Somewhere between the obsessively maniacal attention of the anorexic and the laissez-faire attitude of the ?plump and proud crowd? is a reasonable attitude concerning your weight.

Let us first nail down a few basic facts. First, every year past the age of 30 - 35 your metabolism decreases by about 1% per year. What this means is that you require less calories each year to maintain your weight. So, as you grow older you need to eat less or burn more calories through exercise. Secondly, an infinitesimal percentage of people are overweight due to physical conditions such as hypothyroidism. Thirdly, approximately 30% to 40% of the adult population in the United States is overweight defined as 20% above your range for height and body build. Fourthly, losing weight is more difficult than getting off drugs or stopping smoking. Approximately 6% of individuals who enter a weight loss program are able to maintain their weight over a five year period. Finally, weight is both a contributor to and a consequence of depression.

The dieting industry is a multi-billion dollar entity with claims that are largely unfounded. The challenge to a healthy weight loss regimen is maintenance rather than weight reduction. That is, people lose weight with a significant amount of success, yet do not keep the weight off.

The problem with ?dieting? or plastic surgery is that it doesn’t instill a long-term plan for weight loss. Unless we change our unhealthy eating habits, we are inevitably doomed to weight gain. Also, deprivation in the form of giving up our favorite foods or drastically reducing our intake leaves us prone to depression or eating binges.