Posted by Alicia Leeds on Fri, Jul 03, 2009 @ 10:52 AM
Are you getting ready for a long holiday weekend? What are your plans for healthy eating? If you are like most Americans, all thoughts of healthy eating have been pushed aside until "after". Even if you have been practicing healthy behaviors for a while, you might still be tempted to let things go.
So what's wrong with that?
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Trust for America's Health have published their annual report, "F as in Fat", on the state of obesity in America. Their conclusion? "Obesity policies are failing."
Americans are the fattest people on the planet.
Adult obesity rates continued to rise in 23 states in 2009. Obesity rates did not decrease in any state! 31 states have obesity rates above 25%. That means 1 in 4 Americans (have a BMI > 30) are at least 30 or more pounds overweight.
(Look around the BBQ this weekend. See for yourself.)
What's worse? The percentage of obese and overweight children is at or above 30% in 30 states. Studies have consistently shown that obese children become obese adults. The next generation is the first to have a lower life expectancy than their parents, and pediatricians are now treating their young patients for diseases typically associated with aging, including hypertension and diabetes.
What does all this have to do with America's famous holiday? Well, think about the foods typically associated with the 4th of July. Think about what you plan to eat. Are you willing to make different choices? Are you willing to rock the boat? Serve turkey burgers or veggie burgers instead of hamburgers, make roasted potatoes instead of potato salad, serve veggie platters instead of chips and dip? Will you have fresh fruit available instead of cookies? Will you get your workout in before the party? Are you willing to have 1 drink instead of 4? Serve sparkling water instead of soda? What are you willing to change?
As long as we accept the status quo we will have to accept the status quo. And that means accepting that the majority of American adults will be overweight and/or unhealthy, our children will look forward to a lifetime of chronic disease and premature death, and our already strained healthcare system will likely go bust.
On the 4th of July we celebrate, we are proud to be American. Are we proud enough to do what it takes to change what that means?
Posted by Alicia Leeds on Mon, Jan 26, 2009 @ 12:02 PM
There's always a reason to celebrate and today is no exception.
Today is the official launch of our new website, a place we hope you will visit often to connect, learn and be inspired to live a healthy, Full Life!
Today is also the Chinese New Year! Traditions on this day include giving $8. in red envelopes and wearing red clothing. 2009 is the year of the Ox which is said to bring stability and growth to all endeavors.
What better time to start- or restart your commitment to a healthy lifestyle!
Yep, there's always tomorrow, always the day after the birthday, wedding, baby shower, anniversary...but why not make this year the year of NOW!
You can make healthier choices in the next 5 minutes...in the next hour... for the rest of today! And put an end to the distracting little voice that convinces you "it's the last cupcake, slice of pizza, cigarette..." or "tomorrow I'll find the time to exercise"...
Your healthier self will remain a fiction of the future unless you begin to seize the moment NOW!
Do one thing - eat an apple, cook the veggies in the fridge, get up from your desk and take a short walk, write down your weight management goals, make a plan for healthy meals today! So many things you can do NOW! Pick one...get started!
Making changes is hard, but you can do it. Just one step at a time, one decision at a time. At Full Life we believe that each day is a new opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle...seize it!
Join us on the path to a healthier lifestyle. Sign up for our email, follow our blogs, check in often for new recipes and tips and send us your questions, stories, thoughts. Put $8 in a red envelope and save it for your new sneakers, throw on a red top and find the strength of your inner Ox. Celebrate the possibilities that a healthier you will bring!
And, if nothing else...have a laugh on us...who said treadmills are boring?