Diets, Dieting, and more Diets - How Many Have You Been On?

I don't think you can have a conversation today where the topic won't some how always shift it's way over to a diet, or a desire for someone to lose weight, or shed some pounds.

Usually women will talk about a new diet or their desire to lose some weight, while guys will try to be a bit more macho, by talking about going to the gym. All in all, the same desire is what their all after, and that's to lose weight and get into shape.

Can you tell me over your life time how many diets you've been on?

Most people will answer, "to many to count", or "I think I've been on every diet that has been out there". So many diets and so many attempts at losing weight and getting in shape, but never reaching the end of what we are looking for, and that's a new you.

The word diet usually indicates something that you start and maintain for awhile and than get off when the results you require are met. That's specifically why diets and dieting don't work, because once you reach your goal it's never easy to keep it. I'm talking about a complete turnover to a healthy lifestyle.

Did you know that 80% of all Americans are obese? I know that may sound ridiculously high, but if you are thirty pounds, or more over weight, you are considered obese.

This truth came home to me, when I went in for my annual physical exam by my doctor. We always talk about exercise and losing some weight, but it's the same thing every year, and I make the same promises, but never do anything about it.

Now I'm 5 foot, 8 inches tall, and I weigh 210 pounds. Not where I want to be but I can live with it. I take a mild dose of blood pressure medication, and that's it. I run my own business out of my home, so I don't really get much exercise.

Finally my doctor looked at me, and said, "Brian, how many times are we going to have this conversation, before you finally do something? Are you waiting to die from a massive heart attack, because I've seen it before, it will slowly creep up on you and take you when you least expect it."

He then proceeded to show me, from the medical charts that he had, what my ideal weight should be. I should be weighing in at 155 pounds. I told him, "if I weighed that much I would look skinny." The next thing he said shocked me. He said, "if all of us Americans, were at the healthy weight that we should be, we would all look skinny, but we have gotten so used to over eating and looking at over-weight people as normal, that if we saw someone healthy, we would think they were sick."

I don't know about you, but that hit me right between the eyes. I'll give you an example.

My brother is in Homeland Security with the US government. He had to go through a very rigid training program, and he had to reduce his body fat by a certain amount. When I saw him after his training, I thought he was sick. He looked skinny. He looked under weight, but he was really as fit as he's ever been, and as strong as he's ever been. He has kept the weight off and he says he feels the best he's ever felt in his life.

So here I stand in front of my doctor with the tag of being in that 80% of all Americans who are obese, and I was facing a challenge. My doctor challenged me to drop just forty pounds and start walking for thirty minutes a day, and wait to see what happens.

Now, I have always been athletic, I know what it is to train, and I know that you don't back down from a challenge. I have always lived an active life and I am going to reverse this trend, and take the challenge.

As I write this to you today, it's been just one week since I joined the challenge, and I've lost four pounds. I am doing this gradually, and next week I'm starting my physical part of the challenge, by walking for twenty minutes a day and I will progress to thirty the following week.

As with any program such as this, we can't, and shouldn't do it alone. The accountability that comes from others that want to achieve the same goals as we do, is mandatory to a successful end. Whenever I went to the gym I went with others who would help me and encourage me to reach my goals, and without that your not very likely to succeed.

My wife and I are on this challenge, (not a diet), together and we are looking for others to join us. If you are interested in having a partner on your journey to a life of health, hope and happiness, please contact me.

I want to leave a legacy for my children and grand-children that is one of health, hope and happiness, and to know that helping others that are on the same journey makes for a very rewarding life.

Are you ready for the challenge? Are you ready to take that first step toward a healthy lifestyle? I hope you are.