5 Reasons Why Two-Thirds of Americans Are Fat

Dear Fitness Coach,

I was at a family reunion dinner last month and I noticed something that hadn’t occurred to me before: My entire extended family - there were 35 of us - were all overweight, myself included. But that did not stop us from ordering every fattening thing on the menu, including cocktails and dessert. It’s depressing to think that in 20 years our children’s generation will be coming to these annual reunions with the same health issues. Is there any way to stop this cycle, or do we just give in to our DNA?

The Fatty Family

Dear Family,

When it comes to genetics I always like to remind my clients that, yes, genetics will load the gun, but your environment is what pulls the trigger. When it comes to our health and fitness, this country’s lifestyle is toxic. America is the home of the brave and the land of the fat. According to Barbara Rolls, PhD and author of "The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet”, we are continually being offered calorie-dense food in massive portions, and we do not have to work hard or spend much money to do it. In fact, if you wanted to fatten someone up, you couldn’t design a much better environment than the one we live in.  Almost 70% of Americans have surrendered to the temptation: 33% are overweight and 36% are obese.

But it’s not all doom and gloom: You can beat the odds and loose the weight, keep it off and, most importantly, set a healthy example for your family’s future generations by being aware of and overcoming these obstacles:

1.       We are sugar addicts. Sugar is poison: It highjacks our brains and creates cravings that cause us to overeat. Look for ways to cut out added, processed sugar that lurks on our supermarket shelves.

2.       We skimp on sleep. We are overscheduled and overworked, and we are sacrificing sleep because of it. Lack of sleep leads to an increase in our hunger hormone and a decrease in our satiety hormone. With this going on inside your body, it’s almost impossible not to indulge in high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. Aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep every day, without exception.

3.       Our social network is fat.  If you have overweight friends or an overweight spouse, you are much more likely to be overweight yourself.  Fight it by turning socializing over food to socializing over physical activity - whether it’s a walk around the mall or a friendly game of dodge ball.

4.       We can’t resist a bargain: Get it supersized for a few cents more! Buy economy-size chips/cookies/soda and save! This just creates the illusion that more is better, but it’s not when it comes to food. Resist the temptation to go big.

5.       That Health Halo really has horns. Salads aren’t always the lowest-calorie choice, and fat-free doesn’t mean calorie-free. And by the way, that Zumba class you took this morning will not negate a cheeseburger and onion rings for lunch. Start calorie-counting to know for sure how many calories you need to lose weight.