I’ve all but given up on keeping up with my blogroll. I just have too many damn blogs to keep up with. It was easier when no one read my madness. hehehe. Anyway, in making an attempt today, I’ve noticed several of my blog buddies ranting about weight loss.
We have become a nation obsessed with instant gratification. We care more about fast food than healthy food. Sad but true. We are constantly bombarded by fast food ads. No wonder so many folks are overweight. It is just easier to be an overweight slob. And don’t even get me started on a sub-section of the bear culture the delights in slothfulness. Rather than deal with the problem, let’s make it glamorous. Oh yeah, there’s an answer. I digress… Staying in shape is no easy task. It takes a conscious will to maintain a good diet. You might say, "well why should I bother then?" My answer, it may not be your fault but it is your problem. Another complaint I often here, "I just don’t have time in my day to workout." That is the biggest cop-out I think I’ve ever heard. We make time for things we care about. Stop finding reasons why you can’t and find some why you can. Three hours a week ain’t that hard in the scope of things. [1]Hell, I spend more time just looking for sex.
There are some fairly simple things you can do to combat your exploding waistline.
1) Cut out sugared sodas! High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has become the number one contributor to obesity in Western Culture. [2]I’d wager other places too I’ve beat this horse before so I won’t go on and on. If nothing else, switch to a non-sugared soda. Your waist (and your heart) will thank you.
2) Cut way back on trans-fats. That means fried foods too. Being a Southern boy, I know the delights of fried foods however, I’ve cut most of it out of my diet. I splurge every now and then. There is a big difference between a random splurge and routine consumption. That also means about 80% of fast food places. You do need some trans-fats in your diet however, not to the extent that we consume it. There is enough trans-fat in one fast food burger/fries to meet your daily requirements for a full week!
3) Cut back on sodium (salt) and preservatives. A good rule of thumb, if it has more than 20% of sodium per serving, you don’t need it.
4) Reduce your portions at meal time. You’d be surprised how much this helps.
5) If you don’t exercise regularly, add 3 hours a week. Three hours! If you can’t find the time to add 3 measly hours, stop whining because you obviously aren’t serious about losing weight. If you do exercise, consistency is key. Intensity matters however, most folks burn themselves out by going overboard. Slow and steady progress wins every time.
I could go on and on but you’d be surprised how much weight you’d drop by trying out the 5 tips above. Obviously, if you are trying to lose 5-15lbs of vanity weight, the above tips might not show a dramatic increase however, it will help. Most people aren’t looking for ripped abs they just want to see their stomach muscles.
I was telling someone today, I hate the word "diet". Dieting just teaches your body more efficient ways to store fat you aren’t using. This makes it harder to burn off later. Duh. Don’t starve yourself. Work on gradually changing your eating (and exercise) habits. A good way to do this is to set goals and track your progress. Tracking your weight loss (gain) gives you focus. We tend to succeed at things we focus on routinely. Setting an empty goal with no action plan will almost always fail.
/rant
When I get behind on my blogroll, I don’t even bother catching up! Just start from today’s date, and trust that if it was an important event, I missed; they’ll repeat it again. We are supposed to be the fattest nation on earth! Everywhere I go, someone is talking about dieting. Especially with it being so close to New Year’s resolution time!
Fat people know exactly how to lose weight, we just don’t do it. I’ve read a million (it seems) diet book, and healthy lifestyle books and I know what I should do, I just get distracted and go back to old habits. I try every Monday… maybe I should try every Monday, then on Tues try again. Eventually maybe it will stick!
We’re also a nation obsessed with physical perfection. For a lot of people it’s not just enough to be in good shape. That can promote an unhealthiness in the other direction, too.
Actually I think a lot of people who are overweight would not be if they thought that being in healthy condition would be enough to make them more appealing to others But, instead, many are convinced they can’t achieve the extremes that are celebrated, so they figured why bother when it’s definitely more fun to indulge.
The problem is that society is focused on beauty rather than health.
I have to work to keep weight on, but I stopped drinking soft drinks totally about three years ago. Not cause I want a six pack, but because I was afraid of things like diabetes.
Ketchup is super high in sodium too, and most people don’t realize it! People just need to read labels and and take it one step at a time. Most people try to do it all at once. I started with cutting my sodium, and 3 months later I cut out all soda, and so on and so forth. A bunch of baby steps add up to a big leap. Diet is a bad four letter word. People need to look at it as an overall lifestyle change, and not punish themselves so harsh if the slip here and there.
I have entered the New Year without having to make losing weight a resolution because I was in my best shape ever! Ahh… God has a sense of humor. Mardi Gras happened. I met many men. I got fertilized. Now I am … GASP!… pregnant! But… totally not related to any overconsumption of carbs or beer or anything. Now, I just need a little abortion, and I’ll be fine. Whew!
Take more time off from work so you can keep up on your blogroll!
Stick to what is important!
I am so frustrated by weight loss. I don’t drink sugared sodas. I don’t snack between meals. I work out 4 days a week minimum with lots of cardio. I eat mostly sandwiches and salads.
And STILL I can’t lose weight.
The American food supply is poison. After moving to Australia, John and I both lost around 80 lbs each in the first year. I agree with you on the high fructose corn syrups – awful for you. After that I’d eliminate hydrogenated oils, any type of soda (even diet), and over process carbs like sugar or white flower. Switch to natural sweeteners like honey and use whole meal flour. While losing all that weight, we still continue to eat a 200 ml serving of low fat ice cream for dessert almost everyday.