http://www.everydayhealth.com/publicsite/news/view.aspx?id=642638&xid=nl_EverydayHealthDietandNutrition_20100907
I've had this article bookmarked for days contemplating my thoughts on it. I find it completely fascinating on so many levels. First, people don't realize they're weight problem is as big as it is. That totally fits me. When I was overweight, I would have told you that I needed to lose 20 pounds. In reality, I needed to lose 30-35. Did I know it deep down? Or did 20 pounds seem like a nicer number?
Second, so many people blame a sedentary lifestyle for their weight and not their food. Nutrition isn't a zero sum game (my apologies to my B school professors if I misused that analogy). It all goes hand in hand. It's like the wine problem... drinking leads to eating more. It's not the wine alone that's the problem. If you continue to overeat, just exercising more isn't going to solve the problem. You have to attack both aspects.
I really liked the statement in the article that said that maybe we're setting the bar on exercise too high for ourselves. We don't have to instantly become a gym rat to be healthy. Just walking is a start. Baby steps, people.
Finally, the quick fix of dieting is so telling. More people ranked surgery as an obesity solution than any other option. I've been there... I remember at some point thinking, "maybe I should just gain another 25 pounds and then I'd be a surgical candidate." I think the data on the post surgery patients who've regained their weight are staggering.
Nothing can fix a lifestyle of unhealthy habits except for a lifestyle change. It's hard and it will always be in the front of my mind. That's why I'm here. Do you see yourself in any of these statements? Do you underestimate your health issues?