A New Commitment

The numbers are in and the U.S. is fatter than ever: 39.6% of all adults over 20 years old are obese based on the Body Mass Index. That’s a rise of close to 2% since 2015, the last time the statistics were released. This isn’t affecting only adults; children 2–19 are also fatter than ever with 18.5% now considered obese. If we throw in those who are overweight, more than 70% of the population is fatter than ever.

I could review the causes, from refined carbohydrates to chemicals with estrogenic properties. I could talk about all the diets that could help. I could talk about supplements that may help to give people an edge. I’ve done that all before. There’s no single diet nor exercise program nor supplement that works for everyone. We all just have to find our own way. Instead, I’m going to tell you a story and issue you a challenge.

One of my best friends for the past 30 years, Dick Heller, died last week; he’d fought off cancer several times, but it finally got him just before his 80th birthday.

Dick and I were professors together in Buffalo. He was an excellent swimming coach and a competitive swimmer throughout his life. He was also a great teacher, especially when it came to helping people change their habits; he would help people identify what they wanted to achieve in the health and fitness classes he taught, have them write it down, develop a plan, and track the progress. Their grade was not based on how they compared to others; it was based on the goals they set.

To honor Dick, Paula and I are going to use that approach as we continue to improve our diet. Getting enough vegetables is a particular problem so we’re going to add at least one serving per day, every day, until it becomes a new habit.

Here’s my challenge to you. Pick one small health habit you want to improve, write it down, and start doing it every day until it becomes a new habit. Whatever small habit, if done repeatedly, that will help you achieve your goal. It may be related to your weight because, like I said, 70% of us are overweight or obese. It may be a different health goal. If people you know have died because of a health challenge, do it to honor them.

Identify. Write it down. Plan. Execute. Evaluate. I can’t think of a better tribute to Dick than that.

What are you prepared to do today?