Eat food. Not too much. Make sure you enjoy what your eating.

I argue even the mostly plants comments when I look at Eskimos, Swiss natives, African tribesmen etc. Not saying to not eat vegetables but, just enjoy eating food again. Eat seasonal, eat local and love eating and cooking.

Why not just stick to a simple, basic rule regarding food, like: If it doesn’t come out of the ground/sea, or eat something from the ground/sea, don’t eat it! And let that be that?

I think your post points the way to its own answer…

I think we developed this obsessive/controlling mindset toward exercise and diet for a few reasons: 1. Exercise and diet in this country are regarded as “extras” – business comes first, 2. Exercise and diet are regarded as ways to combat serious illnesses, 3. Americans have no self-control, 4. Media promotes a bizarre idea of exercise as a means to an end (washboard abs).

Time to start playing again. I think structured workouts are great for people with specific goals (athletes, people with health problems, the obsessively focused), but for most people that structure serves as an impediment to exercise. They don’t feel like they can do it at any time.

And what is “exercise” anyway? How about walking? Man, I’ve lost at least 10 pounds since living in San Fran…mostly because of the ultra-walking sessions I’ve done, going to shops, hanging out downtown, or drinking in the Bay To Breakers parade…