Parents of low birth weight children show "emotional confusion" during the first weeks of parenting. However, as time progresses, this negative emotion turns to a joyful experience. And rightly so, but...
As it is with underweight babies, so it is with overweight kids and adults... we soon grow accustomed to our body fat. We ignore all the warning signs until we arrive at diabetes, heart problems, or other health conditions.
It seems we are always ignoring the signs on our weight control trail. Even though we have seen what this behavior has done to fellow drivers on the same road, human nature, it seems, keeps most of us spell bound to killing ourselves. So what are some of these weight control signs that you may be ignoring?
The "You" Turn Sign
What do you do when you discover you are going the wrong way down the highway? You turn around and head for the opposite direction. So why don't we turn around when we find ourselves going towards that refrigerator for another serving of ice cream late at night? Instead we shove the image of the consequence of our action away on the shelf of denial.
We say, "Another scoop of ice cream won't hurt." It won't? So we think. There's nothing wrong with eating ice cream, per se, but eating high calorie foods just before you go to sleep is not a lean idea. Often becomes a habit, and we do this every night - we are headed down the fat path. We need to take the "You" turn along the road to the refrigerator.
Weight Control Exit Sign
Sometimes it's not enough to just turn around. You do that when it is a matter of doing a good thing at the wrong time or in the wrong way... like eating ice cream late at night before you go to bed.
What about when the behavior is totally bad for your health? There are several examples here. Like when you are on the wrong diet? I read that 80% of Americans don't eat enough fruit and vegetables, but they consume more than enough fats, especially saturated fats.
And snacking... One dietician reported that she had never seen an obese person who did not skip breakfast and snack at nights. Does skipping breakfast contribute to poor weight control? You bet it is. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. People who regularly miss breakfast tend to have a greater urge to snack.
If your diet is loaded with fat, if you snack often, or if you skip breakfast habitually you could be on the road to obesity or other lifestyle condition. You need to take the exit sign seriously.
Winding Road to Weight Loss
Have you ever been on a winding mountain road? The scenery may be good. It may be leading to positions where you get breath-taking views of the scenery below. However, as a driver you know it can be difficult maneuvering and meandering your way on a winding road.
For some people the process of weight loss is like being on a winding road. It's exhilarating at first. They quickly lose a few pounds and what they see initially in the mirror is encouraging.
Many of the popular weight loss programs make you lose both fat and muscle. Often this is due to a diet that is not practical for the long term. When they revert to their regular diet they soon regain the weight they had before; not the muscle, but the fat. This makes weight loss or weight control seem like a roller coaster ride on a winding road.
Weight Control Stop Sign
Many of the signs on the roads throughout your neighborhood are just informational. They provide information needed for you drive intelligently. Signs such as, Winding Road, U Turn Permitted, or Steep Slope are examples. There are a few commands on the weight loss trail that are imperatives. They command action. The Stop Sign is an example. How many of us obey these?
There is a common sense statement that says, "If you keep on doing what you're doing, you will continue to get what you're getting." In most cases, overweight and obesity are results of behavior. This is evident in the large numbers of children who are obese and who are developing Type 2 diabetes - a disease once known only in adults.
It's ironic that today's modern lifestyle, amid the unprecedented volume of health knowledge and information, is so conducive to developing obesity and the associated health problems. What are some of the practices that we need to stop? Here are a few bad practices that contribute to overweight and obesity that we need to stop.
- Stop eating too much processed foods. Use more foods in their natural or "as grown" state. These are usually higher in fiber content and lower in calories.
- Stop skipping breakfast. Eat three meals per day at regular times.
- Stop eating late at nights. Nutrition experts have suggested that we should eat our last meal at least 4 hours before bed time.
- Eating more slowly, while taking the time to enjoy our food has some benefits for weight control. This is a benefit many people miss out on in today's fast paced society.
- Stop the snacking throughout the day. Drink water between meals instead of juice or sodas.
- Stop the sedentary spell. Have daily exercise - 30 to 60 minutes walk each day will make anyone lose weight and control it.
Americans are said to be the fattest people on the planet. That's not a compliment. Why does the country that puts out so many health publications about weight control have an ever growing population of obese folk?
The dangerous news is that, "excess weight lays the foundation for nearly every degenerative disease except osteoporosis." Further, for every extra pound of fat tissue we put on we shorten our lifespan by one month. Why do we keep blaming genetics? We just need to obey the signs. Stop, turn around, and get off the obesity trail.
References:
Eriksson, Birgitta S. (2005). Emotional reactions of parents after the birth of an infant with extremely low birth weight, Journal of Child Health Care, Vol. 9, No. 2, 122-136 (2005).
Ludington, A., Diehl, H. (2002). Health Power: Health by Choice, Not Chance, Hagerstown, MD
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