Overweight and obesity have tremendous consequences on our nation's health and economy. Both are associated to numerous chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers. Even more alarming is the childhood obesity epidemic that is climbing in numbers every year. James Baldwin was quoted at the 2003 California Child Obesity Conference. Mr. Baldwin stated, “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” Child obesity is not a problem with the children. It is a problem with the adults in society. However, the complexity of the declining health and increasing obesity situation that our country is facing today cannot easily be broken down into one easy solution. It is very certain the need for change is crucial and extremely time sensitive. More importantly the need for strong, creative, and passionate leaders to revolutionize the current preventative health systems that are in place are essential to the success of redesigning a society that encourages healthy behaviors.
I am one of those leaders and here’s my beef:
If you are alive today it is not news to you that we have a HUGE problem in our country today. 50 years ago it was very uncommon to see any overweight or obese people in society, let alone obese children, people would stare, point and laugh. Funny how the tables have turned in that short amount of time, now it’s uncommon to see healthy people. If a healthy person is seen in public; heads turn, whispers spread about how they must only eat raw vegetables and live in the gym or be on some crazy low calorie diet between all the ‘normal’ people around. The truth is; with over half of Americans overweight or obese it’s now a social norm to be that way and a taboo to be healthy. As a preventative wellness advocate and a social outcast heath nut there are a few rants that I need to get off my chest about this “Obesity epidemic” if you are offended its because you know it’s the truth.
1. Obesity should not be considered a disease! People decide to be obese. Everyday, every decision, every minute matters and has major affects to your health. Small choices that are made every day determine if a person is going to be healthy. The reason that obesity comes along with so many other real diseases is because our bodies were not made to carry around 100s of extra pounds of fat. God made our bodies to be amazing and the majority of us are turning them into disease packed landfills! Your body is your temple you only get one treat it with some respect.
2. Overweight people should not work at places that facilitate healthy living programs unless they are willing to make the healthy lifestyle changes themselves. NOTHING gets under my skin more than extremely overweight orpeople leading more overweight people on a health quest. First of all why would you follow someone that doesn’t know how to get healthy for themselves and secondly how is that person going to help you? They need help!
3. Health insurance should not have to pay out claims to preventable conditions like obesity. Think about it; your auto insurance policy would not pay out your loss if you deliberately crashed your car, why should health insurance be different? If you deliberately plan to ruin your body by the choices you make why does the rest of the population have to pay for it with increased health insurance rates?
4. Childhood obesity!!! AHHHHH this is by far the worst! We do not have a childhood obesity problem; we have an adult obesity problem. As adults we are completely responsible for all the unhealthy children that we are cursing with our bad habits. I can understand if you as an adult want to make unhealthy decisions but how can you look at your children and know that you are responsible for killing them slowly by making the same unhealthy decisions for them. Probably a better decision is to give them cigarettes, beer and the keys to your car, their chances of living healthy are much higher. I am dumbfounded when people say, “I only keep it in the house for the kids” (referring to junk food, soda and other unhealthy crap). So you don’t think its okay for you to eat it but you are willing to feed it to your kids? What?? How about adults deciding that PE is not important in school or that cafeteria lunches are less nutritious than what we feed inmates at the local jails. What is wrong with our country?
5. Excuses! Seriously, if I hear one more ‘overactive thyroid’ excuse or ‘I have big bones’ excuse I’m going to pop a blood vessel! For F**k sake people what are we going to come up with next? Take some responsibility for your actions!
Are you angry? Offended? Upset? GREAT! AWESOME! FANTASTIC! You should be! That was my intent. I am passionately discussed with the health of our country and need a tribe of equally as angry people help make a change. Me ranting and raving all by myself does not get much done. There is no question that drastic changes need to be made within our society before its too late and we’re all dead. There is no question that it is going to take time and that we are going to need more than just a few ‘health nuts’ to make the necessary changes. It is also clear that what we have been doing in the past is NOT working and that it needs to stop immediately. I do also understand that our society does not embrace healthy living, which makes it extremely difficult to live a healthy lifestyle. Notice I said ‘difficult’ not impossible. For every one positive action we are bombarded with ten negative reinforcements that support unhealthy living. For example, you go a to a boot camp class (P) on your way there you buy a Gatorade to drink during class(N), drive 1 mile to get to class (N) , drink muscle milk to refuel afterward because you read in a fitness magazine muscle milk was the way to go now (N), pick up Burger King for the kids and husband on the way home (N), eat your prepackaged garbage diet food instead(N), watch TV for 3 hours, don’t want to miss the biggest loser (N), start getting hungry half way through the episode but don’t eat because Oprah says to close down the kitchen at 7pm (N), go to bed starving because there was no nutritional value to your dinner (N), wake up half way through the night with hunger pangs and drink a warm glass of milk to go back to sleep (N) and finally wake up in the morning to refuel on only carbs (fruit and cereal, high fiber of course) and coffee to start the whole cycle over again (N). Most people are fooled to think they are doing the right things. Its not! Look at the statistics they are getting worse. We need to get fired up, mad and start demanding change! The great thing about America is that we always seem to get what we want. Pretty sure that is what got us in this mess in the first place.
Here's a Start:
• Take responsibly. Stop making those excuses and realize that you are in control. The world is not a turmoil place where random things happen to people. We make decisions everyday that affect every single outcome in our life. Once you start to take responsibility for everything in your life and realize you are where you are because of the decisions that you made, you are then able to move forward. Isn’t cool to know that you are in complete control? Isn’t cool to know that you have the power to change? That is really the only solution! To change we need to take responsibility for our current situation. Best advice I have ever heard in my life:
Excerpt From The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success
by Andy Andrews
From this moment forward, I will accept responsibility for my past. I understand that the beginning of wisdom is to accept the responsibility for my own problems and that by accepting responsibility for my past, I free myself to move into a bigger, brighter future of my own choosing.
Never again will I blame anyone else for my present situation. Neither my genetics or the circumstantial ebb and flow of everyday life will affect my future in a negative way. If I allow myself to blame these uncontrollable forces for my lack of success, I will be forever caught in a web of the past. I will look forward. I will not let my history control my destiny.
The buck stops here. I accept responsibility for my past. I am responsible for my success. I am where I am today - mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially - because of decisions I have made. My decisions have always been governed by my thinking. Therefore, I am where I am because of how I think. Today I will begin the process of changing where I am by changing the way I think.
My thoughts will be constructive, never destructive. My mind will live in the solutions of the future. It will not dwell in the problems of the past. I will seek the association of those who are working and striving to bring about positive changes in the world. I will never seek comfort by associating with those who have decided to be comfortable.
When faced with the opportunity to make a decision, I will make one. I understand that God did not put in me the ability to always make right decisions. He did, however, put in me the ability to make a decision and then make it right. The rise and fall of my emotional tide will not deter me from my course. When I make a decision, I will stand behind it. My energy will go into making the decision. I will waste none on second thoughts. My life will not be an apology. It will be a statement.
The buck stops here. I control my thoughts. I control my emotions. In the future when I am tempted to ask the question "Why me?" I will immediately counter with the answer: "Why not me?" Challenges are gifts, opportunities to learn. Problems are the common thread running through the lives of great men and women. In times of adversity, I will not have a problem to deal with; I will have a choice to make. My thoughts will be clear. I will make the right choice. Adversity is preparation for greatness. I will accept this preparation. I will be prepared for something great! I accept responsibility for my past. I control my thoughts. I control my emotions. I am responsible for my success. ...The buck stops here.
The rest of the book is amazing too!
Peas & Love,
Shanna ’10
I am one of those leaders and here’s my beef:
If you are alive today it is not news to you that we have a HUGE problem in our country today. 50 years ago it was very uncommon to see any overweight or obese people in society, let alone obese children, people would stare, point and laugh. Funny how the tables have turned in that short amount of time, now it’s uncommon to see healthy people. If a healthy person is seen in public; heads turn, whispers spread about how they must only eat raw vegetables and live in the gym or be on some crazy low calorie diet between all the ‘normal’ people around. The truth is; with over half of Americans overweight or obese it’s now a social norm to be that way and a taboo to be healthy. As a preventative wellness advocate and a social outcast heath nut there are a few rants that I need to get off my chest about this “Obesity epidemic” if you are offended its because you know it’s the truth.
1. Obesity should not be considered a disease! People decide to be obese. Everyday, every decision, every minute matters and has major affects to your health. Small choices that are made every day determine if a person is going to be healthy. The reason that obesity comes along with so many other real diseases is because our bodies were not made to carry around 100s of extra pounds of fat. God made our bodies to be amazing and the majority of us are turning them into disease packed landfills! Your body is your temple you only get one treat it with some respect.
2. Overweight people should not work at places that facilitate healthy living programs unless they are willing to make the healthy lifestyle changes themselves. NOTHING gets under my skin more than extremely overweight orpeople leading more overweight people on a health quest. First of all why would you follow someone that doesn’t know how to get healthy for themselves and secondly how is that person going to help you? They need help!
3. Health insurance should not have to pay out claims to preventable conditions like obesity. Think about it; your auto insurance policy would not pay out your loss if you deliberately crashed your car, why should health insurance be different? If you deliberately plan to ruin your body by the choices you make why does the rest of the population have to pay for it with increased health insurance rates?
4. Childhood obesity!!! AHHHHH this is by far the worst! We do not have a childhood obesity problem; we have an adult obesity problem. As adults we are completely responsible for all the unhealthy children that we are cursing with our bad habits. I can understand if you as an adult want to make unhealthy decisions but how can you look at your children and know that you are responsible for killing them slowly by making the same unhealthy decisions for them. Probably a better decision is to give them cigarettes, beer and the keys to your car, their chances of living healthy are much higher. I am dumbfounded when people say, “I only keep it in the house for the kids” (referring to junk food, soda and other unhealthy crap). So you don’t think its okay for you to eat it but you are willing to feed it to your kids? What?? How about adults deciding that PE is not important in school or that cafeteria lunches are less nutritious than what we feed inmates at the local jails. What is wrong with our country?
5. Excuses! Seriously, if I hear one more ‘overactive thyroid’ excuse or ‘I have big bones’ excuse I’m going to pop a blood vessel! For F**k sake people what are we going to come up with next? Take some responsibility for your actions!
Are you angry? Offended? Upset? GREAT! AWESOME! FANTASTIC! You should be! That was my intent. I am passionately discussed with the health of our country and need a tribe of equally as angry people help make a change. Me ranting and raving all by myself does not get much done. There is no question that drastic changes need to be made within our society before its too late and we’re all dead. There is no question that it is going to take time and that we are going to need more than just a few ‘health nuts’ to make the necessary changes. It is also clear that what we have been doing in the past is NOT working and that it needs to stop immediately. I do also understand that our society does not embrace healthy living, which makes it extremely difficult to live a healthy lifestyle. Notice I said ‘difficult’ not impossible. For every one positive action we are bombarded with ten negative reinforcements that support unhealthy living. For example, you go a to a boot camp class (P) on your way there you buy a Gatorade to drink during class(N), drive 1 mile to get to class (N) , drink muscle milk to refuel afterward because you read in a fitness magazine muscle milk was the way to go now (N), pick up Burger King for the kids and husband on the way home (N), eat your prepackaged garbage diet food instead(N), watch TV for 3 hours, don’t want to miss the biggest loser (N), start getting hungry half way through the episode but don’t eat because Oprah says to close down the kitchen at 7pm (N), go to bed starving because there was no nutritional value to your dinner (N), wake up half way through the night with hunger pangs and drink a warm glass of milk to go back to sleep (N) and finally wake up in the morning to refuel on only carbs (fruit and cereal, high fiber of course) and coffee to start the whole cycle over again (N). Most people are fooled to think they are doing the right things. Its not! Look at the statistics they are getting worse. We need to get fired up, mad and start demanding change! The great thing about America is that we always seem to get what we want. Pretty sure that is what got us in this mess in the first place.
Here's a Start:
• Take responsibly. Stop making those excuses and realize that you are in control. The world is not a turmoil place where random things happen to people. We make decisions everyday that affect every single outcome in our life. Once you start to take responsibility for everything in your life and realize you are where you are because of the decisions that you made, you are then able to move forward. Isn’t cool to know that you are in complete control? Isn’t cool to know that you have the power to change? That is really the only solution! To change we need to take responsibility for our current situation. Best advice I have ever heard in my life:
Excerpt From The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success
by Andy Andrews
From this moment forward, I will accept responsibility for my past. I understand that the beginning of wisdom is to accept the responsibility for my own problems and that by accepting responsibility for my past, I free myself to move into a bigger, brighter future of my own choosing.
Never again will I blame anyone else for my present situation. Neither my genetics or the circumstantial ebb and flow of everyday life will affect my future in a negative way. If I allow myself to blame these uncontrollable forces for my lack of success, I will be forever caught in a web of the past. I will look forward. I will not let my history control my destiny.
The buck stops here. I accept responsibility for my past. I am responsible for my success. I am where I am today - mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially - because of decisions I have made. My decisions have always been governed by my thinking. Therefore, I am where I am because of how I think. Today I will begin the process of changing where I am by changing the way I think.
My thoughts will be constructive, never destructive. My mind will live in the solutions of the future. It will not dwell in the problems of the past. I will seek the association of those who are working and striving to bring about positive changes in the world. I will never seek comfort by associating with those who have decided to be comfortable.
When faced with the opportunity to make a decision, I will make one. I understand that God did not put in me the ability to always make right decisions. He did, however, put in me the ability to make a decision and then make it right. The rise and fall of my emotional tide will not deter me from my course. When I make a decision, I will stand behind it. My energy will go into making the decision. I will waste none on second thoughts. My life will not be an apology. It will be a statement.
The buck stops here. I control my thoughts. I control my emotions. In the future when I am tempted to ask the question "Why me?" I will immediately counter with the answer: "Why not me?" Challenges are gifts, opportunities to learn. Problems are the common thread running through the lives of great men and women. In times of adversity, I will not have a problem to deal with; I will have a choice to make. My thoughts will be clear. I will make the right choice. Adversity is preparation for greatness. I will accept this preparation. I will be prepared for something great! I accept responsibility for my past. I control my thoughts. I control my emotions. I am responsible for my success. ...The buck stops here.
The rest of the book is amazing too!
Peas & Love,
Shanna ’10
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