bye bye low carb craze...

the bread makers, potato farmers and pizza chains are all gasping a sigh of relief. it appears the low-carb craze is over. seems like it was thrown to the way-side pretty fast and it's pretty easy to see why - people love carbs. what will be next I wonder?

the thing is that like the south beach diet or the atkins diet or the suzanne sommers diet there are probably thousands of other diets that will help you loose weight. the key is that once you've lost the weight and gone back to your normal eating habits - POOF - the weight comes back. sometimes with a vengance.

is the secret to long-term healthy eating and weight control really a mystery? no, it's not. I know for a fact that when I'm sitting there in front of the television with a pint of Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby that it's making me a chubby hubby. I know that the fried sampler basket from Sparky's, though delicious, is horrendous for me. there probably isn't that much of a difference when I order my turkey club on "whole wheat" either.

I know what I need to do. I need to eat half-decent, but most importantly I need to exercise. I honestly believe that if I could just get my ass out of this chair now and again and go for a bike ride or strenuous walk or jog or run or even go to the gym. Over the past couple of months I've toyed with a lot of things: wanted a bicycle, got it; wanted a new digital camera, got it; wanted to splurg on first-class tickets for our cruise flight, did it; wanted to join the gym, haven't done it. I've even walked past a few times with the intention of going in. Why am I so afraid? Is it that I might waste my money again as I've done several times with gym memberships? Is it my fear of things I've not done before? Is it my fear of going alone?

I see the Kaiser Permanente ads - the one where the fat guy stands in front of a mirror and then decides he's got to do something for himself. I want to "thrive." Why can't I seem to motivate myself?