A celebration and a question. Why IS America so fat? This nation is about to turn an extremely young 234 years old in less than a week and even though we’ve excelled in many areas and are at the top of our game in quite a few, we are desperately failing to make the grade in the way we take care of our bodies.

I won’t bore you with all the statistics that I am sure you’ve heard many times, but here are just a few to digest:

• In the past two decades, the percentage of children who are obese has doubled. The number of obese adolescents has tripled. Source: American Academy of Pediatrics, Trust for America’s Health
  In fact, parents could soon begin to outlive their children because of the epidemic of obesity.
• According to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 70% of American women and 90% of American men will eventually get fat.  The Journal of the American Medical Association states that roughly 70% of Americans are either overweight or obese, today!
• The World Health Organization lists overweight and obesity as one of the Top 10 causes of preventable deaths worldwide.

This information will either scare you straight or numb you into doing nothing. I would rather it scare you straight. But information, numbers, statistics and “gloom and doom” reports are no good without solutions. With that in mind, I’m giving you solutions and step-by-step directions to help get you out of the fog and into action.

The Pledge

The first thing that I want you to do is to take the GetFit Fitness pledge to get on the FitTrak. Take the GetFit Fitness pledge now by clicking this link.

Next Steps

Once you take the pledge, follow these simple steps to get you going.

• Step 1: View the video “It’s All About You: Be Realistic.” This video will teach you how to make healthier choices.
• Step 2: Download “Taking Steps in the Right Direction” to show you ways to put activity into your daily life.
• Step 3: Check back tomorrow for “Take 5 to Drop 5.” I’ll outline 5 moves that torch excess fat.

Now Get Movin’!

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1. Take the GetFit Fitness Pledge

If it were easy everyone would be walking around with a lean, sexy body.

But hey, it’s not in this world we live in today. Believe me, I understand all too well that there’s temptation around every corner.

Everywhere you look there’s fast food, junk food, chocolate, candy, ice cream, pizza…

And I know it tastes good. And I know when you get stressed your body craves it even more.

That’s why you have to have a plan. You have to know what you’re going to do to avoid those temptations. You have to plan your meals in advance.

Again, if this were easy everyone would be thin and in great shape. But they’re not.

The first thing to do is come to grips with reality. To accept the fact that getting the body of your dreams is going to take effort.

The second is to understand that it’s not going to be miserable. In fact, it’s going to be a LOT of fun.

When you exercise you feel awesome. Sure, the weight comes off. But you also feel stronger. You’re more alive. You can meet the demands of your day SO much easier.

How is that miserable?

And when you start eating healthier the same thing happens. It really, really is true: you are what you eat.

Now, take a second and really think about that.

What you are putting in your mouth is what your body is using to regenerate itself with all the time.

If you’re eating crappy food…

Get the picture

But don’t worry, I’ve got a really cool and inexpensive resource for you to help you out BIG TIME with your healthy eating.

My partners over at Prograde Nutrition have created this 197 Healthy and Delicious Fat Burning Recipes ebook. It’s only $4.95 and I highly recommend it to make healthy weight loss much easier on you.

Stay Fit!

PS – Again, if you’ve been looking for easy-to-make recipes that fit into your healthy weight loss plan then look no further.

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1. Don’t Allow Temptation to Derail Your Weight Loss Journey

As hard as it is to start your weight loss journey, it can be equally as hard to stay on track and avoid temptation. Temptation hits the best of us, but how you handle it can mean the difference between success and “lets try THIS diet and see what happens this time!”

Here are some strategies you can use everyday to help you avoid and/or conquer that pesky “temptation” bug.

While at Work

Eat Breakfast: Avoiding temptation starts early in the day. Don’t skip breakfast. Eating a nutritiously filling breakfast sets you up for smooth sailing the rest of the day. You will start off satisfied and full, so you’ll be less likely to stop at any fast food places or eat unhealthy foods.

Stock Up: Keep a stash of non-perishable snacks in your desk drawer or work area. When you feel weary and your will power starts to wane, you’ll be able to grab a healthy snack instead of heading to the vending machine. Great choices are nuts, protein bars, pop corn and raisins.

At Home

Be Present: One of the easiest ways to lose track of calories and pack on extra pounds is mindless eating—when you allow yourself to munch and eat at will, with no thought to quantity or portion size. Avoiding the temptation of mindless eating means to be totally aware and present while you are eating. Sit down at a table with your plate in front of you and allow yourself to totally enjoy each and every bite.

Don’t Buy It: This is an easy one. If you don’t buy the foods that will tempt you to go off your diet, you won’t eat them. So don’t even bring them in the house. Opt for fruits, veggies and protein bars or meal replacement shakes as a healthier option for snacking. Keep your cubbards stocked with whole grain, food along with non-processed and foods that are low in fat.

Family Gatherings

Use a Smaller Plate (or a saucer): Use a smaller plate when serving yourself food portions. It’ll look like you’re eating a lot more then you really are and in turn trick your brain into telling your tummy that you are full.

Drink Water: With all the activity going on at family gatherings, its easy to get lost in eating whatever. Try walking around drinking a glass of water. It will keep your tummy full and your hands, mouth and brain occupied.

Your Home Office

Ward Off Boredom: Working at home can certainly be a challenge. Without the noise of everyday office life, you may allow yourself to get dragged into feeling bored. With boredom comes impromptu eating. Don’t allow boredom to sneak in. Set up your snack breaks and lunch time on a schedule. Soon, you’ll look forward to eating because you will actually be hungry when it comes time to eat.

Pop a Breath Mint: Instead of reaching for the chips, pop a breath mint, piece of gum or brush your teeth. You’ll be less likely to want to “mess up” the clean feeling in your mouth by eating.

On the Road

Replace Your Rituals: The biggest temptation on the road is to stop anywhere and eat anything. You can avoid this situation by rethinking the rituals you have embedded in your mind and seemingly do unconsciously. You don’t have to have a donut with your coffee. Nor do you NEED dessert after dinner or “something to munch on” while you are driving. Pack healthy choices in a cooler to take with you so you won’t be tempted to stop just anywhere and eat just anything.

Know Where to Stop: Since you know where you’re going, plan ahead and learn the restaurants and stops along the way. The internet has a wealths of information about different restaurants, food shops and snacking venues. Plan where you will stop and what you will eat beforehand. Your body will thank you for it later.

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