How to Gain 50 lbs - 2 Easy Steps

No, I didn't make a mistake in the title; its supposed to say "gain" not "lose." There's so many articles about how to lose weight, lose bodyfat, build muscle, etc. This is my little rebellion and my not-so-subtle way of poking fun at myself, with a little bitterness thrown in for good measure.

There really are only two steps to gaining weight; one is to eat more and the second is to move less.

Ugh, I'm happy but I feel so lousy being heavy.

Told you they were easy steps. Its not rocket science. If you take in more calories than you burn, your body is gonna store it as fat cuz it doesn't know what else to do with it.

For eating more, there is a fair number of excuses to use when stuffing your face or filling your plate for the 18th time. "Its not gonna hurt me to have ice cream just this once." "My diet starts tomorrow so I can eat whatever I want today." "I walked to the mailbox so I deserve this bag of chips." The list could go on; for every type of food, for every person, there is an available excuse.

Nothing makes me happier than this little boy.

Moving less? How do we go from active young adults to quite inactive adults? Its quite simple really. The couch becomes our friend after a long, hard day at work. Its so much easier to lie on the couch and watch TV than to go for a walk, or go to the gym. Many of us have jobs that require long hours on our butts; no amount of getting up and stretching or walking to the bathroom is gonna make up for spending eight hours of our day sitting. Instead of participating in sports we are much more likely to be found on the sidelines watching our children play. Again, as with eating more, the list of excuses for not moving more is endless.

Most of my posts have been based on personal experience. This one is no exception. I've gained 50 pounds in 3 years and am extremely unhappy with the way I look and the way I feel. In part it is even more frustrating because I know what it feels like to be in good shape, to look good and feel good about my body. I know the steps to losing weight but, for some reason, I just don't seem to be able to apply them to my life. And, just like the two easy steps to gaining weight, I could rattle off a list of excuses why I'm so unsuccessful when I try to lose weight.

Hearing other people make excuses for themselves or for others has always irritated me. Its one of my pet peeves. Yet I'm willing to sit here, 50 pounds heavier, and I'm sure I could come up with a lengthy list of excuses for myself.

The cold, harsh reality is that there is no excuse in the world good enough for all this extra weight.

Have you gained a large amount of weight in a short period? What kind of excuses are you using to make yourself feel better about it?