Whether or not she’s attractive while carrying at least a hundred excess pounds is debatable, yet many consider her to be the new beauty standard-bearer for large black women. But even Mo’ Nique, a big girl herself, who authored the book “Skinny Women Are Evil” has dropped quite a few pounds and now openly admits that her own obesity became a health concern.

I seriously hope that Sidibe  doesn’t become the new heroine for big black girls. Acceptance of her obesity  sends out a bad message and will not only contribute to poor health for her, but is also a dangerous image for other overweight people who think that being fat is okay when clearly it’s not. Although Sidibe’s sunny personality is enough to melt anyone’s heart, I pray that her loved ones get a hold of her and make her lose a lot of weight  (at least 100 pounds) because if they don’t, she’ll  have many health problems down the line - if she doesn’t already.

Recently, I came to accept the fact that I am suffering from early stages of arthritis, a condition caused in part by having too much uric acid settled in my joints, which in my case is due to a number of issues. Arthritis has always been accepted as part of the aging process, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Arthritis can be delayed and even avoided altogether by taking a number of precautions. By reducing  the amount of acid-producing foods that we consume, drinking  enough pure water, maintaining a healthy weight and getting enough exercise, we have the capacity to avoid arthritis. So does this mean I’ll continue to suffer every night when I try to climb the stairs, or do something drastic about the arthritis in my knees ? I choose the latter, and yesterday pulled out my weights and took all of the sugar (even the natural Turbinado sugar that we use) off of my grocery list permanently. I also plan to shed at least 15 pounds (and hopefully more) over the next year.

Obesity shortens our lives and is a strong contributor to such diseases as heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. And let’s face it, with the exception of people who may have thyroid conditions, obesity is our own fault and is a burden on everyone.  Here in the United States, a major contributing factor to our poor state of health and high insurance premiums is directly related to the fact that we eat far too many empty calories and get too little exercise.

With spring in the air, it’s time for a huge shift in our health habits. I hear loud and clear First Lady Michelle Obama’s quest to educate Americans about taking charge of their own health. This doesn’t mean that we all have the ability to have perfect health, just that each one of us has the ability to strive for better health by eating nutritious food and staying on the move.

On the eve of the vote on the president’s health care reform package, it’s essential for each of us to keep one thing in mind: No matter how careful we are, we have a better chance at having good health when we take charge of it. It’s extremely unfair for any one to believe that they aren’t fully responsible for what they eat. In reforming America’s health care, we each must take responsibility for our personal habits, including what we put in our mouths.

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It’s much easier for us to sit around watching TV and eating hoagies and pizza than it is to actually cook every night. And we’d much rather drive to the store than walk, even though the supermarket may just be right around the corner. 

First Lady Michelle Obama is absolutely on point when she talks about parents being so stressed out that it’s easier not to have to cook every night. But it’s really quite simple to join in her quest to fight childhood obesity, which requires some discipline and planning on our part. By making simple lifestyle changes in our daily routines, we can automatically lead healthier lives. 

Nine Daily Steps to Better Health 

1. Prayer
2. Breath
3. Water
4. Nourishment
5. Exercise
6. Positivity
7. Love
8. Work
9. Charity

Many factors contribute to the fact that as a nation, Americans just aren’t healthy. In general, we are too fat, too sedentary and too lacking in basic health regimes like drinking enough water. We also eat too much and should learn to eat less as we get older. 

We eat too much meat, especially in communities with people of color where meat – especially pork – plays a prominent role in the diet. My family’s southern roots meant their merciless lambasting of me when I decided to quit eating pork back in 1974.I think the pig is one of the filthiest animals on the planet and will never eat it again. 

In addition, animals actually aren’t  the most efficient way to get protein anyway because  meat usually includes a fair amount of  fat – not to mention hormones if they aren’t grain-fed. We eat some meat in my family, particularly lamb and chickens, that are fed on the ground, but we never eat meat every day. 

Not even twice a week. In between meat days, we eat fish, tofu and beans. The wonderful thing about the latter two is that they are also much cheaper than meat. 

Many people think that if you don’t eat meat then you won’t have a good source of protein, which is absolutely false. There are many other higher-quality sources of protein such as soy, beans or legumes. There’s nothing more nourishing on a cold winter day than a good cup of hot bean soup, which  is full of both fiber and protein. Soup is also a good place to use leftovers like vegetables. 

The other day I was looking for something to do with my leftover (homemade) salsa, sweet potatoes and collard greens, and decided to make a delicious bean soup that was simple to put together. 

Navy Bean Soup  

Ingredients 

3 cups dried navy beans, soaked for at least three hours and rinsed well 

5 cups filtered or spring water 

1 large cooked sweet potato 

3 cups fresh leftover salsa 

1  tsp salt 

1 tsp black pepper 

3  tbs Virgin olive oil 

3  cloves of fresh garlic, chopped 

1 cup baby carrots 

Leftover collard greens and the pot liquor 

1 cup Yukon potatoes, skinned and diced 

Directions 

Bring water to a rolling boil. 

Add beans, reduce heat to low-medium and cover 

Cook for 2 ½  hours, stirring occasionally 

Add both potatoes 

Heat olive oil (be careful not to burn) and saute garlic until lightly browned 

Add seasonings, salsa, greens and carrots 

Pour entire mixture into beans and stir. 

Simmer on low until all ingredients have softened and assimilated 

Allow soup to rest covered for five minutes before serving with a side of seven-grain toast or cornbread

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And as unhealthy as they are, they are a favorite in my house. And that’s why I like First Lady Michelle Obama’s 10 percent rule: If she eats what she should 90 percent of the time, she’ll allow herself to eat some junk the other 10.

Works for me, and then I don’t feel so guilty when I make chicken fingers for my family. Children universally love chicken fingers - which is reason enough for me to break from discipline and serve them as a treat. Even my youngest and pickiest child will eat my fried-chicken fingers any time. That in mind, I’ll make chicken fingers for my grandchildren when they come for dinner tonight.

It’s my eldest daughter’s birthday, and she asked me to make them for her kids. Of course I said yes. Along with the chicken fingers comes their other favorite, home fries, which are just as unhealthy. I long ago gave up on the idea that any fast food restaurant can out-fry me in chicken fingers.

No matter which fast food joint I go to, the fried-chicken fingers are never cooked just right. Either the batter is too flaky or the fingers aren’t cooked long enough or they taste too frozen. It’s also a very rare restaurant that uses fresh chicken breasts. When you eat  out, they are almost always, always frozen.

So, every once in a while, I break from our healthy routine and put my cast iron pan to work as a fryer. But I’m not a complete pushover, so I trick them into eating something healthy as well. My grands get to eat lots and lots of broccoli. For every chicken finger they get, they also have to eat two pieces of broccoli. Fortunately, their mother has taught them to love it steamed, and served with garlic, olive oil and lemon pepper.

Chicken fingers (serves

Ingredients

5 boned, skinless chicken breasts

One cup of corn oil

Two cups of Italian breadcrumbs

1  tbs garlic powder

1 tbs  onion powder

1 tbs seasoning

1 tbs oregano

1 tsp finely ground sea salt

1tsp black pepper

Directions

Wash and pat dry chicken breasts

Mix all seasonings with bread crumbs and set aside

Heat oil in large cast iron skillet

Slice each breast through the middle and then into chicken fingers.  (You decide what size.)

Coat each piece with bread crumb mixture and shake off the excess

When oil sizzles to crumbs dropped into it, it is hot enough for frying

Cook chicken fingers in batches until they are browned on each side, making sure that the meat is white inside (app 12 min)

Serve warm with coleslaw, steamed broccoli and home fries

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Slowly but surely, she is getting rid of her extra pounds, and I can personally relate to her need to lose weight and get in better shape.

The other day when I tried to give myself a pedicure I couldn’t even touch my feet and I cried. It’s not because I’m not flexible, I am. It was because of that big round mound that sits under my chest. I must admit  that I’ve turned into a ”tubby tundra” and it  ain’t pretty.

These days, from the White House to our homes, losing weight must become a priority for everyone who is obese.

First Lady Michelle Obama’s rollout of a plan to fight childhood obesity is very timely because America is fighting desperately to fix its broken health care system. Fighting fat by getting people to change their eating habits and  exercise are just two methods for doing this.

I played competitive sports all through high school and college, and I never had to worry about my weight. Thirty-some years later, without the intensity of that type of exercise, weight has become a problem for me. Not only is it unsightly and damaging to myself esteem, but it also makes simple things like giving myself a pedicure hard. Going from size 7 to size 14 took  time, so I know it will take time to get back down in size.

There are a myriad of reasons that America is fat.

But people who are in good shape will tell you they not only look and feel better, but they function at a higher level.

When Philadelphia was named America’s fattest city by Men’s Fitness magazine more than 10 years ago, then-Mayor John Street decided to do something about it. He appointed a health car, Gwen Foster, who not only helped the city lose weight, but also taught citizens how to lead healthier lives.  At that time, I was a broadcast journalist and hosted a radio talk show at WDAS in Philadelphia called Heart to Heart, which was committed to teaching people to lead healthier lives. Foster had a 10-week program for the media that I immediately joined. It was a perfect fit, and after learning the lifestyle changes that she taught, I lost 30 pounds.

Czar Foster rolled out a program called Fun, Fit and Free with initiatives that taught people how to eat wholesome, tasty foods without a lot of fat and meat, and how to exercise. She taught that simple lifestyle changes such as drinking enough water, meditating, dancing to get fit, and replacing those fatty foods with fruits and vegetables make a world of difference in how we feel.  Although thousands of Philadelphians benefited from the program, a new mayoral administration came in 2008 and saw fit to eliminate it.  And that’s unfortunate because under her tutelage, I personally witnessed morbidly obese people who lost 100 pounds and diabetics who were able to come off their insulin after spending a year studying her regime.

Fast forward to today and although Philadelphia is no longer considered the fattest city in America (we’re number 20 on Men’s Fitness’s 2009 Fattest City List), it certainly isn’t listed as one of the healthiest.

Having good health begins at home. By making simple lifestyle changes, all of us can not only set good examples for our children but we’ll become more productive in other areas of our lives as well.  In many cases we’ll lead happier and longer lives by controlling our weight and getting enough exercise.  And Mon’Nique is fast becoming the poster child for weight-loss  sucess.

Be sure to follow bloggers Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb and Mae Israel as they, like me, try to  trim their middles.  And I think it’s also time for me to get more serious about joining  their efforts as well. We’ll all keep you posted on our progress !

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Fortunately for my family, I’ve always been passionate about healthy eating because my mother made good food a priority when I was growing up.  Although looking back, I realize that we ate way too much meat (everyone did back then). Mom also made sure that we ate lots of fresh vegetables and she went to the farmers market at least twice a week.

But today, too many of us don’t bother to uphold that standard because we are too busy and rely on a convenient, fast-food way of life. In today’s world, baking  from-scratch bread is the exception rather than the rule,  along with the notion that frozen vegetables are a heck of a lot faster to prepare than fresh ones. GOD forbid that we should try and grow our own.

But this health-care crisis and the obesity epidemic didn’t just happen overnight, and the fears of long-term ramifications because of it are very real.

Putting  the  health benefits of natural eating at the top of her agenda signals that Michelle really does get it when it comes to the health crisis that America finds herself in.

And I especially appreciate the fact that much of her career was spent as a hospital CEO, so she has experienced a bird’s-eye-view of health. The nation’s fat epidemic burdens society in every aspect, and we really do have to get kids to prefer healthy eating from the ground. It’s not as impossible as it may seem if we engage our children in the conversation and get them involved with growing and preparing food.

Most children love carrots, which are easy to grow and are delicious either raw or cooked in a variety of ways. 

Personally, I love carrots any way they are served. They’re  fantastic, either dipped in salsa, Hummus or dressing or as a delectable side dish – braised and then tossed with honey butter, cinnamon and molasses.

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