With the percentage of overweight people increasing throughout the world, one has to think that their have to be more variables in play than just fast food. The world is hustling and with the advent of computers and the internet, the hustling is more informational and mental than physical. So, if the majority of us are trying to lose weight in some form or another, the main question we need to ask ourselves is Are we addicted to our lifestyles?

Bad Habits or Lifestyle Addition

If you are reading this right now, there is a huge chance that you are overweight. After all, studies show that 64.5% of Americans fall into the overweight category. (F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2005)

Here are a few questions you need to ask yourself:

Have you been trying to lose weight but seem to keep falling into the same rut?

Do you constantly tell yourself that you need to lose weight but just cant get around to it?

Have you thought about losing weight, but keep telling yourself that its not a big deal?

Do you ever lie to yourself and think that people should love you for you and not because of how big you are?

The funny thing is that no one saying yes to only a few of these questions. Its either all or none. If youve said yes, congratulations: youre addicted to your lifestyle!

Lifestyle addiction explained

Have you ever seen a drug addict or are you familiar with a person with an alcohol problem? Have you seen their struggles?

These people have huge problems getting away from those drugs. They need support networks and strong councelling just to make it through the day.

Now, of course, these are very strong physical dependencies. A lifestyle addiction would be classified as a psychological dependency. If would compare to needing your husband or wife when they leave you.

You know that you shouldnt care and that you should just let gobut you cantand you cant figure out why. Losing weight can, and often does, fall into this same category. Lets say that youve been on an exercise and diet plan for 3 days but you break your plan on the third day. A drug addict would call that a relapse, right? You can see where I am going with this.

The Justification of a Lifestyle Addition

Lets classify an addiction using these assumptions:

An addiction is something that you dont see as a problem, yet you get angry when someone else says it is (Doc says, Hey Bob, you need to drop 20 pounds.)

An addiction is a rut that you cant get out of (I just dont have time)

An addiction is something that harms you in the long run, but is satisfying in the short run (Oh, that chocolate cake looks so good)

An addiction is a problem that you cant change because of willpower. (I just cant seen to get motivated)

An addiction is something thats too tough to change (Twenty pounds, Ill NEVER be able to lose that much)

Face it. If you need to lose weight, but just cant take the time to get around to it, you are addicted to your lifestyle. Its an ugly way to look at it. After all, who wants to be grouped in the same group as crack addicts, alcoholics, psycho boyfriends, and the such.

No one. But the premise is still the same. The ugly truth is still here no matter whose glasses you look at the world through.

Losing weight is a serious matter and it is about time you look at it that way. The shear fact that you might be having trouble doing it just reinforces this even more. Look, its your life and your journey.

Dont lie to yourself anymore. If a doctor told you that you would die tomorrow if you didnt get in at least 30 minutes of exercise today, would you go about your day and ignore the doctor (because he/she OBVIOUSLY doesnt know what he/she is talking about) or would you immediately rearrange your day and find a way to get it done?

Think about all of the above definitions before you answer. Id like to think youd get off your butt and do something. After allin this particular caseits do or die.

Sowhat are you going to do?