Not far from the tree...

For a good portion of my life, someone near and dear to me has been suffering from a terrible, debilitating disease that most people do not understand.  It's called "obesity" - and its causes are many and can happen to anyone at anytime.  Watching this person suffer as their health deteriorates causing far more serious medical issues breaks my heart in a thousand pieces.  It is one of the things I would give up anything and everything to make better for this person.  But that's not how this disease works.  This person has to make the changes and that is the hardest thing to do.


I am very closely related to this individual and have come to see that I, too, suffer from this disease - though I am not at the same level.  I have given half-assed attempts during my lifetime to lose weight and diet - but never to any real success.  I know that the changes need to come from within and that they need to be permanent changes.  And damn, is this hard!


It comes down to the determination to make myself better or not.  And I'd like to believe that I am strong enough to make those changes.  


So I have begun a new diet and there are some rules that must be obeyed.  Diet - it means what and how you eat.  It is not a fad.  It is not a temporary event.  It is not a time period to do dangerous things to your body (i.e. starving yourself).  It is truly a way of life.  I need to need more well rounded meals,  More vegetables mean more fiber and vitamins from a natural source.  More fish gives me healthy fats and oils that makes my appearance healthier (hair, skin).  It also helps with mental health - something that many people overlook.  I need to drink more water before I eat, while I eat and after I eat.  This will reduce the times that I eat when my body is really just dehydrated.


Sleep!  I have always (even as a child) loved to sleep.  And I still do, I just don't get enough of it.  But sleep is imperative to your well being.  It is directly linked to your metabolism and your ability to gain/lose weight.  Instead of staying up late to watch that TV show, I need to be ensuring that I am getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night.


Exercise.  I get winded walking from my car to my desk at work - that's out of shape.  I just don't seem to enjoy the act of exercising even if I feel better at the end of it.  This is the category I struggle with the most.  I'm going to try a couple of tricks - we'll see how that works out.


I need to be healthier and I will be happier.  If I can do this, perhaps it will inspire the people in my life who struggle with their health and make them think twice about the choices they make.  But whether or not they do anything for themselves I need to learn, no...TO KNOW that there is only person who make me better - and that's me.