B.F. Skinner would be proud of the way the media has suckered so many people into quick-fix, no effort, eat all you want weight loss products. I have been a victim to these over the years myself. It is almost a pre-requisite to be an American to try one of these fad diets. But I am here to share some truths that it took me a long time to accept, and these are truths I think everyone knows. I have just been seeing so many ads lately, I feel I must testify.
I have been struggling with my weight since I was a teen. I have done all the "company" diets, from Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, L.A. Weightloss, Weight Watchers, etc. I have done most of the TV diets from the Hollywood diet, Biometric, Green Tea, and thousands of pills. I have had success, to some degree, on just about all of them, some better than others. But it wasn't until I accepted certain truths was I able to lose 110 lbs and keep it off for many years. Let's look at them, extreme medical conditions aside.
First of all, if you are more than 30 lbs overweight, you are fat. Now that may sound harsh, but when we call it "big boned, heavy, robust, curvy, ample, etc", we give ourselves an excuse by making light of what is really going on. Being this overweight is not just a beauty thing, it is dangerous and life threatening. This is like an alcoholic calling whisky "a strong beverage". (I am a recovering alcoholic as well). Until we call it what it is and become disgusted with it, it will not truly go away.
Secondly, when it comes to weight loss, anatomy physiology is finite. This means that to lose weight, you must expend more calories than you take in. This is so simple, but hard to practice for 75% of the American population. We find solace in our friends Ben and Jerry, Sara Lee, and Jack (in the box). (This is where our friends the appetite suppressants come in). Surgery is the only way to bypass this truth.
And third, to make the weight loss last, you must get active. Ask ol' Jared Fogle of Subway fame. He did not go from those pup tents he called pants by eating sandwiches alone. He did simple things to get active, like walking to classes instead of riding the bus. You do not have to become Tony Little, but you must get off the couch! If you are disabled, there are still exercises you can do. The truth is that most of us are lazy, and admitting that is the first step to getting active.
These are such simple truths, so why the search for the easy way out? That is just human nature. But sometimes the "easier, softer way" is doing things differently, and not forking out truckloads of cash for crap that does not work, or if you do lose some weight, it will come right back. Does it take will power, you bet! Nothing good EVER comes easy! But what is really requires is acceptance. Accepting the fact that we are fat and it is dangerous. Accepting the fact that all the pills, wraps, creams, and teas will not work, at least for any amount of time. Accepting that we must get active. This is the truth, and any real doctor, psychiatrist, dietician, or person who has lost weight and kept it off for anything over a year, will back this up. I will not give my money to these P.T. Barnum's anymore. If we don't pay, they go away. I hope this helps someone keep some of their hard earned cash.
I have been struggling with my weight since I was a teen. I have done all the "company" diets, from Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, L.A. Weightloss, Weight Watchers, etc. I have done most of the TV diets from the Hollywood diet, Biometric, Green Tea, and thousands of pills. I have had success, to some degree, on just about all of them, some better than others. But it wasn't until I accepted certain truths was I able to lose 110 lbs and keep it off for many years. Let's look at them, extreme medical conditions aside.
First of all, if you are more than 30 lbs overweight, you are fat. Now that may sound harsh, but when we call it "big boned, heavy, robust, curvy, ample, etc", we give ourselves an excuse by making light of what is really going on. Being this overweight is not just a beauty thing, it is dangerous and life threatening. This is like an alcoholic calling whisky "a strong beverage". (I am a recovering alcoholic as well). Until we call it what it is and become disgusted with it, it will not truly go away.
Secondly, when it comes to weight loss, anatomy physiology is finite. This means that to lose weight, you must expend more calories than you take in. This is so simple, but hard to practice for 75% of the American population. We find solace in our friends Ben and Jerry, Sara Lee, and Jack (in the box). (This is where our friends the appetite suppressants come in). Surgery is the only way to bypass this truth.
And third, to make the weight loss last, you must get active. Ask ol' Jared Fogle of Subway fame. He did not go from those pup tents he called pants by eating sandwiches alone. He did simple things to get active, like walking to classes instead of riding the bus. You do not have to become Tony Little, but you must get off the couch! If you are disabled, there are still exercises you can do. The truth is that most of us are lazy, and admitting that is the first step to getting active.
These are such simple truths, so why the search for the easy way out? That is just human nature. But sometimes the "easier, softer way" is doing things differently, and not forking out truckloads of cash for crap that does not work, or if you do lose some weight, it will come right back. Does it take will power, you bet! Nothing good EVER comes easy! But what is really requires is acceptance. Accepting the fact that we are fat and it is dangerous. Accepting the fact that all the pills, wraps, creams, and teas will not work, at least for any amount of time. Accepting that we must get active. This is the truth, and any real doctor, psychiatrist, dietician, or person who has lost weight and kept it off for anything over a year, will back this up. I will not give my money to these P.T. Barnum's anymore. If we don't pay, they go away. I hope this helps someone keep some of their hard earned cash.
