Get Together!

Book clubs, social clubs, ceramics class, neighborhood get togethers……..

People like to do things together. We have a pack mentality. People need people…..(insert your own Barbara Streisand lyrics if you like).

My friends Gary Marino and Bob DeVasto came up with the idea for a support group for fat guys. They called it The Knights of the Round Table, but now refer to it as the Knights of Excel, after Generation Excel. That’s the name of Gary’s charitable foundation set up to combat obesity.

The group gets together every Wednesday night at Bob’s office in Woburn. Anywhere from five to 10 guys come to the meetings and talk about successes, failures, thoughts, ideas, etc., about our weight loss battle. The smallness of the group brings an intimacy that may not be possible with a larger group. We do a lot of laughing and joking around, but we always meet and make it a point to go over our goals at each meeting.

I’d suggest you think about doing something similar with your neighbors and friends. We are able to pick out things that work better than others when dealing with eating and living habits, behaviors, attitudes and problems. I’ve actually enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. It’s also a great way to refocus your energy on your weight loss/healthy eating program. When you get together every week, you aren’t able to go on a month long food frenzy, without having to really address it. So far, so good. Give it a shot.

Fat is not your friend. Health is.

Rock on!

Hank

Set Yourself Up to Succeed!

Finding healthy places to eat is always a challenge. Think about it. McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and assorted other fast food joints dominate the retail setting. It’s hard to believe we don’t have a nationally branded, healthy, fast food option.

Why?

Whole Foods is very successful as a grocery store alternative with natural, organic and healthy foods. Why not something in the fast food category?

My friend Tracy Hollander owns five 7-11 convenience stores in Boston, including one of the top ones in the country, on Charles Street in Boston. In fact, world famous lifestyle designer Joseph Abboud is a frequent customer of Tracy’s store.

I went to the 7-11 on Charles Street and did a little investigating and I’ve got some suggestions for eating on the run. When you go into a convenience store, it’s usually for ice cream, chips, candy, the newspaper and scratch tickets. Boy, have things changed. I couldn’t believe how much healthy food I found. I picked out all kinds of fruit, protein bars, lots of nuts, plenty of low fat cheeses, a multitude of waters and even low fat, lean protein meats.

It’s all about the planning and setting yourself up to succeed. Convenience stores can be your friend, not enemy, when you’re on the run. Just make sure to plan ahead. Boy, it can make or break your day.