If you are ever feeling glum about your weight or self worth, I
challenge you to get into your car and drive to your local "all you can
eat" buffet. These local eateries can offer you anything from a slice of
frozen pizza to (how ever the hell you pronounce it) general Tso's
chicken, but what they can also provide is a look into the future.
People of all ages are dissipating food at alarming rates, only to
slowly stand and waddle back to the buffet line for plate number five.
Take a glance, how many people can you see are not overweight?
How many children? A recent CDC survey shows 35.7% of U.S adults are
obese, U.S children ages 2-19, 17%. We can all argue the accuracy of
these statistics and what the true definition of "obese" is, but what we
cannot argue is the dilemma the world is facing. Yes I said "the
world", because although it is widely believed that this large problem
is only present in America, that is not the case. Recently Mexico has
taken the cake, and is now the fattest country in the world, with the
U.S a close second. The rest of them are not far behind, with most
countries falling in the mid 20's in percentile (excluding Japan and
Korea, whom are both under 5%). What does this mean for the future? New
technologies and consumer products that do everything but brush your
teeth, combined with a pure lack of self control, we see the human race
eating itself to death. The food consumption is just as big of an issue
as the absence of exercise. I personally hate to work out, but do find
it necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. As little as one hour of
"activity" over the course of a day can do wonders. These activities can
range from a brisk walk, to playing with your kids, it's not hard to
accomplish. What amazes me is the amount of staggering statistics that
link obesity to things such as diabetes, heart attacks, and many other
health issues, and how people still don't care. It is not just about
looks, it is also about life, and quality of life. If a doctor informed
me that my life expectancy was shortened due to being overweight, you
bet your boots I would be in the gym and out of the fast food
restaurants. People don't hold the same importance of life as they used
to. You can not live life to the fullest if you are packing an extra 80
pounds, and even if you could, you wouldn't live as long as you should
have. When I think of all these things, I can't help but remember the
Disney Pixar
film "WALL-E", and how it ingeniously displayed the future. Humans so
huge they couldn't even stand, due to the amount of fancy gadgets they
had created. Dull and common, the destined version of our current selves
spent day after day, lackadaisically eating and watching television.
The fate of our race in this movie was not that far out of the realm of
possibility, or that far away in terms of years. A selfish part of me
doesn't care, because I am not overweight. My kids are not overweight.
My wife is not overweight. The caring side of me is concerned with
others not being able to enjoy life, because it is so breath taking. The
biggest concern I have is the children. Children are so innocent and
pure, and have limited knowledge of how to eat right, and exercise. The
privileged individuals that are teaching them these things are the
parents. So when I see a portly child, it kills me, because they can't
run and play adequately, are unable to fit their clothes, or perform
the basic functions that make being a kid so great, and they have
absolutely no control over it whatsoever. Kids eat what they are fed, if
dad lays a happy meal on the table, you eat it. The present day standard of parenting hasn't just
lowered the bar, they knocked the damn thing off its stand, melted it
down, and made a XXL sized spoon out of it, to scoop more food into
their fat faces. It's not just about nutrition and exercise. Morals,
respect, competitiveness, self esteem ect.,
these have all been lost as well. I am not here to preach to everyone
and say that I am the healthiest and most fit person in the world, and
that I don't eat pizza and be lazy. What I can say, is that just making a
small effort, can help you save your life. Make some changes before
it's too late, and you wake up, look in the mirror, and find yourself
400 lbs with diabetes and high risk of heart failure. It is not easy,
especially when the healthier alternative for foods are twice as
expensive, and decent gym memberships cost an arm and a leg, but it is
necessary. The paranoid version of myself thinks that the government
wants us to stay fat, although I cannot string together a intelligent
conspiracy theory in which they would benefit having no one able to
touch their toes. The government doesn't concern me though, it's places
like McDonalds, Carls
Jr, Wendy's, blah blah blah you know all the places, they are making
millions killing people, not unlike tobacco companies. We sit idle and
complacent, opting to order another Big Mac, or Big Carl instead of making changes. It is because
we as people have grown increasingly lazy. Why ride a bike when you have
a car? Why go inside when you can go through the drive through? No need
to go get your terrible food, get it delivered. Simple choices over the
course of the day can affect your lifestyle for the better, but in most
cases, the wrong choices are made, and repetition cements these poor
habits into a daily routine. Break the cycle and be happy. If I were to
do a survey of overweight or obese individuals asking whether or not
they were happy with their lives, I would bet some serious money the
answer would be no in 99% of the cases. I don't know quite what I am
wanting to say, and don't want to seem like I am writing this whole blog
to crush what little self esteem these people have left, but it
frustrates me. I have many friends and multiple family members that
struggle with their weight, and I have sympathy for them. These same
people though, make little or no effort to change. These and others also complain that their backs hurt, knees hurt, hips hurt, whatever. So when I hear these complaints I tell them in as kind of words as I can find, "If you lost 40 pounds your _______ wouldn't hurt". I am sick of being sensitive to fat people who have put themselves in the very situation they so adamantly despise. (Let me clarify, most of these statements are about people who are morbidly obese, not your average everyday John Doe carrying an extra 15-20 pounds) Don't you worry though, because our massively obese population are often recieving state and federal assistance for the heath issues that are a direct result of their weight. If you think I am being rude I apologize, but hey, it's the way I feel. I also feel that all you can eat buffets should have a weight limit for their customers. Fast food restaurants should have a weight limit for their customers. Nah, the solutions that we as a people have come up with involve lipo suction and stomach stapling ect. Whatever, fat people don't read anyway so they won't get this.......joking guys, strictly joking. Final conclusion: Lose some weight, please. Be a parent, take control. Work out every now and then, it won't kill you. And just remember what a small little group of orange men once proclaimed in song:
"Oompa Loompa, do-ba-dee-doo,
I’ve got a perfect puzzle for you.
Oompa Loompa, do-ba-dee-dee,
If you are wise you’ll listen to me.
What do you get when you guzzle down sweets?
Eating as much as an elephant eats.
What are you at getting terribly fat?
What do you think will come of that?
I don't like the look of it
Oompa Loompa do-ba-dee-da,
Given good manners you will go far.
You will live in happiness too,
Like the oompa loompa do-ba-dee-doo.
Do-ba-dee-doo"
Wiser words have rarely been sang.
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