The Weight of a Nation

So I wouldn't normally endorse something like this prior to actually viewing it, but in this case I decided to share this with you all in the hopes we can have a conversation about it after it airs. On May 14th a new 4-part HBO mini-series will begin. It will highlight some alarming facts that frankly we don't talk about in relation to obesity; instead we usually talk about the way people judge obese individuals (personality, attractiveness, motivation, etc.) or the way many feel when suffering with their weight (hopeless, exhausted, lacking self-esteem and self-worth, etc.).

The truth is, with the rise in obesity, we observe a massive increase in the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, kidney failure, back injury, osteoarthritis and other serious medical conditions. This implies that obesity is MAKING US SICK. This is a matter of public health. This is a matter of national importance. And it matters to all of us, because we all know somebody struggling with obesity. It's important to know that obesity is not just making us feel bad about having photos taken or make it hard to find jeans that fit - that's not even close to the biggest problem. It's so important the United Nations now hosts an annual summit on non-communicable diseases (cancer, diabetes, heart disease, primarily) as these now pose a greater threat to humans in western civilization than any other disease.

The message is, obesity is making us sick. Now, let's have a conversation about THAT and what we do about it, because we can ALL. Do. Something.

Looking forward to it!!

The Weight of a Nation - http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-04-29/weight-of-the-nation-hbo-documentary/54632914/1

The Winds of Change

Food is so much more than just sustenance - almost all human cultures use food to celebrate, sooth, commiserate, collaborate, and so on. So it's no wonder we get rather emotionally attached to what we eat. But when there is a health problem that is likely related to what we eat (e.g. high blood pressure, cardiac disease, atherosclerosis, obesity, renal failure, liver disease, diabetes...), why are many of us so desperately reluctant to change our diet?

Why, if we know with great certainty that changing our diet will help us feel better, reduce our symptoms, improve our health, reduce our dependence upon medicine and possibly prevent our disease from progressing? Why do we decide to stick with the status-quo?

Psychologists will tell us many things. We may be in the denial phase of grief. The contemplation stage of change. That we have prioritized self-care lower than caring for others. That we use excuses and rationalizations as tools to facilitate avoidance. But describing the problem still doesn't motivate us to change our food habits.

Perhaps we could use an old counseling trick on ourselves -repeat this statement to yourself - "One the one hand I know I should ___________, however I don't do this because_______". They ask yourself why? How does this serve you? Are you afraid to fail? Are you afraid it will be uncomfortable? Do you fear what others think? Are you using food to avoid a bigger issue? In looking honestly and unflinchingly at the "why", you may come to terms with your biggest nemesis.

We are each entrusted the care of one human body. Just one. Do we recognize and appreciate this gift? Do we find value in it? And if so, what will you do to protect it and care for it? Are you brave enough to look at the "why"? If so, can you summons the courage to overcome it? And if not, how will you get there? The answer will be changes you can LIVE with...

:)

Do I really HAVE to eat breakfast?

I get this question a lot and the short answer is "No". You don't HAVE to do anything! But let's talk about why breakfast is a good idea and perhaps you might come to a different conclusion! I also have some ideas for what you can eat in the morning that would suffice.

Studies show that people who eat breakfast weigh less. Studies also show that children who eat breakfast perform better in school in terms of academic success, concentration and test scores. Metabolically speaking, eating in the morning really does "break the fast" that we experience while we sleep. After our overnight fast our body does not have any more ready-to-burn "fuel" available, so if we don't top up by eating something, our body will not be able to perform at it's best. Sort of like a car running on an almost empty tank of gas!  A recent study also found that people who eat breakfast, lower their risk if developing diabetes by 21%!

The most common objections I get to eating breakfast are;

1. I'm not hungry when I wake up
2. When I eat breakfast it makes me hungrier for the rest of the day and I think I eat more
3. I don't have time!

It's ok!! There are some easy strategies you can deploy if you decide to try eating breakfast to improve your health and sense of well-being!

First, it's really common to not feel hungry right after you wake up, so don't push it. How about drinking something instead? Try a latte or an ice coffee from your favorite coffee shop! Milk is an excellent source of calcium and Vitamin D, and contains protein and calories to get you started for the day. You can also wait an hour or so until you warm up to food - just try to eat something as soon as you are able.  For the more nutritionally adventurous among you, try a Carnation Instant Breakfast, Ensure shake or any other type of smoothie. This tip also works for #2 above - since technically, you aren't actually chewing on anything.

If your excuse is that you just don't have time.....planning ahead is key! Pack little breakfast snacks in convenient places! This also works if you just aren't hungry when you first wake up and rush out the door....you can grab one of your snacks during the morning when you feel you **can** stomach food. Do you have a long commute? Pack a banana and a granola bar in your briefcase so you can snack while traveling. Do you walk or catch the bus to school? Pack a string cheese, crackers and an apple. Does breakfast food just not get you interested enough to bother? Try some trail mix (nuts and dried fruit), make a sandwich or take a leftover piece of pizza with you!

There is always a way to fit breakfast into your lifestyle. The real question is, is your health and well-being important enough to you to work on it? I look forward to hearing how you plan to fit breakfast into your day!