How to Know When Your Diet is Slipping
The diet is on. The diet is off. It's on. It's off. On. Off. And so it goes, down through the decades of my life. Periods of determination, optimism, and hunger pangs followed by periods of guilt, self-reproach and a full stomach. Periods when stepping on the scale first thing in the morning starts the day off with delight, or, inevitably at a later date, with despair.
For at least ninety percent of dieters, the weight we have lost is going to be regained, and then some. How do we know when the tide is starting to turn and our resolve is eroding?
I knew mine was sliding away recently when I went out with two college friends. We have been meeting for lunch for over thirty years. They haven't gained a pound. At lunch, they both stopped eating at the same tome. "I'm stuffed!" said one. "I need a doggy bag," said the other. I glanced at the table and noticed more than half of their portions remained on their plates.Then I looked at my empty plate and felt a little guilty. But not guilty enough to ask the waitress for the dessert menu.
So how do we know when we are starting to lose our grip on the battle? Are there thought patterns emerging that are going to sabotage us?
Oh yes, there certainly are. If we pay close attention to our thinking when the aroma of freshly baked apple pie is too much to bear, we will find two distinct destroyers of will power: rationalization and blaming others.
psychology class?
- Practical: "I can't throw this food away and it won't fit in the freezer. I guess I'll have to eat it." Or, "I'm paying a lot of money for this dinner out, and oh hell, I'm gonna eat it!"
- Healthful: "Pasta is low-fat, filling and high in fiber, so I guess I'll have another bowl." " I better eat another brownie so I'll have more energy."
- Religious: "Doesn't it say somewhere in the Bible that you shouldn't hide your gifts under a bushel? God certainly put Beethoven on earth for us to enjoy his divine music. What about the man who created New York style cheesecake?
- Intellectual: Remember learning about those "self-actualized" people in psychology class in college? Those folks at the pinnacle of intellectual development because they have satisfied all their lower needs. I remember that they were at a place where they could fully enjoy the pleasures of life, and I clearly remember they had a joy for eating and food. Sounds like me.
- Your husband: "He keeps bringing home cookies, ice cream, and candy for himself. I tell him, 'Please, don't,' but he doesn't listen. I tell him to hide them, but the Chips Ahoy keep turning up behind the Brillo pads in the closet and the Hershey bars are always between the phone books. No wonder I can't lose weight,"
- The kitchen crew at work: " I know the kids here at school love macaroni and cheese but when the cook brings me my lunch she always gives me a huge pile. I would tell her to shrink it a little but I know her, and she'll be insulted. She's temperamental .
- Restaurant owners: Portions are getting bigger and bigger. The fat content is too high. Maybe people should sue them for making us all fat.
Five Minutes (Flash Fiction)
I sat behind the steering wheel and screamed.
Moments before I had heard a thump on my right fender. I looked to the side and
saw a little girl who had landed in a heap by the curb. I screamed and slammed
on the breaks. I wanted to get out of the car but was paralyzed. Suddenly, I
felt a searing pain between my index and middle fingers. The cigarette I held
slid down and burned the space between the two. I screamed again. All of a
sudden there were people all around. Children were also screaming on the
sidewalk. Adults were running around. Someone knocked on my car door. I managed
to lower the window and a woman asked, "Are you all right?"
"Yes," I mumbled. How did this happen? Why didn't I see her? Is it my
fault? Where did she come from? Soon a policeman knocked on my window. He asked
me a few questions. One was, "Were you wearing your seat belt?"
"Yes." I don't remember anything else he said. He left. The police
were measuring my skid marks. I waited. The ambulance came. I didn't want to
watch but I couldn't help it. She moved. I sighed. I felt a slight sharp pain
on my right thigh. I glanced down to see a match. Then suddenly it hit me - I
was lighting my cigarette - reaching into my purse, striking the match,
lighting the cigarette. As soon as I finished, the "thump". Oh my
God! It was my fault.... but only one person will ever know..
To Love or Not to Love
By Marjorie Cliff Picard
The cat and I were late getting to the firehouse. Cats were supposed to arrive at
8 am and dogs at 9 am. It was time for Polonius’s free rabies shot, and when we got there, the building was full of barking dogs. I went to the end of the line and set him down in his cat carrier. He hissed and meowed angrily inside his box, no doubt frightened by the din. I squatted down and tried to speak soothingly to him through the silver dollar-sized air hole. He settled down a bit.
As I struggled back up to my feet, I suddenly lost my balance, tipping over and landing, much to my embarrassment, against the legs and feet of the man behind me. I glanced upward, straight into the most soulful, expressive brown eyes I have ever seen. They belonged to a basset hound, being held in the arms of a man with a slight grin on his face, and a twinkle in his eye.
“Oh, I’m terribly sorry,” I said. “Sometimes I can be so clumsy. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Please let me help you up.” He set his dog down and assisted me to my feet. I glanced again at his eyes, sparkling blue with light creases at the outer edges. I bet he smiles and laughs a lot, I thought to myself. And, oh yes, he’s very easy to look at, too, and about my thirtyish age. He caught my glance and I shyly looked away.
“That’s quite a feisty cat you have in there,” he said. “What’s his name?”
“Polonius,” I answered.
“Wow, what a coincidence. My dog’s name is Hamlet.” He motioned to his pet who had ambled over to my cat’s carrier and began sniffing the area.
“Oh yes,” I answered, smiling, wondering what the coincidence was. Was there a Polonius in “Hamlet?” There must have been. I thought it was just a cute name for a cat. Maybe that name came into my brain from years ago when I read the play in high school. “I love Shakespeare. My favorite is “Romeo and Juliet.”
At that very moment, Hamlet let out an agonizing yowl and sprang back from the cat carrier. He continued to yelp and shake his head violently, spraying droplets of blood from the end of his nose. He had poked it into the air hole on the box, and Polonius had whacked it full force with his open claw.
“Oh my God! Look what my cat did!” I cried, horrified. “I’m so sorry!” I pulled a wad of tissue from my purse as we ran to the dog. I gave it to his master to staunch the bleeding.
“This is a deep gash,” he said calmly, examining the injury. “It’s going to need a stitch.”
“I insist on paying for this,” I said. “It’s all my fault. I guess Polonius is nastier than I thought.”
“No no no. It was my fault. I should have been watching Hamlet more closely, but instead I was watching….I mean, talking to you. Let’s sit over there in the corner while I try to stop the bleeding By the way, my name is Steve Roman. I live over on Prospect Street.”
“And my name is Julie Sanders. We’re almost neighbors. I’m on Rose Court, three blocks away.” Hamlet whimpered and tried to reach his nose with a back paw.
“No!’ his master said firmly. “I have to keep him from making the damage worse. How can I get to the vet and keep his paw away from his nose at the same time?” He continued to apply pressure to the wound. “Maybe I should try to walk it with him, once the bleeding has stopped. The vet is only about a half mile from here.”
“Would you mind if I tagged along? I’m still going to pay, and I want to be sure he’s okay. I can carry Polonius.”
“It’s really not necessary for you to come or pay, but,” he said, glancing at me with a twinkle in his eye, “maybe you could help me with Hamlet.” The dog whimpered and tried to pull away, but Steve kept a strong hold on his collar and spoke to him soothingly. Gently, he persisted until the bleeding finally stopped.
“We’ll have to walk fast so he won’t have a chance to sit down and scratch,” he said.
“Let’s get going.”
I jumped from my chair, grabbed the cat carrier, and followed man and dog who were already at the door, dog pumping his short legs as fast as possible. I struggled to keep up with Steve’s long stride. He glanced back and forth from the injured nose to the way ahead.
“I can tell you are a patient person,” I said, puffing. “Just by watching the way you handle that dog, and talk to him.”
“Id better be. I deal with little kids all day at work. I’m a teacher over in Madison. First grade. And, man, do they test your patience.” He chuckled.
As we hurried along, I shifted the weight of the cat carrier from hand to hand. It was getting heavier with each step.
“I hope you don’t mind if I wait here just to make sure he’s okay,” I said as we entered the vet’s office. “I’ll just sit here in the waiting room until you and Hamlet come out. Is that all right with you?” I set down Polonius’s cat carrier. He had become quiet.
“Sure, if you want. I really appreciate your concern. You’re very kind.”
Plus, I’m going to pay, I thought as they left for the examining room. Then I started to worry. What if this is serious? What if the stitches block his nose? What if he can’t breathe? Dogs have very sensitive noses. What if he can’t smell? Will they bandage it? I continued to worry as time passed. After what seemed like an hour, a door opened and Steve came out, followed by Hamlet who sported a huge, cone-shaped collar around his neck. Noticing my surprise, Steve said, “That’s to protect him from scratching his nose. The vet couldn’t bandage it because he has to breathe. He’ll be fine.”
“Thank goodness,” I said, relieved. “Now, I must insist on paying the bill. My cat was responsible for this.”
“No, no. I have a better idea. How about I pay, then we take Hamlet for a walk in the park on the way back to our cars so he can learn to maneuver with his new collar, and then maybe we can pick up a light lunch. Your treat. How’s that for a deal?”
“I kind of like that deal,” I replied, glancing into those crinkly blue eyes once more. I am going to try to make this a nice, long walk and a nice long lunch, I thought to myself. “Only one problem, however,” I said. “What can I do with Polonius?
Steve reached over and lifted the box. “He’s not so heavy. I’ll carry him and you can hold the leash.”
It was a glorious spring day in the park with cherry trees in full bloom. As we walked slowly, allowing for Hamlet’s uncertain steps, Steve revealed himself further as a kind, caring person who supported and tended to his ailing, elderly parents while establishing his career as a teacher.
“All this hasn’t left me with much time to relax,” he said, as we paused on our walk. “I go from my job to classes at college to my parents’ house.” He gave me a direct look. “Doesn’t leave me a lot of time to spend with people I’d like to get to know a little better.” His blue eyes twinkled again, and a slight grin appeared. “Maybe at lunch, if you wouldn’t object, we can figure a way to get together next week.”
“I can’t think of one objection,” I said, returning the grin. I glanced down and suddenly realized that Hamlet had sprawled out right next to the cat carrier, happily thumping his tail on the pavement. As I quickly reached down to grab the handle, I saw that the cat’s nose was pushed out of the air hole an inch from Hamlet. “Oh my gosh!” I exclaimed, as I got closer. “He’s purring!”
The Growing Cost of Obesity, Some Hefty Statistics
"America's obesity epidemic is a weapon of mass destruction destined to cause another financial crisis," according to Stanley Feld, MD, MACE, on his blog "Repairing the Health Care System. If the epidemic is not stopped, he writes, "an increase in the complications of chronic disease can cause another economic meltdown."
Obesity by the Numbers
Half of the U.S. population may be obese by the year 2030 with related care spending as much as $956.9 billion, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Agency or Health Care Research.
How We Got Here
Health Risks of the Overweight and Obese
Obesity and overweight are risk factors in many diseases. They have been linked to diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis and have also been linked to cancers of the colon, prostate, endometrium, bladder, kidney, and gall bladder, as well as asthma and sleep apnea.
Here are some statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
The Cost to the Individual
In 2018, it is estimated that the obese person will spend an average of $8315 on medical bills compared to $5855 for the person of average weight, a difference of $2460. This does not include the time and salary lost from work due to obesity-related illness. The obese also lose work time because they are more susceptible to non-obesity related illness, such as colds. There are also the costs of non-medical items, such as clothing in extra-large sizes, furniture, and other related adaptations. And, of course, there are the long-range complications of illnesses such as diabetes, which may result in amputations, blindness, and heart disease.
Another cost to the individual is emotional. A Gallup survey done in 2010 revealed that 23.2% of the obese have been diagnosed with depression, while the diagnosis rate for normal weight persons is 14.3%,
The Costs to the Country
"There is a tsunami of chronic preventable disease about to be unleashed into out medical-care system which is increasingly unaffordable," says Reed Tuckson of the United Health Foundation.
Why a "tsunami"?
In researching this article I could find few positive trends. All of society needs to be educated on the subject. Not just kids, but parents, school systems, and anyone with a concern for their own health, that of loved ones, and that of society.
For further reading: obesity statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.
For links to all sources, please go here.http:marjorie-picard.suite101.com/the-growing-cost-of-obesity-some-hefty-statistics-a332209
To see a video on this topic, please go to http://www.newsy.com/videos/almost-half-of-americans-could-be-obese-by-2030/
Obesity by the Numbers
Half of the U.S. population may be obese by the year 2030 with related care spending as much as $956.9 billion, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Agency or Health Care Research.
- In the past 20 years, the percentage of obese Americans has gone from 15 to 34% (adults), and 5 to 17% (children).
- By 2020, the obese (Body Mass Index of 30 or more), plus the overweight (BMI of 25 to 30) may reach 74 or 75%. These rates could be higher because people may understate their weights in telephone studies.
- Of 34 industrialized nations, we are the second fattest (Mexico is number one). Our children, however, are the fattest out of 40 nations surveyed, according to a survey by the Organization of Economic Co-operation.
How We Got Here
- Change of eating habits since the 1950's and 1960's. Americans now consume an average of 500 calories more per day than they did back then. Taking a half hour walk only burns about 60 calories.
- The explosion of fast food vendors, many with meals of well over 1000 calories.
- The mass popularity of snack foods.
- Our sedentary life styles, especially harmful to our children, whose obesity rate has tripled in 20 years.
- Other factors factors include food industry advertisements, lack of physical education in many schools, lack of access to nutritious foods in some urban areas, dependence on low quality, starchy foods for economic reasons, and others.
Health Risks of the Overweight and Obese
Obesity and overweight are risk factors in many diseases. They have been linked to diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis and have also been linked to cancers of the colon, prostate, endometrium, bladder, kidney, and gall bladder, as well as asthma and sleep apnea.
Here are some statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- The overweight person (BMI 25-30) has a 60% higher chance of developing Type 2 diabetes than a person of normal weight, 80% higher for high blood pressure, and 40% higher for arthritis.
- In the obese person (BMI 30-40), the risk is 240% higher for diabetes, 250% higher for high blood pressure and 100% higher for arthritis.
- In the morbidly obese (BMI 40 and over), the increased risk is 740% for diabetes, 640% for high blood pressure, and 440% for arthritis.
The Cost to the Individual
In 2018, it is estimated that the obese person will spend an average of $8315 on medical bills compared to $5855 for the person of average weight, a difference of $2460. This does not include the time and salary lost from work due to obesity-related illness. The obese also lose work time because they are more susceptible to non-obesity related illness, such as colds. There are also the costs of non-medical items, such as clothing in extra-large sizes, furniture, and other related adaptations. And, of course, there are the long-range complications of illnesses such as diabetes, which may result in amputations, blindness, and heart disease.
Another cost to the individual is emotional. A Gallup survey done in 2010 revealed that 23.2% of the obese have been diagnosed with depression, while the diagnosis rate for normal weight persons is 14.3%,
The Costs to the Country
"There is a tsunami of chronic preventable disease about to be unleashed into out medical-care system which is increasingly unaffordable," says Reed Tuckson of the United Health Foundation.
Why a "tsunami"?
- A massive rising number of the obese
- The increasing costs of medical care in general
- The increasing amount and costs of obesity-specific treatments, such as bariatric surgery
- A shifting of the population to an older demographic, due to baby boomers aging in great numbers, many of whom are obese
- The huge amount of obesity-related disease
In researching this article I could find few positive trends. All of society needs to be educated on the subject. Not just kids, but parents, school systems, and anyone with a concern for their own health, that of loved ones, and that of society.
For further reading: obesity statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.
For links to all sources, please go here.http:marjorie-picard.suite101.com/the-growing-cost-of-obesity-some-hefty-statistics-a332209
To see a video on this topic, please go to http://www.newsy.com/videos/almost-half-of-americans-could-be-obese-by-2030/
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