Looking Within v. NAAO

I'm a huge "do-not-diet" advocate. I'm also a huge believer that eating issues (overeating, undereating), food issues (you-name-it), and exercise abuse (or lack of exercise) issues, all settle much, much, much deeper than "laziness", or "she's just a control freak", or "too many vending machines followed by McDonald's". If those three examples truly explained overeating, undereating and everything-in-between, don't you think we could Move On?

When I got home tonight, I flipped on Campbell Brown's show on CNN featuring MeMe Roth, Founder and President of NAAO (National Action Against Obesity). If you watched, or if you're familiar with her antics, you know MeMe's claims of tough love for anyone who's overweight. In a nutshell, "stop eating junk, move, and for goodness sakes, have some self discipline!"

Now, if you visit the following link highlighting her philosophies ( http://www.actionagainstobesity.com/NationalActionAgainstObesity/Founder.html), you might find some decent points like the rising problem of obesity, dangerous food marketing, and eating a balanced diet. Then, she slides in that obesity is basically a self-inflicted illness. I could write a book here, but I won't.

Look, I make a living helping others to "listen to their bodies" by moving (aka exercising). I'm obviously an advocate of a well-balanced diet, consistent doses of various physical activities, and proper rest. But, from personal and professional experience, claiming that some whippersnapper self-discipline and a 4-mile daily run will guarantee you a thin, trim, fit, svelte 20s body-for-life is bologna.

Sure, we could cut back on the regular fast-food meals or the daily vending machine snacks filled with sugar. Sure, we could all step away from our computers and televisions and take the dogs on a walk. Sure, we could try to tax all the "fat" in attempts to solve all our obesity and health insurance problems. But, if it's too good to be true, you know the rest....

If you peel back the initial layers of health education (a balanced diet, listening to your body's signals, regular exercise and sleep, stress reduction), you'll find that a) some people are quite happy and healthy not being a certain size, and/or b) obesity can likely be a sign of emotional eating and sometimes categorized as a clinically diagnosed eating disorder(s).

I have a hard time with MeMe's light-switch notion that people should be more disciplined in controlling their weight and that people CHOOSE unhealthy lifestyles. Lucky for her ego, she oozes with self control and righteousness otherwise she might not be preaching.

Let me reiterate - Let's get healthy. Let's educate ourselves. But, let's also dig deeper to find out why we have food issues. Or, drinking issues, or shopping issues, or gossiping issues, or gambling issues, or relationship issues, etc. Or, how about sense-of-self or spirit issues?

Instead of diets, or drinking, or credit cards, let's get real and fill ourselves with self-care and healthy, supportive relationships. I know it's a lot to ask, but looking within toward the tender places might just be the richest thing you will ever find.



*If you feel you need some guidance in finding a therapist to help you with these issues, please feel free to contact me.