Americans are putting on weight - and not just during the holidays.
A new report released this week from the National Center for Health Statistics says Americans have gotten heavier in the 21st century, and waistlines have ballooned.
The report studied data on 45-thousand Americans age 20 and older and found that men's waists on average have grown an inch since 1999, and women's waists have grown two inches.
That causes a problem because it leaves the door open for diabetes, high blood pressure, joint issues, and more health concerns.
If you've watched my videos on Instagram or heard me talking about my relationship with Healthy For Life, you know that I took a big step toward living a healthy lifestyle in 2018. That's why I think I have an explanation for why weights are going up.
I think many Americans don't think about getting healthy until they are warned by a doctor. And then they do something EXTREME - something completely unnatural for them - to try to lose weight. Whatever they do is NOT sustainable.
This is why I advise coming up with a healthy lifestyle plan that feels natural to you. Let me give you specific examples from my life. I cut back to eating french fries ONCE a week (yes, I formerly had them ALL THE TIME). If I've had fries earlier in the week, I order another side (like salad) at a later dinner.
Also: one snack a day. ONE. You probably heard Bonnie give me M&M's and Van give me KitKats as Christmas presents. They know (and you know) that I love these snacks. But I have ONE a day. Formerly, I snacked whenever I wanted.
Notice that I didn't cut out anything in my diet. I just got smart about it. You can do it, too.