Day only 3 days away, this could be the perfect time to break out of the obesity trap.
Bill Ehmann
billehmann@boomer-solutions.com
330-858-1906
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