How good would a large Triple Whopper value meal sound at the moment? Not to your liking? Well how about a large bowl of steamed broccoli with a dash of pepper?

It seems that there are two kinds of people out there: one that can eat whatever they want, and the rest of us that feel we must decide to restrict our dietary intake. It is this kind of thinking that has allowed the country to slip into its current problem concerning health and weight.

Before I go any further, I am going to say that I am neither a nutritionist or studying nutrition. So if this seems like just some other article about what you should and should not eat, stop reading. Go ahead, I won’t mind.

Face it, America, we are fat. As of 2004, over 30 percent of the adult population was considered obese, and this number is rising. There are now claims that this generation of children could be the first to have a lower life expectancy than their parents in more than a century. Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death, but obesity is not far behind.

Fortunately, the key to all this is that obesity can be prevented. For those who already face the problems of being overweight or obese, it can be corrected. The way to solve these problems is a simple formula that entails three things: diet, exercise and dedication.

Exercise is the easiest for any person to pick up. Start by simply walking to those places that are in a walkable distance, class for instance. Maybe add a brisk walk after dinner, or maybe even go to that gym we all pay so much money for and take a swim. Activity is the best way to get healthy, it does not work the other way.

Turning to the second part of the equation, diet is a much stickier subject. The sad reality is that many people are misinformed and resort to fad diets. These can be dangerous, leading to additional health problems because of malnourishment and weight fluctuations.

The proper way to lose weight, if necessary, is to follow the plan set forth by the USDA, which can be found at www.mypyramid.gov. What is important is to not diet to lose weight. You may ask what is the point to a diet if you do not lose any weight? The goal is to achieve a state of health and well-being that can only be realized by a proper diet and adequate exercise.

Next week, January 21-27, is the 14th Annual Healthy Weight Week. This is a celebration of living a healthy lifestyle at any weight, teaching people to be comfortable with their body type and “natural weight.” Not only does this event highlight proper habits, it also denounces those habits that are harmful, such as the fad products that are so readily available.

The final part of the equation to a healthy life is dedication. Above my wall is the following quote by Elbert Hubbard, “There is no failure except in no longer trying.” I probably read this quote at least a dozen times per day and it never loses its meaning. If you want to be healthy, live a healthy life, and you will be healthy, regardless of your weight.

Each and everyone of us knows if we are healthy or not. All there is left to do is ensure that you are living that healthy life. It is not a diet or a punishment, think of it as the most affordable health insurance, self-care.

Matt Martin is a junior in political science. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].