Dear You... Advice Columnist

Dear Chubby Lady

Dear You,

I am 53 years old and my doctor says I'm morbidly obese. I'm more than double my proper weight. I love food. I eat when I'm happy, sad, bored, busy, anxious, relaxed, etc. I just eat.

I also hate exercise. It's hard, and I get all sweaty, and it's boring. I don't have anyone to be a diet buddy, or an exercise buddy. Also, it snows here in winter, so I can't just go for a walk. I do have a treadmill, but it's no mistake that "treadmill" is a synonym for "boring"!

Help me find some "stick-to-it-ive-ness" please.

Yours Truly,
The chubby lady in the corner hoarding all the cookies.


Dear Chubby Lady,

Food is everywhere, tempting... Just reach out and you can have what you want. Our civilization supports people in getting fat and chubby. Just check the million ads related to food and you'll know what I mean, no one is concerned about quality; commercials prone cheap price and fast cooking.

The common belief is that people who are fat eat too much and don't exercise enough. If it were that simple, any doctor could just say:
"Eat less, exercise everyday, I'll see you 50 pounds from now!"
I think if we followed this, developed countries woud be crowded with tired, depressed bodies... Is that what we want?
Fat people are usually jolly and wonderful to be around, but if you are chubby and unhappy, it is time you take your (physical and mental) health into consideration.

New researches have proven that the answer is not in reducing the quantity of what we eat, but in raising the quality of food we choose.
You can eat as much as you want, if you eat the right food, you will never be obese.

A few tricks of the trade:
- Only go shopping after a meal. This way, you will not be tempted to buy junk food.
- Have three meals a day: big breakfast, normal lunch and light diner.
- White sugar is the enemy.
- Eat natural sour dough bread, cereals, biscuits.
- Use sugar-free marmelade.
- Loads of vegetable
- Eat your fruit alone and 20 minutes before anything else.

And as far as exercise and walking in the snow is concerned, well, you need to be lighter to actually enjoy all of that, so be patient.

If you change your relationship to food, you will not have to feel guilty of eating, and your spirit will definitely improve.

Good luck on your way to recovering a lighter and healthier body.
Yours truly,
Isa.