by Kim Beardsmore (c) 2004

Everywhere we look in western world we are inundated with pictures, images, icons and inferences of 'perfect' female shape! The truth is that many of these images are altered or enhanced in some way and do not depict typical female form. The pressure to lose weight is immense when we are bombarded every day with media selling products based on slimness, sex appeal and fashion. The constant message is that slimness will make you desireable.

With current demographic trends in western countries, and faced with a sea of high fat, high sugar combined with physical inactivity; it is time to pay attention to our weight but not for any reasons of desirability. The most important reason for wanting to be a healthy body weight is for health rather than for how your body looks.

Overweight and obesity are major public health problems in western countries. Since 1980s both adult men and women have become heavier, with obesity rates more than doubling in last 20 years! Children are also becoming heavier. There is a growing concern that we are inadvertently training our overweight children to become obese adults. It has been said, we are digging our graves with out teeth! So just why should we be concerned with achieving a healthy body weight?

Overweight linked with diabetes.

In January 2003, Journal of American Medical Association featured two studies that highlighted topic of obesity and its impact on health. The first study focused on relationship between obesity and diabetes, as well as growing concern of diabetes in U.S. between years 2000 and 2001. The numbers don't look good, with an alarming 5.6% increase of obesity in both men and women-from all ethnic groups, age ranges and educational levels. The occurrence of diabetes also increased-up 8.2% from 2000.

Overweight linked with premature death.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(c) Copyright Kim Beardsmore

Did you know that when you are on a diet, if you eat something and no one sees you - it doesn’t contain any calories! Don't we wish!

Are you a secret snacker? Do you eat when you are bored, upset, angry? Does every day mean a chocolate bar for you? Snacking…the secret sins of most people wanting to lose weight.

As a wellness mentor I find that people are often feeling so guilty about snacking they are embarrassed to talk about it openly. Women in particular laugh nervously when I ask them what happens to their food consumption around 4pm. This often is time of day when “Snack Monster” rises up and takes control of them! Often these women berate themselves with ideas about being weak and out of control. They either eventually give up on their diet altogether or develop counter thoughts so they don’t feel so bad. “It didn’t really matter - it is fat free”. Or, “if no one notices, calories don’t count”.

Your diet does not have to be like this.

You can lose weight without being hungry. You can learn to take control of “Snack Monster” and your program can be one to set you up for success, not failure.

An important key is to learn how to recognize what your body requires, signals it gives you, and learn how to respond to those signals appropriately – diet and guilt are two words that do not belong together.

Hunger is body’s way of telling us we need to replenish depleted nutrients. Unfortunately our body can’t say “I need more vitamin D”. That would make things so easy! Many of us interpret hunger pains as our body saying “I need more fat”, “I need more sugar”.