Eating for the right reasons?

We all know that there are millions of diets out there.  We know that the weight loss companies are making millions trying to show us ways to get healthy and lose weight.  What I have come realize in my weight loss journey is, if all these seem to work, why is our country so over weight?  Why are we becoming the fattest country in the nation and not the healthiest?  It's crazy, for some reason I find myself doubting all those books and magazines they sell in a whole section of the bookstore.  Does anyone else find this disturbing?  I read articles daily about health and fitness as I try to become a healthy, beautiful 30 year old on the search of a better life.  Yet I find myself puzzled and worried about what is really happening.
Let me explain a little more about my weight issues and background.  I have pretty much struggled with myself and my weight since junior high.  I didn't want to be the fat kid that was teased and made fun of.  My sister and mother were both built different than me and much thinner, so I always tried to compare myself to them.  In high school I had a friend that worried about her weight as much as I did, so what did we do, we would skip breakfast and lunch and at lunch walk the track at school to burn calories.  Then we would go home and just eat dinner with our families.  This was my smallest size clothes I've had since I reached my height.  I've been 5'9 since 6-7th grade.  I maintained a decent size throughout high school, but then of course college came and I began to explode.  I had moved to TX with my then boyfriend.  I worked full time (40-60 hours a week) and did the night school thing for 7 years until I finally obtained that bachelors degree.  During that time I gained about 50lbs.  My last semester of college I was able to drop a lot of it again and get down to a good 170lbs (pretty good weight for my height and build).  Then my marriage began to fail and I became depressed and found that I turned to food to make myself feel better.  
Now a new city and new life I am 10lbs lighter than my heaviest weight ever, I find myself trying to go back to basics.  I am 30 now and I need to learn treat my body right.  Instead of trying fad diets and pills, I am attempting to do things the right way.  What is the right way...well I think that depends on the person.  Every person is different so of course I believe every one has a different way that will work for them to get healthy and happy.  For me I am still trying to perfect the eating habits that will work best for me, but energy wise, I am finding a new love in yoga and walking.  Both I find are lowering my stress levels considerably and allowing me to feel better about myself in general.  
I know that this will be a slow process, and I know that I need to appreciate who I am every day regardless of what I look like, so feel free to keep up with me as I make this journey. 
Some things I do reccomend trying if you have time and want to feel good.  

www.dahnyoga.com 
  -this is the type of yoga I have been doing, it is not just for you body, it's for your mental health also.  All types of yoga are wonderful in my opinion, but so far this one has helped me the most mentally as well as physically.


www.theiflife.com
  -want to read a little about my concerns about the weight loss industry and how it is effecting us, this guy nails it.  He points out ideas about going back to how our bodies originally needed food/fuel before we had food so conveniently.  He will make you think about your body and weight loss, as well as give you a new perspective to losing weight.


www.the3day.org
  -want something to motivate you to walk, yet do something good for others?  I am doing my second year as a 3day walker for breast cancer.  You walk 60 miles over 3 days and help raise money for the Susan G. Komen foundation.  It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and makes feel good about doing something for others as well as challenging myself.  Feel free to check out my page on the site also, search for chrimsonfyre.


We need to remember to live each day as if it is our last.  We need to love others and ourselves and look forward to a better life and health for the future....