Lose to Win - Weight Loss that Works

For several years, Alabama and Mississippi battled for the dubious title of most obese state in America. The Centers for Disease Control has released 2009 obesity statistics and identified NINE states where average BMI (Body Mass Index) exceeds 30.

Alabama 31%
Arkansas 30.5%
Kentucky 31.5%
Louisiana 33%
Mississippi 34.4%
Missouri 30%
Oklahoma 31.4%
Tennessee 32.3%
West Virginia 31.1%

39 other states had obesity levels between 25% and 29%. Only Colorado and District of Columbia showed healthy average populations with less than 20% obesity among residents.

What does this mean for you? Obesity is a dangerous national epidemic in adults and increasingly in children.

Is geography at fault? No. In every region of America you can find fatty, cholesterol loaded, sugar dripping foods. It's not about where you live, it's about your personal commitment to health and what you feed your body.

Can you live in a "fat" state and lose weight? Ask Shelia Portman, Certified Health Coach, who lives in Alabama and maintains her successful weight loss for four years! And there are many more clients who are losing weight, reducing medical complications and reaching new levels of health. Shelia was my client before she decided to share her health knowledge with others and now she is part of my Health Coaching Team.

Becoming part of a healthier generation is a matter of choice, not geography. Our coaches can help you move forward with new programs to do more than lose weight . . . we are here to show you how to change your relationship with food so you choose health for a lifetime.

What can you do about the wave of obesity? Glad you asked, here's what you can do.
Think of friends and family that you know in those top 9 most obese states. Contact them and recommend that they contact me for a Lifestyle HealthAssessment. They will receive personal attention from me or a professional Health Coach on my team.

Do sugar substitutes help or harm your weight loss? Saying "no" to sweet tea does not mean giving up a refreshing summer drink. The options for sugar replacement have gone from chemical cocktails to natural choices that are actually good for your body.
The old standby no-cal sweeteners are Saccharin based such as the familiar pink packets of Sweet N Low. Saccharin has been demonized for causing cancer in lab rats and banned in Canada in the 1970's then thirty years later the cancer link warning was cancelled.

Next came the Asparatame based blue packets of Equal which refined the aftertaste that some people find unpleasant about saccharin.
Sucralose or Splenda (in the yellow packets) was derived from sugar but was still an artificial sweetener.
Each of the non-nutrient sweeteners has it's critics and the long term impact remains to be seen. So what's the option if you love the sweet taste but want to use natural products? Look for Stevia, a natural herb that is native to Paraguay South America, and produces a sugar taste without the chemical concerns. The FDA actually put a stamp of approval on sodas made with stevia, how's that for an endorsement?
Stevia and stevia based products are well known to health food shoppers, but if you aren't a regular in the health food markets, then you've missed this sweet treat. Now you can enjoy the benefits of no-cal natural sweetner in PurVia and Truvia, sold at grocery stores.

Research from Johns Hopkins predicts that in 8 years, 75% of Americans will be overweight and 41% of them will be obese. This study published in Epidemiological Review journal tries to make sense of the epidemic of fat that is ruining health.
In a country where food is plentiful, over-fed people are actually hungry. Their bodies are so desperate for nutrition that many people no longer know the difference between genuine hunger and cravings for empty calories. Can you remember a time when you had "a little chocolate for energy" or "enough chips to fill me up until dinner"? Your body was not hungry for lack of something to eat; it was starving for authentic foods.
Think of those predictions: one out of every four people in America will be overweight. How many people are in your family? Who is likely to be the one healthy person? Who among your family or friends will fall into the obese category, damaging their health and well-being? Are you ok with that?
Now that you are committed to lose weight and keep it off, you need to look around and see who needs to get on that positive track with you. Remember not to be preachy or demanding. Just share with them what you experience in our quick weight loss program. Invite them to celebrate with you at each milestone of success. And when you are ready to go at the end of a busy day while they fall into lounge chairs, remind them that the energy boost you enjoy is a direct result of losing weight safely.
Not only are adults getting fatter, but so are America's children. A study released in spring 2009 found that 20% of 4 year old children are obese. That's one in every five preschoolers are already on the way to damaging their health.
The health risks for children and teens are frightening. What are we doing to help change their future health outcome? Are you passing along harmful eating habits to your children or your grandchildren? If there were an epidemic of measles, wouldn't you do everything possible to protect your children? Sure you would. Now be as proactive to protect them from obesity and the many diseases that are linked to excess weight. Let's get busy turning around that deadly fat epidemic before it's too late.

Let's be honest, we have SUPERSIZED away our health. Fast foods are killing us and that "burgers and fries" habit is killing our children. 1 out of every 3 teenagers in the US has coronary heart disease. 30% of obese teens have Metabolic Syndrome. That's a horrible heritage.
Dr. Wayne Anderson, Medical Director of Take Shape for Life, calls the supersized burger with fries the "real weapons of mass destruction".
How important is saving time by eating in your car if the food is stealing time off your life? Losing weight is more about "mindful eating" than counting calories. Think about that the next time you are tempted by the flashing signs. Dashboard dining is dangerous to your health!