“So what finally motivated you to get serious and lose weight?”  Sandy’s questions could not await Isabelle’s return from Tahiti.

            “Oh, Sandy, I just couldn’t take it anymore! I was so unhappy with my life and my body. I was so bored with my job – you know I always wanted to be a geologist, but somehow ended up in accounting. I was ‘practical’ and took the easy route. I was afraid to follow my dreams.” Isabelle thought of her wasted years as she looked out her hotel window at the ocean, which seemed to glisten like the new life she was anticipating.

            “Isabelle, I never realized you had been so unhappy. Then what?”

            “One day I was wandering around a little bookstore and there it was – The 3:00 PM Secret book. I began reading it, and it seemed to speak to my soul. It said I had to make a decision, which I was so ready to do! That ingenious eating style of the 3:00 PM days really appealed to me. The doable ten-minute workout made sense, and the idea of giving myself permission to get the sleep I knew I needed was a relief. It totally resonated with me. Sandy, as I read more later that night I decided to get my life together, to honor the body God gave me, and to be free to do what my heart told me was my real life purpose, my destiny. That was it – I began my new journey.”

            “And you’re celebrating it in Tahiti. You’ve inspired me, Isabelle.”

In the beginning of the first book of the Mrs. Pollifax series by Dorothy Gilman, Mrs. Pollifax, a widow, is in her doctor’s office.  The doctor tells Mrs. Pollifax that she is in excellent physical health, however, he detects signs of depression.  Mrs. Pollifax, in fact, feels she has no real purpose in her life, and that she has outlived her usefulness.  The doctor asks her if there had ever been anything she longed to do but she had not had the time or freedom to pursue. On reflection, what floats into Mrs. Pollifax’s mind is the shocking notion that she has always wanted to be a spy!   Well, Mrs. Pollifax excitedly, but with trepidation, embarked upon her journey to become a spy, and the books describe her extraordinary adventures. What the doctor asked is something you need not wait to consider until you feel you have “outlived your usefulness”. You can begin today to think about and pursue whatever fascinates you and would bring meaning and adventure into your life. You can contemplate what is exciting and captivating, and take steps toward making it part of your life.

If you are not happy with your life, your dissatisfaction may be manifesting itself in the form of overeating or other self-destructive habits. Rather than surrendering to your situation, why not focus your attention instead on investigating what extraordinary new options exist for you?  Even if you are already extremely busy, it is important to stop from time to time to reflect on your life’s direction and consider what would give your life greater meaning. You could begin by asking yourself the twenty-million dollar question: “If I had twenty-million dollars in the bank and never had to work again, how would I spend my time for the rest of my life?”  This question is not as easy to answer as it may seem. Contemplating this question holds many more exciting possibilities for how you may enhance your life rather than focusing your attention on eating (unless, of course, your dream is to become a chef). To get started, you could wander though a library or bookstore and look through books on various topics that have always seemed intriguing. What really captivates you and holds your attention? What were you put here to do? What do you think is God’s purpose for your life? Test your ideas by looking through books and magazines on subjects you are drawn to and see if they hold your attention. You can also test ideas by talking to people who know you, as well as people knowledgeable in fields that interest you. As you discover what you feel passionate about, begin to reorder your life so you can be immersed in what you truly love and enjoy. Once you discover what captivates you, you can embark on a new journey, turning those interests into a life-long adventure.

Focusing mental energy on finding your purpose and making your dreams a reality will feed your soul, stimulate your brain, and keep your mind and body younger longer. At the same time, you will find yourself less passionate about eating and other potentially destructive activities. Even if you feel so overwhelmed with the day-to-day demands of your life and can’t conceive of adding one more item to your schedule, give yourself the mental time to ask the fundamental questions about your life’s purposes and passions. There is always mental time when you drive, shower, etc., to begin to reflect on what you may be replacing with food, and what might provide greater fulfillment.

Why live a life of unfulfilled dreams that you stuff down with food? Determine how you most want to spend the limited days of your life, and decide you are willing to do what it takes to make your wish a reality. Determine how you want your body to look and feel, and decide to do what it takes to make it what you want it to be. Every day time passes, and each day quickly becomes the past, lost forever.  Every day brings us closer to the end of the year, the end of the decade, and the end of life. If you want to have the body and life you desire become a reality, but continually put off making it so, you will look back after years have passed and wonder where the time went and why you have not been living the way you really wanted to live. The truth is, the only person who can stop you from being exactly what you want to be and having the life you desire is you. Don’t just wish your body was the way it was designed to be, decide to change it. An analogy that demonstrates the difference between the concept of “I wish” and “I have decided” is:  I wish I knew how to play the piano -versus- I have decided to learn to play the piano, and I am taking lessons once a week and practicing thirty minutes every day. There is a big difference between wish and decide, and then actually beginning.

If you are reading this book, you are probably not satisfied with the image you are projecting to the world and to yourself.  Can you deny that looking in the mirror and seeing a fit, healthy, and attractive person looking back at you would make you feel better? You may work diligently to achieve and accomplish certain goals, or spend hard-earned money on haircuts, clothing, and an education, and still feel hampered because you have not taken proper care of your body.  If you are currently unhappy with your body’s weight and condition, do you really want to go through the rest of this year and the rest of your life with the added physical and psychological burden of feeling unhealthy, always wishing you looked and felt better? Don’t you want to live in a body that is easy to move around, and feels strong and capable? Do you want to be able to dress yourself every day without it being a monumental effort involving trying on multiple outfits until you find something that looks reasonably flattering? Do you want to feel stronger, healthier, and more empowered? There is nothing that can stop you from achieving the size, shape, and fitness level you want.  It is entirely up to you. 

Don’t give up on living in your ideal body because of past failures in exercise and weight control. Don’t be a permanent victim of fleeting whims that move you away from your goals. The principles described in this book provide a simple and achievable formula for permanent success.  You only need to decide that you want to live your life at your desired weight and fitness level more than you want to cling to destructive habits and empty instant gratification. The 3:00 PM Secret allows you to gain and maintain a trim and fit body, and also have regular intervals of gratification so you can still enjoy life, go out to dinner, and relax with friends and family on the weekends.

An additional benefit of The 3:00 PM Secret is that it will always be available and work for you.  Even if you get away from its guidelines for a period of time because of illness, vacation, or other disruptions in your life, you can always come back and get your body under control without endless, constant deprivation.  If you follow The 3:00 PM Secret, you will have found a way to permanently control your weight and have the body that supports your aspirations.

After deciding you are willing to work toward your ideal body, you should determine exactly what your ideal body will look like.  How do you truly want your body to look and feel?  What do you think is your optimum weight range and fitness level?  Do you merely want to look good in your clothes and have the basic strength to walk up three flights of stairs without getting winded, or do you want the finely tuned body of a ballet dancer, gymnast, or martial artist? This will depend on what you need your body to do, and the degree of physical strength you need in your life and future. We need our bodies to assist us in achieving the purpose and goals of life, not to be an unnecessary hindrance.  How we look, dress, speak, and carry ourselves, as well as our perceived strength and capability, shapes how other people (who don’t know us intimately) perceive and judge us, and often limits or expands the opportunities that may open up to us. 

~~~

In case you still haven’t made a decision to live in your ideal body, and are not sure you really want to control your weight, let me put on my lab coat and see if the following information tilts your thinking:  Over two-thirds of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese.[1]  Since the 1980’s, the number of obese adults has nearly doubled. Excess weight and physical inactivity account for more than 300,000 premature deaths each year in the United States, second only to smoking-related deaths. People who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, gallbladder disease, gout, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and certain types of cancer. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is one of the leading causes of kidney failure. People with kidney failure must either endure dialysis or receive a kidney transplant to stay alive.[2]  The American Institute for Cancer Research concluded that obesity is consistently linked to post-menopausal breast cancer, colon cancer, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer, and kidney cancer.[3] As people get fatter, they become more susceptible to a host of chronic and life-threatening diseases, including diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cancer.

Why does obesity increase the risk of so many diseases? One link between increased disease and obesity is that certain cells (macrophage cells) usually associated with the immune system appear to move into fatty tissue. These macrophage cells seem to be a primary source of chemicals that spark inflammation in fat and elsewhere. There is increasing evidence that these inflammatory secretions from adipose tissue can foster disease.[4]  One of these diseases, diabetes, is a progressive and serious illness involving complications such as kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, blindness, nerve damage, circulatory problems, wound healing problems often resulting in amputations, male impotence, and other debilitating health problems. Research studies and clinical trials have demonstrated that Type II diabetes can be largely prevented with a healthy diet and lifestyle, and that excess weight is the greatest risk factor for diabetes. Maintaining a healthy body weight and avoiding weight gain during adulthood is the cornerstone of diabetes prevention. Increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviors such as prolonged television watching are also important factors in maintaining a healthy body weight and improving insulin sensitivity.[5] Still not convinced? Several studies have shown that people with Type II diabetes have twice the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as non-diabetics.[6] 

Researchers have also found that human fat cells produce a protein that is linked to both inflammation and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.  The protein, called C-reactive protein (CRP), is currently used diagnostically to predict future cardiovascular problems. The discovery that fat cells produce CRP may help explain why people who are overweight usually have higher levels of the molecule, and how body fat participates in vascular inflammation and the inflammatory processes that lead to cardiovascular disease.[7]

A link between obesity and Alzheimer’s disease was also shown in a study that revealed that women who are overweight (with a Body Mass Index of 29.3) at age 70 had an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. See Appendix 2: Body Mass Index (BMI.) This study found that for every 1.0 unit increase in BMI at age 70 years, Alzheimer’s disease risk increased by an astounding 36%.[8] Because so many of us are obese, and obesity continues to rise at an alarming rate, especially among the young, many researchers believe increases in life expectancy have ceased. (Do you know many obese people over 80 years old?) According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of children who are overweight has more than doubled since 1980.[9]  In fact, according to a recent study, the factor that most increases a child’s risk for being overweight is having obese parents.[10]  Not only are we obese, but we are teaching our children to be obese and destining them to devastating obesity-related diseases. 

New research findings linking obesity and poor lifestyle with various diseases are being published faster than I can read and summarized them.  For each reference I have cited there are countless similar research articles.  It is not necessary to find each and every study on the effects of poor lifestyle and being overweight to conclude that overwhelming evidence establishes that being fit, trim, making smart food choices, and getting adequate sleep offers huge benefits to health and longevity.

So to motivate you toward a healthier lifestyle, consider the benefits. The rewards of weight control and living healthfully include having a more vital, exciting life in a beautiful, stronger body. You can focus on making your dreams come true with the help of a strong, able body. The repercussions of obesity and an unhealthy lifestyle include a body that may hinder your ability to fulfill your dreams and an increased risk of developing debilitating diseases. While there are no guarantees of perfect health, being slim, fit, and strong can reduce disease risk and aid in the recovery from an illness. If you truly want to lose weight and live the meaningful, exciting life you’ve dreamed of, make your decision today.

[1] Science News v.165, No.9, p.139, 2/28/04

[2] http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/highblood, NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health

[3] U.S. Food and Drug administration, FDA Consumer magazine, January-February 2002

[4] Science News v.165, No.9, p.139, 2/28/04

[5] Annu Rev Public Health v.26, p.445, 2005

[6] Science  v.301, No.5629, p.40, 7/4/03

[7] J Am Coll Cardiol, 2005; v.46, p.1112, 9/20/05online; http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=30761

[8] Archives of Internal Medicine v.163, p.1524, 2003

[9] Stanford magazine July/August 2004, p54

[10] Stanford Report, July 21, 2004

Decide To Be Slim and Strong

 Live Your Dreams