Day 2

Obesity in the United States is epidemic. We don’t need statistics to tell us what we see every day at the mall, in the airport or in our schools. Just as our celebrities are getting thinner and thinner, we are getting fatter and fatter.
In my medical practice I am no longer surprised when my patient is a woman who is five foot two and weighs 245 pounds. Of course, the flood of obese patients in my office has to do with the fact that I am a nephrologist, which is a specialist in kidney diseases. The most common causes of kidney disease in modern America are diabetes and hypertension and both of these diseases are related to obesity. Being fat puts you at risk not only for diabetes and hypertension, but also degenerative joint disease or arthritis, heart disease and even cancer.
Besides these health risks, it is my observation that many obese people dislike their appearance and are unhappy with their bodies.
I believe that there are four main benefits from achieving and maintaining your ideal weight.
1. Physical Fitness : an enhanced ability to perform physical activities and fully participate in life.
2. Health : feeling better and living longer.
3. Appearance : In modern America we equate attractiveness with being thin (Just take a look at an issue of People magazine).
4. Happiness : People who are fit, healthy and attractive are generally happier than those who are not.

I am writing 365/weightloss to help people achieve and maintain their ideal weight. I chose the format of a daily blog because I think it is sometimes difficult to put an entire diet/exercise book into daily practice. The information sounds good as you read it, but by the time you’re done, unless you take notes, you don’t really know where to start. The idea behind 365/weightloss is to focus on one concept each day. On each day’s blog there is a single guideline, action plan or idea, followed by a paragraph or two of explanation.
Start with Day 1 and read a new page each day with your morning coffee. Try to put the day’s concept into action on that day. Taken alone, each page may seem simplistic or inconsequential, but they add up over the course of a year, forming a comprehensive plan for achieving ideal weight.
Good Luck! Prepare to get lean!