Here We Grow Again!

We’ve been talking about obesity again lately because of the increasing toll it is taking on our health care system and economy.

$147 BILLION a YEAR is spent on obesity related illness. No pun intended, but that is a TON of money.

And this morning I read an article whose headline was “Government Tackles Obesity Anew–But Can It Show Restraint?”

First off…two things wrong here.

It shouldn’t be the GOVERNMENT’S job to tackle obesity. It should be the INDIVIDUAL’S job!! I can’t treat cancer by myself day to day, or any number of other illnesses and diseases.

But obesity IS within our control. It just IS. We just have to condition ourselves to start taking individual responsibility again.

The article is about all the things a community can do to decrease obesity rates. You see, it is society’s fault that you can’t fit in your car anymore!

Do two things today to start taking control of your weight and health–MOVE MORE. Just do it!! I don’t want to hear moaning about how your city doesn’t have walking trails! Walk around your HOUSE! Walk in PLACE! Take the stairs instead of the elevator! Park a little further away! DO SOMETHING!! ANYTHING!! Move your arms around, for crying out loud!

Secondly, eat less. Whatever you normally would eat…eat less of it. ANYONE can do this. If you normally have a double burger for lunch, have a single today! If you normally have a large soda, have a large DIET soda. Use a butter substitute. Drink loads of water. Your body needs it PLUS it fills you up!

Get motivated!! This is the quality of your LIFE we are talking about!! We worry more about the car we commute in and the house we live in more than the bodies we have to live in ALL THE TIME!!

The second thing wrong with the headline above is that it isn’t the government that should be considering restraint (although that IS a good idea, don’t get me wrong). It is the INDIVIDUAL, again, who needs to show restraint! Again, the above lifestyle changes show that restraint.

Don’t eat the whole bag of chips…save some for someone else or for another day. Have the 4 piece instead of the 9 or 12.

These are the little things that will get us in shape.

We NEED to do this. We have to spend too much money on the ailments we have little control over in life to have to spend it on things that are within our control to avoid.