2006-10-29T13:55:00.000-08:00

Why are we fat?

It seems like we all want to lose some weight; some of us want to lose 15 pounds, some would like to drop 50 or 100. We live in the richest nation in the world, and by most accounts have the most free time of any country. So why are we all fat? (If you are perfectly happy with your weight and fitness level, good for you! You now have my permission to surf elsewhere...)

The answer is extraordinarily simple (I'm sure all of you already know, but humor me here for a few minutes): We don't exercise enough and we eat too many calories.

If you don't agree with that, then I'm afraid that reading any further will be a total waste of your time, as there will be more plenty more common sense and truth to follow. Tune into "Dancing with the Stars".

What's the Solution?

Let's backtrack a bit here. If you are trying to figure out why so many Americans (don't worry if you're from another country, in due time you'll catch up with us on the Obesity Express) are overweight (defined as a BMI of 25 or higher, with 30 and up qualifying as Obese), it helps to examine that part of the population that isn't overweight, and see what they might be doing right. Once we discover what other people are doing (or not doing) to stay slim, doesn't it make sense that we can start doing (or not doing) those things in order to reverse the process of getting fat? Makes sense to me. If it doesn't make sense to you, then you obviously didn't take my advice in the previous paragraph. Please tune into "Dancing with the Stars" (on ABC).

One group of fit people that comes to mind is Olympic athletes (for now, let's leave out the shot putters and discuss throwers). Why are they in great shape? Here again, you already know why: They work out to be the best at their event and they generally eat well, taking in enough food to satisfy thier calorie and nutrient needs but not enough to put on extra (unnecessary and performance hampering) weight.

So do you have to become an Olympic athlete to drop the flab? Nope. But you do have to exercise, and anyone that tells you that you can lose weight and keep it off without being active deserves a swift kick in the gluteus maximus, preferably with a steel-toed boot from Red Wing.

Thankfully, about one hour per day should suffice if you are looking to lose some body fat, and I would recommend a combination of cardio and weight training. A surprisingly painless way to get this vital activity in would be to start your day with a brisk 30 minute walk (and do make it brisk, not like a window shopping walk or an "I'm going to my own funeral" walk) or bike ride, then get to the gym for a 30 minute weight workout in the early evening. Really pressed for time? Walk during your lunch hour (nobody really needs 60 minutes to eat lunch, do they?) or kill two birds with one stone and walk or bike to the gym for your weight workout, or do 30 minutes of cardio after your 30 minutes of weights at the gym.

I know some of you are asking: "Can I exercise for 30 minutes 3 times a week?" Sure you can, but only if you want to stay fat and get discouraged that you can't seem to lose weight. Exercising daily makes it a habit, and we all know if you skip a few days, it becomes a few weeks, and then your shorts don't fit anymore, and then you can't go to the gym... Do it every day. It's something your body needs every day to stay healthy, just like food and sleep. I don't know anyone that skips food for a day or two, or skips sleep for a few days. Why should you cheat your body out of it's daily workout? Answer: You shouldn't.

If you are new to weight training, I highly recommend enlisting the services of a fitness-savvy friend or fitness trainer to help you start a program. Start slowly, you have the rest of your life to perfect your technique and get fit 'n trim. (Anyone remember the dog food of the same name from the 80's? Congratulations if the pooch is still kickin'...)

False Advertising

Now for the bad news: If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Don't get sucked into those ridiculous weight-loss claims that you see on late night television. Remember the one with the fabulously fit men and women at a picnic, shoveling in fried chicken, hot dogs and potato salad? Supposedly they were able to eat like this because the took a pill before the meal. "Eat all you want and never gain weight!" claims the ad. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true...

The Fast and the Furious

When most people start a weight loss or fitness program, they want results NOW. Fast results, right away. Don't make the same mistake.

The human body is designed to make changes slowly. In the same way that you can't read a novel in 15 minutes or get enough sleep in 1 hour, you simply cannot lose body fat faster than about 2 pounds per week, give or take a pound. If you are a large male, you can lose fast more quickly than a small female, but realize the faster you lose weight, the more likely it will come back, usually with a few friends. (Can anyone else out there beside me vouch for this confounding habit of the human body?)

Think about it: You didn't gain 20 pounds in 1 month, so what makes you think you can lose it that fast? Even at the modest rate of 1 pound per week, that's more than 50 pounds of fat lost in a year. And we all know how quickly a year passes by. Every time I write the date I'm amazed we're in the 2000's. I remember watching "2001: A Space Odyssey" as a kid, thinking "2001 is way, way in the future". Well, now it's in the past and we're all getting old and fat. Nothing we can do about getting old, but we don't have to get fat.

Next week I'll talk about the role of nutrition in fat loss.

Your questions, comments and suggestions are welcome.

Joe Coffee

Fitness Factory