Famous Baby Boomers are dropping like flies. So far in 2016 we’ve said goodbye to David Bowie, Prince, Frank Sinatra Jr., Natalie Cole, and Glenn Frey of the Eagles. And these are just the list of people in the music industry who have sung their last song.
The truth is, all Boomers are entering into the period of life where life becomes increasingly fragile. The odds of failing health and death are swinging in the wrong direction.
The increasing number of people our age, who are passing away, serve to remind us we need to take of ourselves. We can no longer push through life ignoring the importance of caring for our bodies. In the sixties Boomers partied and lived hard. The lifestyle of sex, drugs, rock and roll doesn’t do the body any favors.
If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to start taking care of yourself physically. It isn’t too late. It’s true, you might not ever run a marathon at this point. And some of the physical damage done to your body is irreversible. There is no way to go back and miraculously undo years of physical abuse to your body.
But there is something many readers can do to increase their lifespan and improve health. Here’s the one thing which will help you live longer and healthier: lose weight.
Let me confess, I’ve struggled with weight my entire life. In seventh grade I weighed 200 pounds. At one point I weighed nearly 300 pounds. I was out of control. But I discovered I was a food addict. God has helped me with my weight. I still struggle, but in the last several months I’ve been losing weight and my health is improving.
You cannot control if some disease will strike. Cancer, for example, can target any person. But, you can take charge of your weight and increase your health.
It’s time to do something about your weight. The years are catching up with all of us. I cannot carry my weight as well as I used to. And neither can you. Face the facts: you need to lose weight to improve your health so you can live longer.
Yesterday, at a speaking engagement, someone asked if I had lost weight. When I confirmed that I had, the next question was: How did you do it?
The WRONG answer to that question is to start a diet.
This morning at the coffee shop I saw the headline of the New York Times. It featured a picture of Danny Cahill, winner of The Biggest Loser Season 8. He had lost 239 pounds in 7 months. That was in 2009. Today he weighs almost 300 pounds. (The article is a fascinating read. If interested you can check it out HERE.)
If you only get one thing out of this article, get this: never go on a diet. Diets are something you go on, knowing someday you will get off. And then the yo-yo weight loss cycle gets in.
The secret to sustained weight loss is to change your eating plan to something you can do the rest of your life.
My weight loss is not based on a fad diet. I started with one rule: eat only at the three meal times and nothing at any other time. Last Fall I wrote a lot about using this weight loss method. I even started a 30 Day Eat Less Challenge. Presently, I’m not starting this up again, but if you want to read an article which tells you more about The Eat Less Plan you can do that HERE.
Challenge yourself to start losing weight. Now is the time to be proactive. The extra weight is taking a toll and you will pay a price for not dealing with it. These years of your life can be the best, but you need to lose the weight!