Is HAES a good idea?

While surfing the web the other day, I found an article about Healthy at Every Size (HAES).  I had never heard of this and it peaked my interest, so I followed the link to it's web site.  The Health At Every Size movement is based on three ideas:

1. Self-Acceptance
2. Physical Activity
3. Normalized Eating

The idea is that normal diets do not work and can in fact cause more harm than good.  Studies show us that yo-yo dieters are in worse shape in the long run than those who do not diet at all.  HAES focuses instead of accepting yourself no mater what  size you are.  Put away the scale it's not important anyway.  What is important is health.  But how can we become healthy if traditional diets can not keep us healthy in the long run?  First, we need to add physical activity.  This does not mean we have to hire a personal trainer.  We should find something we enjoy doing even if it's just dancing around the house.  As for dieting, HAES argues that restrictive diets are impossible to keep up in the long run.  It encourages people to pay attention to their own bodies and eat only when they "eat in response to physiological hunger and fullness cues."  HAES seeks to dispel myths and prejudices about being overweight by sifting the focus of peoples sizes.

   In general, I applaud the HAES movement.  It recognizes that people come in all shapes and sizes and takes the attention off appearance and on to health.  I recognize some of the things I am trying to do in this movement (i.e. not dieting but maintaining a healthy lifestyle).  There is one thing that concerns me:  "We’ve lost the war on obesity. Fighting fat hasn’t made the fat go away. And being thinner, even if we knew how to successfully accomplish it, will not necessarily make us healthier or happier." (http://www.haescommunity.org/index.php)  I'm not ready to wave a white flag and just accept the way I am. I still think my size is very unhealthy and I wish to change it.  I have what I believe are reasonable goals I wish to reach.  I may not be putting an emphasis on the scale, but by restructuring my life along more healthy lines, I believe the weight will naturally improve.  What do you think about this?  Is this a more realistic way to achieve long term results?  Or is this just a way of saying we give up?

For more information:

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/mar06/health0306.htm

http://www.lindabacon.org/HAESbook/

http://www.haescommunity.org/index.php

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36922036/ns/health-womens_health/t/can-you-be-healthy-any-size/

Goal 1: Finances the Dave Ramsey way

"If you live like no one else, later you can live like no one else."

Dave Ramsey

Goal 1: Get financially fit.
   A couple of weeks ago I mentioned in the book The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey.  This book centers around a series of baby steps.  Step 1 is "Save $1000 fast".  I have finished this step, and it is an enormous relief to know that it is there.  If something were to break, I have the money at to fix most minor problems.  Step 2 is "The Debt Snowball".  I am working on this one now.  Depending on the amount of debt and income, it can take anywhere from a few months to a few years.  The idea is simple, write down all you debts in order from smallest to largest.  Make minimum payments on all debts except for the smallest one.  Scrape together all the extra money you can and use it to pay off the smallest debt.  When that is paid off, use the money you were paying on that to pay off the next smallest debt.  By the time you get to the last one you are using the same amount of money you were when you started, but paying off debt at a faster rate.  Step 3 is "Finish the Emergency Fund".  Dave says "kick Murphy out.".  You should ultimately have three to six months of expenses saved up.  That way if you loose a job you still have enough money to live on for three to six months.  Plus if your car dies, you could buy a cheap used car paid for in cash.  Step 4 is "Maximize Retirement Investing."  Step 5 is "College Funding."  Hopefully with this your kids will never know the pain of student loans.  Step 6  is "Pay off the Mortgage."  Step 7 is "Build Wealth Like Crazy."  If you finish all seven baby steps, you will have complete peace of mind when it comes to finances.
   I highly recommend this book along with Dave's book Financial Peace.  Dave also has a program available in many churches called Financial Peace University.  I have not taken this course yet, but would like to in the future.  Have any of you taken it?  If so, feel free to share your experiences.

Goal 3: Get Organized

"We're the kind of people who, if we were deciding what absolute minimum essential items we'd need to carry in our backpacks for the final, treacherous ascent to the summit of Mount Everest, would take along some aquarium filters, just in case."

Dave Barry

   Goal 3: Get Organized.  I suffer from what flylady.net calls CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome).  When my friend calls and says "Hey, I'm going to be in your area this afternoon.  How about I stop by?",  I feel the panic rise.  I look around at my apartment and see the cat hair build up because I haven't vacuumed recently, my couch cushions in disarray, and a coffee table I can barely see the surface of.  That's just for starters.  I would love to walk into my apartment and see everything clean, but when I do clean up I can not seem to keep it that way.  I often wonder what is wrong with me.  It seems so simple for other people.  I don't know how many times I have been told that all I have to do is put something away when I'm not using it.     But try as I might, I cannot seem to do this.
  Several years ago, a friend (thank you Amy) introduced me to a book called 'Sink Reflections' by Marla Cilley aka The Flylady.  I have read book and articles about getting organized before, but this one was the first one that explained how to keep it clean.  The answer is time management.  The Fly Lady has developed a series of routines to ensure that things get clean and stay clean.  I don't start doing them all at once, but start small and gradually add more.  It is going to take a lot of time and work, but ultimately I hope to form new habits.

Goal 2: Get Healthy

   Out of my three goals, this is the hardest one for me.  I have been trying to loose weight since I was a kid, but have not been able to stick to any plan long term.  This has got to change.  I am not going to try any fad diets, nor do I plan to count every calorie.  The only way to achieve long term success is to eat healthier and exercise.  I am going to try to limit my shopping to healthier foods.  If the unhealthy food is not in the house, hopefully I won't be tempted to eat it.  Exercise is the main thing I need to work on.  It is not that I don't enjoy exercise.  Once I get started I have a great time.  I just get so distracted by other things that I usually get to the end of the day and realize that I never made the time.  I do best when I am held accountable by someone else.  Here's a question I am struggling with.  I am trying to save money, but if I join a gym and attend classes that might help keep me accountable.  I am trying to decide if I should save money and workout on my own, or if I should spare $39 per month and join the gym across the street.  What do you think?
Update:  I joined the gym after all.

Goal 1: Get Financially Fit

"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."

Dave Ramsey

Goal 1: Get financially Fit.  

About a year ago, my best friend, Karen, started telling me about Dave Ramsey.  Based on her recommendation I bought his book The Total Money Makeover. Thanks to Dave, I now have an emergency fund, and am paying off my debt.  I realized that if I am diligent, I can do this even with what I am making now. First, I am cutting back on my spending. Second, I am putting any extra money I have towards paying off my debt. Third, I am putting money into savings, so if something like a car or computer breaks down, I can pay in cash. Finally, I am looking for any way possible to earn extra money. Garage sale anyone? What are you doing to get financially fit?