Look, the research is clear – those that are overweight have a FAR more difficult time staying away from high fat, high salt, high sugar foods.

So what should you do? Get away from them by:

1. Eliminating the cookie jar and food that is in sight. Put apples and pears out and you AND the whole family /office will eat them.

2. Don’t go to restaurants where you can’t resist the tempting foods that will NOT keep you on plan. Go to places that make sense.

3. Watch who you are with as the research proves that you will eat more with heavier friends. I’m not saying drop them, but be more mindful about what you are doing when you are with them.

4. It’s a bit like an alcoholic post-rehab. The first place he/she should go would NOT be a bar. Over time, sure, once they have the tools to resist drinking, they can be in that environment, but right off the bat, no. You should think the same way.

And all of this only matters if you really want to lose weight. If you don’t then don’t bother.

Jim

I met Bill Clinton a few years back at a fundraiser for Hillary’s run for president. I had a long chat with him about his weight and he only runs for weight loss.

Well, it shows. While he is lean in the wedding pictures, he does have the look of someone who doesn’t lift weights as his neck and face look really gaunt. Had he lifted, it would not appear that way as the muscle he would maintain would also help his face.

Bill – LIFT!

I will be on “American Morning” again tomorrow talking about brain chemistry and certain foods. Check it out. Should be on at 10:45 EST.

Very disturbing article in Tuesday’s “Wall Street Journal” about salt.

The average American consumes 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day, mainly from salt. Recommended limits are 1,500 for most people and 2,300 mgs for young, healthy adults.

FYI – You know I am deeply anti-soup. One BOWL of soup generally contains 2,500 mgs of sodium, almost 2 DAYS worth for most people.

Please look at the sodium in your diet. Get rid of the salt shaker. Read labels.

You will be amazed how much better you will look AND feel if you cut back on salt.

And when you get off of it, you will taste it IMMEDIATELY in most foods.

Jim

I am doing a great deal of research for my new book, which I am turning in on September 15th. It will be published in January 2012.

One bit of research made me laugh, which is why I have to share it with you.

It said that obese people who manage to lose weight DO need to keep watching their calories and exercising. What a brilliant statement? You mean, you can’t lose the weight, then go back to the habits that led you to gain the weight in the first place? Wow!!!

Doesn’t that sound ridiculous. OF COURSE, you have to keep doing what you were doing to lose the weight. You ALWAYS have to do that. I do. How do you think I have managed to keep my weight off.

That’s the problem with 99.9% of all diets. They lead you to believe that once you have lost some weight, you have “graduated” and no longer have to be “on plan.”

Wrong. You need to believe that you have to be on plan, for life…..

I live right downtown in Chicago. At this time of year, we are PACKED with foreign visitors.

You immediately can tell that they are foreigners and not just people from the suburbs or other cities, by their size.

They are FAR smaller than us. They are just leaner. When you walk behind a group of American teens, almost half of them are seriously overweight, and the other quarter are just overweight. I see 25% of teens at what I would call “appropriate” weight.

Then I see the foreigners, and they are almost all in the “lean” category. Maybe 15% are overweight, but many are just overweight and not obese.

It makes you stop and think “Are our genes mutating at a different rate?”

The answer is NO. We are simply eating a ton, and therefore appear far closer in weight to “A Ton.”

How sad that this is happening to young people. Can you even imagine what it will be like for them in their 40s. 50s. etc.

GMA just did a segment on the best juice. Guess what the best juice is for you and your family? NO JUICE!

It’s poison. It makes no sense. It’s bad for their weight, health, energy levels, inflammation, you name it. Boycott it at all costs!

There is actually a funny commercial with a little girl watching her mother steal bites from her mac and cheese.

It’s funny and so TRUE.

Do NOT touch your kids food. I mean it, no bites of fries, finishing nuggets, popping in the crust from the pizza…..

All those bites add up, and you do it out of routine, not out of hunger.

If you have kids, totally stop the picking and finishing off the food when clearing plates. It’s not helping world hunger and is only making you fat!

Interesting article in today’s New York Times regarding the fact that much of the anti-smoking money is not going toward obesity.

1 of 5 Americans smoke, but 1 of 3 is obese 2 of 3 are overweight. Therefore, simply by the numbers, obesity wins out.

What a shame that we have to spend $s when personal responsibility is all that is required. You can’t be THAT naive that pizza and chips are good for you and fruits and vegetables are not. It’s not brain surgery. It’s just common sense.

And at the VERY least, if you are going to eat pizza and chips, which, to be clear, is not my recommendation, then at least eat less of them.

Jim

Good Morning America just did a segment on how you can get food poisoning from stadium food.

FYI – You can also get really, really fat.

I know, I know, part of going to a ball game is eating the crap, but please, at least minimize the crap and do the same for your kids.

If you are eating junk for lunch, then dinner should be lean protein and veggies and fruit for everyone to balance things out.

See, that’s the problem. Most parents will do stadium crap for lunch, then fast food for dinner, since they didn’t take the time to plan in advance and have to do something quick.

You end up decimating your child’s health with this repeated behavior.

And notice i said “repeated.” Every once and a while, it’s fine, so don’t think I am that rigid. I’m not.

Jim