Is it difficult to walk passed that popular dessert mecca that serves decadent death by chocolate? Can we exercise enough inner determination to cull our passion for imbibing 12 ounces of succulent satisfaction at the local steak house?
How about grandma telling us, "There are starving people in China, eat! Eat!" Can't stifle grandma. Or maybe we can, maybe grandma needs a challenge; "Gramma, how does me overeating help starving people in China? And why do you have to make enough food for twenty people when we're only serving five? Do you think that might have something to do with our weight issues?" Grannies extra servings go straight to our hearts.
You're running your finger down the menu at the local 5 star sit down and 90% of the meal choices are over 1000 calories, and every one of those calories has a telepathic connection to your salivary glands that are starting to make you drool and quiver for the mouth orgy you're about to go down on.
Are you really going to trade that for a dry, limp stick of celery?
Allow me to introduce you to the excuse many us know as well as that old high school best friend who even though there may be a continent of real-estate between you, each time you get together it's like old times, like you've never been apart.
"Healthy food is like cardboard" That's the excuse. Feeling comfortable now? Your friend is back. It's ok not to choose healthy food. I understand you want to feel rewarded, and that's what you deserve. No.. no, settle down, I'm not going to feed you salad, I'm your friend.
I'm going to feed you your favorite meal and you're going sit back with your waist almost uncomfortably tight, which is easily resolved by a flick of the finger undoing the belt.. ahhh.. ease into the soft warm leather chair, talk about old times, laugh about the time you did that silly thing..
Nice hey? That's how comfortable we are with overeating.
Conversely we perceive healthy eating as a steel bench at a bus stop in the rain. And the bus is late. And you're wearing linen.
But what if that's all wrong? What if living healthy provides a feeling of energy and freedom previously unknown?
Obesity is not about genetics. That excuse is denial based "my overeating is not to blame" escapism that appeals to those who can't face the reality that they chronically overeat, or at least have yet to come to realize that they can succeed at permeant weight loss if only they permanently changed their lifestyle.
No person, no matter what their genetics, will become overweight if they do not overeat.
Every person, no matter their cultural or genetic make up, or physical activity, will gain fat if they eat too much.
Human genetics are not changing every year resulting in greater weight gain annually around the world.
What is happening is people are eating more and are less physically active. This results in more calories consumed than expended, which equals fat gain.
It really is this simple.
The complicated part is how we become entrained to overeat through socialization, habits, and the overall ubiquitous celebration of overeating.
Research has shown that overeating, a lack of sleep, and eating high concentrations of fat, sugar, and salt trigger hormonal responses that cause us to feel more hungry than usual and to require more food to feel satiated. This adds significant challenge to changing eating habits as one will feel hungry but wont actually be physically hungry, as in requiring more energy from food. The person will only perceive hunger prompted by altered hunger stimulating hormone levels.
Part of the answer is to learn how hunger works. Part of the answer is self discipline.
The answer is not about finding a drug or a new diet. The desire to "discover" the solution to fat loss is quite possibly a desperately naive avoidance of personal responsibility, or at worst a Machiavellian scheme to empty wallets.
Why do most weight loss attempts fail in the long term? Is it because most people are genetically non-responsive to healthy living (diet and exercise)? No. It's because those who fail do not change their physical habits or emotional connection to food. It's because those who fail ultimately return to their previous overeating habits.
Losing weight is possible. You don't have to go ballistic to do it either.
Eat less. Exercise more. Change your emotional connection to food so you're in love with healthy food instead of crap food. Maybe show a little love for yourself, for your health. Expect to make plenty of mistakes. Don't put a time limit on it, just keep at it.
It's not your genetics that keep you overweight, it's your overeating.
It's not your genetics that keep you overweight, it's your overeating.
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