so i sit here with chinese takeout and a bottle of soda in front of me. and i think i have a newfound appreciation for my combination of a fast metabolism and lucky genetics. without them, i think id be noticeably larger given how i eat.

the reason im writing about this is because with a new year comes the new year's resolutions. and quite possibly the most popular resolution is to lose weight. and of course, this is reflected in the media with magazine articles and talk shows on weightloss plans. i was watching oprah and her dietician? had a list of things that one could do to lose weight. first on the list is to stop drinking soda, to which i said "DUH!?"

america has a problem with obesity because we have distorted views on what a meal consists of. a burger with a side of fries and a cup of soda is NOT a meal. taco bell and wendys are NOT places to go to for dinner. and soda should NOT be the drink to accompany a meal. these choices are nothing but trash (granted, maybe tasty trash) and should be treated as rare indulgences, not regular staples. i may be eating my lo mein with my coke, but this is not my nightly dinner (i swear, its not!). i may enjoy having a donut, doritos, insertanyotherjunkfooditemhere, but i dont do it daily. because i may have a fast metabolism and blessed genes, but my body still holds fat. my three years of dorming in college have proven that the metabolism and genes can only help me to a certain extent, and holy cow, i am capable of having flab.

losing weight is not about the newest diet plan or pill. its about changing your lifestyle. if youre ridiculously overweight, that means youre doing something wrong. its time to admit it and do something about it. Dr. Atkins or Hoodia cannot help you there. you have to help yourself. and that means having a healthier lifestyle. that means not having soda everyday. and maybe packing your own lunch and snacks instead of going to mcdonalds. it saves you so much money too!