More die in the United States of too much food than of too little.
~John Kenneth Galbraith

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there has been a “dramatic increase” in obesity in the United States in the past 20 years. As of 2006, 34% of American adults age 20 or older (over 72 million people) are obese.

Being overweight can contribute to or aggravate a number of chronic diseases and conditions including Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, some cancers and many other conditions. It’s no wonder that in the United States obesity is the second-leading cause of preventable death after smoking.

The CDC says 66% of American adults are overweight. In other words, only one-third of adults are at a healthy weight.

Which side are you on? Are you part of the overweight 66%? Which side do you want to be on? Are you eating too much?

Action plan: Make an effort to eat less. One way to do that is to stop eating your meals before you get too full. That feeling of “too full” means you overate which is definitely what you want to avoid.

Start with proper meal portions. At home, think restaurant-sized portions then divide them in half. For instance, the recommended meat serving of 3 or 4 ounces is about the size of a deck of cards.

At restaurants, immediately divide your meal in half and ask for a doggy bag. Restaurant food is often fattier than you might guess–that’s why it usually tastes so good! So if you force yourself to eat the whole restaurant meal you end up paying for it twice—once at the restaurant and later on the scale. Split it into two or more meals and stretch your food budget.

The one way to get thin is to re-establish a purpose in life. ~Cyril Connolly

What is your life’s purpose? Some people might refer to this as your personal Mission Statement.

Have you thought about it? Have you stated it definitively? Is it just “to make it to tomorrow”? Or is it something bigger?

My life’s purpose and personal mission statement is: “To help as many people get healthy and wealthy as I can.” By working toward my life’s purpose I’ll be improving my health and wealth as well as creating a lasting legacy for my family and community.

When you establish your life’s purpose you are consciously and subconsciously directing yourself toward a desired future. If your desired future includes a healthier, thinner you you’re more likely to achieve it now that your life’s purpose is established.

Action plan: If you don’t have a life purpose or personal mission statement, take some time to create one.

Here’s a good description of how to write your personal mission statement.

Don’t just think about it. Write it down! Otherwise it isn’t “real” in your mind. Put it someplace you’ll see regularly like on your computer monitor. Think about the person you’ll become—mentally, physically and spiritually—as you accomplish things in line with your life purpose.