Housewife with a Life: Good housekeeping = Good dieting?

According to an article published by US today, in 2007, "married and single people in their late teens and early 20s gain a significant amount of weight — an average of 15 to 30 pounds — over five years. But newly married men and women in that age group gain 6 to 9 pounds more than their peers who are single and dating." The center for disease control and prevention state that "32.7 percent of U.S. adults 20 years and older are overweight, 34.3 percent are obese and 5.9 percent are extremely obese." Being overweight or obese is determined by BMI, not by the scale. I have been told "you don't need to loose weight", but according to the BMI index that is a false statement. I have struggled with weight loss since I was 13 years old, and I am not the only one. This is an especially touchy subject for women, since it seems to be harder for us to loose weight then men. It can be maddening and disheartening when you are counting calories, and your husband has a burger and fries and gains nothing, or can loose pounds with a simple 20 minute jog. This is a woman's issue whether you work, or stay at home.

As many rationals as we can come up with, I have grown weary of the excuses I keep giving myself. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired! Being overweight is an illness in so many ways, and I have started to read about the effects of the american diet on the body. Did you know that a majority of healthy problems can be cured with a nutrition makeover and exercise? The food industry in America is primarily a marketing business that has created mindless consumerism. We have bought the lie, yet we wonder why our European friends are skinner, healthier and have lower rates of cancer! It's time to think about the toxins in our diet.

This was an issue I was unwilling to truly confront for quite some time, but as a wife, I am not only responsible for what I put in my body, but for what I am feeding my family. Think about that. I am not talking about crazy starve yourself diets or even putting your kids on diets. I am talking about really being educated about what we are putting in our bodies. We have a major influence on the health of our husbands and our children, and it starts with us having a healthy mindset about food and our bodies. I was a 90's kid, name brand packaged food was everything, and to the mothers of that time it was a god send! It gave quick easy, no-hassle options for feeding your family when schedules were busy and life was simply overwhelming. Now twenty years later the food industry is being exposed for the poisons and additives that are in these "goodies". We have become addicted to sugar, crave carbohydrates, and slowed down our metabolisms. No wonder we're fat. There's that ugly word... there's that ugly truth.

Let's start a revolution on family at a time! It can start in your home today!