Once upon time, it was a very obese woman who was on the verge of mental and physical collapse. Despite her unhappiness with her appearance, the woman ate foods that was high in fat and didn’t bother to do regular exercises. She just continued to wail in pity and turned to food as comfort until one day she saw herself in the mirror and burst into tears.
“Oh my God” She cried out loud, “How did I loose control?”
As she continued to weep, the woman’s eyes wandered to her feet and then to her plump thighs, and traveled with a disgust gaze to her breast. The woman knew she had to make a change in her life. So she pondered the possibilities and literally took a long look at herself.
I’ll share more about this woman in a moment. But first, there’s something I need to address. It’s matter of life and death.
Being fat has become a booming business. You see it everyday on both sides of the spectrum. On one side, you go grocery shopping and you’ll most likely see sales items that are perfectly display to attract your attention. You’ll also see on the back of these labels the high calories and fat content. These items are affordable to feed a family. It’s survival to the fittest (no pun intended).
My advice: Be smart and use common sense. Cut back on your portion sizes, cut back or stop on soda consumption, and do not sprinkle extra sodium on your foods. Most of the cheaper foods are processed, which means it’s already loaded with salt. Over use of salt can lead to water retention and other health related problems.
Now on the other side of the fat business is the billion dollar weight loss industry. There are so many videos, books, and classes to help you reach your goal. Even Wii and Xbox have joined the fray against fat. Wherever go, you’ll see products to help shed those unwanted pounds. It’s Capitalism at its best!
My advice: Whether you choose low or high impact cardio, your body will love you for it. Compared to elite runners who run ten to twenty miles a week, a ten minute brisk walk is better than anything at all. The point is to get moving and stay moving. If you’re morbidly obese, those ten minutes is the summit of your journey. Baby steps are all you need to make a life-saving change to your life.
As for that woman I mentioned earlier, she decided to make a change for the better. The enhancements to her life had improved her mind, body, and soul. She hasn’t been experiencing sore joints, out-of-control hypertension, or shortness of breath. This person is a new woman. Who is she?
She’s me!
At 80 pounds later, I am a new woman. It took a little over year to get far and beyond my goal. I can walk freely without pain, breath easier, and more importantly, my blood pressure sits around at 120/80—perfect.
Final advice: Make your weight loss journey fun. To continue to your goal, participate in 5k’s or mini marathons. Preserver to the things you thought you couldn’t or wouldn’t do. Although I walked a half-marathon before, I said it’s something I would never do—not ever! Well, I already ran my first 5k with the time of 38:42. I’m going to run my next one in November, hoping to improve my time. Then May 2012, I’m running the half-marathon to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. My ultimate dream is run to a full marathon.
My Imani’s “How to” Moment is cutting back on portion sizes, stop or cut back on soda consumption, incorporate whole grains in your diet, and don’t forget your veggies. If you eat meat, make sure they’re lean like, turkey or chicken. Do eat Omega-3, for example Salmon. Read the package labels. Use your common sense. If you know something has a lot of fats or sugar, eat them sparingly. Most of all drink your water and get to moving. If your treat your body like a temple, it will love you back in return.
See, there wasn’t a need for me to write a long winded blog on loosing weight. What works for me, may not work you. The point of writing of this post is to let you know there’s always a common sense approach on weight loss. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. Just get off the couch or computer, and move and stop eating stuff you know that aren't good for you!
So what are you waiting for? Let’s get to moving!
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