The fat, the bad and the ugly

The Fat, the Bad, and the Ugly

As we enter the summer holiday season, there are a few facts worth bringing up. If you have been with me a while, you may remember some of them. If you are new, prepare to have your eyes opened.

1. Over the past 4 to 5 months there has been a cumulative weight gain in this country alone of over a billion pounds, with the average person putting on between 7 and 9 pounds between Christmas and Easter. That is the bad news. The good news is most people will lose about 70 percent of that weight before next year. That is also the bad news, because over a decade it means many people will quietly gain 20 pounds. For those who do not lose any of it, well, you know the story.
2. We are heavy because we eat too much and do too little. You can read all you want about parasites, stress, food choices, and hormones, and any of those may play a role in why we are heavy. But there is no end arbiter of how heavy we are but ourselves.
3. Fat loss requires steady commitment, and in this cyber-driven, ADHD-style culture where people think, speak, and act in sound bites, that is not a popular stance. One-minute abs, 30-second shoulders, and 10-second chests are not reality even under the knife of a plastic surgeon.
4. Making better food choices and doing more physical movement is the long game. For short-term effects, here is a simple plan.
   • Reduce your calories by 500 a day. Yes, that means counting, but with food labels what they are these days, it is easier than ever.
   • Increase your physical work by 300 to 500 calories a day.
   • Pay attention to protein. Adequate protein at every meal supports muscle, satiety, and metabolic rate.

Now is a great time to make a difference. Everyone you know, including you, will appreciate the results.

Doc