By 2030, will half of us be obese?

By 2030, Trust for America’s Health predicts 13 states will have obesity rates above 60 percent, 39 states will have rates above 50 percent and every state will have rates above 44 percent.

We read this grim prediction in the September 19, 2012, issue of the Dallas Morning News, and, at first, we just felt sad and depressed and couldn’t think of what to say.

As most of you know, both of us have fought the battle against obesity, and we know how tough the battle can be. We don’t have any easy answers for losing weight. There are no easy answers for life’s complicated issues.

However, we will continue to write blog posts about food and eating, and we hope that we can offer a few suggestions to other people who are fighting this battle.

Today we have just a few comments.

First, losing weight is difficult—but it can be done.

Second, keeping the pounds off after you’ve lost them is even more difficult, but it is possible.

Third, if you want to lose weight, you need to make a conscious decision that you’re going to lose weight and you need to make a simple, healthy plan for how you are going to achieve that goal. Plus, you need to be compassionate toward yourself as you fight the battle to lose weight. Be positive and reward yourself when you lose a few pounds. Don’t berate yourself when you backslide and gain a pound or two.