January 2020 Newsletter
January Video Tip Clip: How to Beat Obesity
This month’s newsletter is basically one big fat warning about obesity! Inspired by CNN’s recent story about our ever increasing weight problem in America, you’ll find my thoughts in the article below…and a few tips from Brady in the video above. Bottom line: January is well known for inspiring New Years’ Resolutions…and February is notorious for folks quitting them. Let’s commit to making 2020 the year that you break that all-too-common tradition of failure. Let’s make 2020 the year you tip the scales in your favor!
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Your Obesity Crisis
On December 19th, CNN reported on a Harvard research study that predicted half of all Americans will be obese by 2030. What’s even more staggering is that the same research predicts that 25% of us will be “severely obese,” a.k.a. more than 100 lbs overweight! The article placed blame on a number of factors including sugary drinks, highly processed foods, cost of food…and even “the stress of structural racism.” The article also went on to say “It will probably take lots of federal, state and local policy interventions and regulations to have a big impact. We can't rely on individual behavior change in an environment that is so obesity promoting.”
At the risk of spiraling down into the muck and mire of political debate, I’ll say that after 15+ years as a CPT, I’m a bit reluctant to blame America’s obesity crisis on racism…and I’m even more doubtful that big government is our best hope for salvation. After all the clients I’ve met, all the success stories I’ve been a part of…and even all the set-backs…I’ve come to believe our best bet is in taking ownership of our nutritional choices, our exercise habits, and the bodies we’ve shaped in the process. But to refer to it as “America’s obesity crisis” is probably understating the impact that this crisis (and that’s exactly what it is) will have on YOUR life.
Let’s put this in perspective. CNN isn’t saying in ten years time 50% of Americans will be overweight OR obese (that statistic is already 70%), they’re saying 50% will be OBESE. That means 141 million Americans will be overweight by more than 30 lbs…and 70.5 million Americans will be overweight by more than 100 lbs! Think about your current monthly health insurance premium. Now think about what your monthly premium was 10 years ago…when our obesity rate was “only” 35% (it’s currently 39%). And now imagine what your premium will be 10 years from now, with an additional 28.4 million obese people!
This isn’t just some theoretical “our problem.” This is a great big MY problem. And it’s a huge whopping YOUR problem too. Even if you and I are in perfect physical condition, it’s still YOUR problem and it’s still MY problem…because YOU and I will be carrying the “weight” of America’s obesity problem as we pay our insurance costs. So why wait around and be reactive? Let’s be proactive! Don’t sit around and wait for elected officials to wave their magic wand and legislate what you and I eat, how we live, what we do, and where we spend our money. Resolve to eat better and exercise more for yourself. Resolve to positively impact those within your immediate circle of influence. Resolve to educate those that need to understand, and to help those who need it! By taking ownership of our problem, we can become our own solution…and THAT’S the type of resolution we all need for 2020!
Yours in health,
Robert Kennedy
President & CEO
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Blueberry Almond Oatmeal Parfait
Ingredients
3/4 cup (65g) oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)
1 1/2 cups (350ml) water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup (190g) plain yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup (75g) blueberries
1/4 cup (40g) almonds, sliced
Directions
In a small saucepan, combine the oats, water, vanilla and cinnamon. Let simmer on low-medium heat for about 7-8 minutes, until oatmeal is cooked to your liking. Let the oatmeal cool for a few minutes before layering it into the parfait.
Mix the yogurt and honey together to sweeten.
To build the parfaits, spoon the oatmeal into the bottom of each glass, then layer on a spoonful of yogurt, then blueberries and almonds. Repeat layers until you have used all of the ingredients between the two glasses.
Nutrition Information
Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 1 parfait
Per serving: Calories: 296; Total Fat: 10g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g ; Cholesterol: 6mg; Sodium: 69mg; Total Carbohydrates: 44g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugars: 20g; Protein: 11g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 339mg; Vitamin A: 1%; Vitamin C: 7%; Calcium: 21%; Iron: 13%
This recipe courtesy of: MyFitnessPal & The Wheatless Kitchen