by Reena Daruwalla, guest writer for Nancy Hayssen.com

Did you know that according to the USA.gov site, the top New Year resolution is to Lose Weight? This is yet another bit of evidence of the preoccupation that most Americans have with losing weight. If you look at the list, you will see that the longer term and more important and desirable goals of getting fit and eating right and even getting a better education are much lower down on the list!

Quitting smoking or drinking less alcohol and reducing stress at work as well as reducing overall stress is even lower down the list. It would seem that people want to be thin rather more than they want to be cancer free! Now that is just a crazy set of priorities! And just by the way, ‘volunteer to help others’ is a lowly second last item on the list.

Now what is important to understand here is that losing weight is a meaningless goal in itself, unless it is accompanied by life style changes that actually propel you to lead a healthier life style and a fitter body. What is not desirable, in fact may actually be counterproductive is if you seek some quick fix solution to achieve a certain weight or size or measurement.

Surgery, fad diets, all of these are band aid solutions at best and not permanent. Because let’s face it; very few of us were designed to be the tall, willowy (sometimes scrawny) individuals that the media tells us are the ideal of good looks and beauty. It is important to understand that a perceived ‘overweight’ person who exercises regularly and eats healthy is a fitter person than a person who weighs less but leads a sedentary lifestyle and eats junk and smokes.

So if you do make a New Year resolution related to your body or weight let it be the sensible and long term goal of getting fit, getting healthy, eating right, leading an active and stress free life. Remamber you can be SEXY AT ANY SIZE! So all the very best to all of us, and Happy New Year and have a great 2009!