Once we’ve devoured the last of the holiday cookies in our house, my husband and I will likely eat a lot more salads in the next few weeks in an attempt to avoid winter weight gain.

It’s only natural to want a healthy start to the New Year. And one of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight.

I’m a huge believer in promoting positive body image and being happy at the weight you are. But a few weeks ago, a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) made me realize that I shouldn't tiptoe around the topic of weight loss.

The CDC reported that obesity rates in the United States continue to increase. About 38 percent of American adults were obese in 2013-2014, compared to 35 percent in 2011-2012. In Iowa, nearly 30 percent of adults are considered obese.

Achieving a healthy weight isn’t about...