Getting Healthy

The beginning of a new year always brings great public awareness to such issues as weight loss, physical conditioning and overall health. It's good to have a goal and to focus on improving ourselves, at any age and despite any condition.

It's a shame that many of us look to reality shows about freakishly overweight people as some type of guideline. Those of us who could benefit from losing a few pounds -- and there are a LOT of us out there -- seem to think that as long as the camera crew isn't knocking at our door to film our story, we are still somehow in the clear.

Wrong.

Next time you are out in public, even just running errands, take a look around. It's astonishing how many people at any location are overweight and in incredibly bad physical condition.

We need to think analyze our own state of health. Ask yourself some of these questions:

     Do I have less energy than a few months/a year ago? Never mind that we aren't 25 years old any more. Make a recent comparison.

     Do I watch everything that I eat? We all tend to reach for chips or candy instead of fruit or vegetables. Why? Because they are handier and taste yummy.

     Do I drink a lot of soda? Soda goes great with some foods and it's a convenient crutch to erase the 3:30 p.m. sugar dip.

     Do my clothes fit as well as they should?

     Am I happy when I look in the mirror?

Rather than comparing ourselves to the 600-pound specimen on reality TV, focus on yourself. Recognize that you can take control of making yourself feel better.

Nearly everyone can make small improvements to improve their health. It doesn’t take much. Skip the soda for a glass of unsweetened tea or water. Falling into the fast-food rut? Pack a lunch and know what ingredients you are consuming. Learn to think for yourself again.

Weight loss groups and counseling can be of great assistance to many. These services have been around for a long time and many are extremely successful because they DO help. But often the hassle of joining, attending meetings or purchasing products appears a huge obstacle. Many will flatly avoid joining such a group because of one of those reasons.

But the majority of "you can do it" stories I read -- and many are out there on the internet -- involve folks who began making little changes on their own. Walking to the park with their kids. Nibbling on fruit instead of cookies. Once the changes began to make a difference, good old-fashioned motivation kicked in. Next time you see a headline about someone who lost a great deal of weight and wants to share his/her story, read for yourself.

Yes, there are plenty of people who hire personal trainers, buy expensive equipment or even have drastic surgery to help control their weight. But many people just like you and me can drop weight and feel better without a huge amount of sacrifice. It all starts with a little determination and a self-encouragement.

Need a little push? Go out shopping and look at the public. You will be amazed. Imagine yourself in a year or two. Will you fit in nicely with the rest of the public? Or will people look at your and envy your fitness and resolve.

New Year. New You.