Hints for Health and Vigor, #3

3. Don't diet crazily.

I know we all want to lose weight. Some of us have been told by our doctors that maybe, our BMI is slightly high and indicates a slight risk of health problems, so we could work on shedding a few pounds. Let's say for clarity's sake that that person was me. I've worn a size 12 since about the seventh grade, gained the obligatory Freshman 15 in college, lost it during a particularly stressful and walking-heavy time in Tokyo, then gained a nice bulky Senior 20 upon my repatriation. Now, I'm lifting weights, doing cardio and Pilates, eating fresh, locally grown fruits and veggies, but I'm still thirty pounds over my ideal weight, and my BMI is 27. That shit is bananas.

So, I've tried Weight Watchers, counting the points and everything, I lost a few pounds but didn't have the stamina to continue doing it. The meetings are excruciatingly boring and full of older people who look at you accusingly, as if just because you're young and energetic means you should be able to lose weight in a flash. I tried the Apple Diet, which involves eating an apple before every meal--the idea is good, but after about two days of it you get absolutely sick of apples. My mother, a trained water aerobics instructor and personal trainer who has also hit a plateau in her post-menopausal efforts to lose the good ol' spare tire, is a fan of the Japanese brown-rice-hijiki-tororo-konnyaku diet.

On to the helpful hints and interesting stories!
Tips for a healthier Thanksgiving meal.
Atkins, South Beach, and Ornish diets are bad for heart health, try fasting regularly like the Mormons, says University of Maryland study.
It's better to be fit and fat, those few extra pounds won't kill you.