Can You Be Fat & Healthy?

Celebrities like Tyra Banks and Vanessa Minnillo from
Entertainment Tonight are donning ‘fat suits’ to experience what
it’s like to be fat and illuminating their experience for the
American public. For an ever increasing number of Americans Tyra
and Vanessa’s experience is their reality. At the end of the day
they are unable to shed their ‘fat suit’ and lead a thin life.
The mind set of many is based in fear thinly veiled as sarcasm,
disdain, rudeness and plain old meanness, after all next year
they very well could be the one struggling with weight issues.

Obesity numbers are soaring. As the numbers keep increasing so
do the health risks of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, sleep
apnea, and joint disease associated with obesity. This trend
becomes less of an appearance issue more of a health issue.
There is a growing body of research that shows the benefit of
fitness even if you’re overweight. You don’t have to be a size 8
to be healthy. Being fit with healthy habits is much more
important for your health than the number on the scale or the
size of your jeans. Studies are showing that it is better to be
active and overweight than inactive and thin. This by no means
negates the long term effect of unhealthy habits. The old adage
“You are what you eat” is even more prevalent today with the
overwhelming number of food choices and food additives available
to us. These studies are showing that with healthy eating habits
and regular exercise you can be healthy at the size you are.

Healthy habits are the three sides of a triangle, eating
healthy, getting fit, and managing stress. The benefits of being
fit can affect all areas of your life. improved cardiovascular
health means you won’t be out of breath going up the stairs,
improved mobility and flexibility means your joints will move
easier and you’ll be able to easily tie your shoes, and
increased endurance can mean more energy to enjoy life. There’s
no way around it though, getting fit involves exercise. This
doesn’t mean hours each day at the gym. All you need is five
thirty minute sessions a week. Do what you love dance, walk,
skip, jump rope anything that gets your heart rate up. Increase
the intensity as you are able. Don’t have time for 30 minutes?
Try two 15 minute sessions instead. The point is to get moving.
Your aim is a brisk 3.5 mile per hour pace and you’re on your
way to becoming fit.

Eating healthy is all about choices. Sometimes the choices are
not easy ones. It’s hard to say no to all those foods you’ve
grown to love. Choosing to eat nutritious foods like fruit,
vegetables, lean meats and whole grains instead of fried foods,
sugary snacks, and sodas takes practice and perseverance. It
does not mean depriving yourself, starving, or eating tasteless
food. There are also emotional ties to food that can be
difficult to manage. It helps to identify those situations that
trigger emotional eating and develop a plan to fill substitute
for the food. If you’re in the habit of comforting yourself with
Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia after a stressful day put a note on
the freezer door that says” I now deal with stress
by______________” and fill in the blank with your plan. A
successful eating plan involves choosing healthy versions of the
foods you enjoy, trying new things, and allowing for the
occasional indulgence. Who doesn’t love a great dessert now and
then? It’s important to make sure now and then doesn’t become
every day. Taste buds change over time you will find that your
taste for junk food does diminish as you eat healthier, just as
it increases as you eat more junk food. This was well documented
in the movie Super Size Me. To be successful your eating plan
has to fit into your lifestyle and provide food you enjoy.

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