Are We Asking the Right Question for Weight Loss?

I’ve caught myself in this trap, touting the statistics and reminding everyone who will listen that obesity is the leading killer in the US. I speak about the dangers of obesity and how being overweight shortens life and lengthens disease. But I’ve been thinking….is this the right focus? Is talking about death enough to motivate people to seek life? I’m beginning to believe no.

Recently I had a conversation with a young father with many years of life ahead of him. I listened to him as he spoke with great knowledge of how diabetes ravages the body, of how being obese will cause him to die many years before is necessary. And, how even this knowing doesn’t stop him from his need to stop for fast food, drink a soda or eat the food his co-workers bring in. This amazingly smart young man knows that the path he is walking is slippery, yet he finds difficulty in making wiser choices and beats himself up for his lack of willpower.

So…is discussing death enough to make us want to choose life? After all, the #1 cause of death is death. Everyone will die. It’s a certainty.
Let me ask a better question…..What is the #1 cause of life?
What do you live for? Your family? Career? Being on stage? Helping others? Dancing? Singing in the shower? Walking in the rain? Making love? Hanging out with friends? Being a contribution to society? Giving back?

These, I think, are the leading causes of a life. The “why’s” that can motivate us to stay on this earth longer and in a stage of good health and abundant energy. The true motivation to exercise, eat well, manage stress, sleep and live life by design.

The next time you are tempted to drive thru and receive a bag of nutritional pollution, I urge you to focus on LIFE and ask yourself this question…..”how do I want to live”? If the answer to that question is a desire to feel sluggish, run-down and tired, unfocused, unsure and unhealthy, flabby, foggy and fatigued then continue to stick your hand out that window and consume that fast food. Continue to eat ice cream, candy bars and pizza. Fill up on potato chips, soft drinks and mystery meats.

If, instead, you want to feel energized, focused, productive and creative, you want to be fit and trim and like what you see in the mirror. If you simply want to discover your full potential, then your diet will consist of lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and plenty of lean protein sources (fish, beans), and of course water as your beverage of choice.
As a society, let’s remove the fear of death from the equation and stop focusing on trying to avoid, fix, heal or cure illness. Instead, let’s focus on life and the choices we can so easily make each day that will allow us to enjoy outrageous health during our abundant life on this planet.