This isn't about what the magazines say you're supposed to look like. This isn't about becoming a size 2. This isn't about being fat. It's about being healthy. And let's face it, there are a lot of super thin people who are unhealthy. There are also a lot of overweight people who are too. But for the purpose of this article, I am specifically addressing overweight people. Myself included. This is about ending the denial, growing up, swallowing the proverbial pride and being mature enough to honestly analyze yourself and determine whether or not you're healthy at whatever size you are. Forget society, forget magazines, and forget anyone who will tell you you're fine the way you are, when they don't know anything about you. YOU need to determine whether or not YOU”RE healthy (not saying to ignore dr's recommendations for gosh sakes let's have a little common sense!). Here are some questions to ask yourself.
1)Is my quality of life affected by my being overweight? Now before you jump to a quick “no”, remember the paragraph you just read about being honest with yourself. I'm not talking about adapting and finding alternate ways to perform duties that if you were healthier (less weight) would not be a problem. Ask yourself: Do you get winded walking further than 30 feet or so? Do you need to hold onto furniture or tables to get off the floor? Can you get on the floor? Do you lean on supermarket carts? Do you dread having to park far from the store entrance? Do you shuffle your feet? Do you have chafing due to your inner thighs rubbing together or shorts bunching up? Are you the only one who's always warm in a room (not menopausal)? These may be clues that you're unhealthy because of your weight.
2)Do you suffer from any medical condition that can be either helped or eliminated altogether by losing weight or by adapting better eating habits? Now here are a few more thoughts to consider. If you have government health insurance, do you think it is fair to expect the taxpayers to pay for your unnecessary and preventable health conditions? Would you as a taxpayer want to have taxes deducted from your paycheck to pay for a stranger's health condition(s) that were completely preventable? Wouldn't you consider it irresponsible of that stranger to expect the general public to pay for their medical expenses if those expenses were due to that stranger's refusal to maintain their health? It seems a bit unfair. Just food for thought, no pun intended.
3)It's no secret that fast foods are sponsoring the politicians who put junk food in your kids school. It's no secret that corn farmers are subsidized by the government. The fattening high fructose corn syrup and other unhealthy corn products that are in just about everything making unhealthy food very cheap which explains why America's poorest people tend to be the most unhealthy. HOWEVER.....to all of you on food stamps....most health food stores and some farmer's markets now accept food stamps! This means you CAN get organic products. You CAN get healthy foods! Now, you can even get meal replacement drinks which if that's your preferred choice to drop some excess weight..... it's possible. So now there's no excuse. There isn't any reason you can't get a cart full of produce instead of a cart full of soda, frozen food and other junk. Now the responsibility rests solely on your shoulders.
You can continue to make the choices you have been that led you to the health you're currently at, or you can make different choices that can result in you feeling better, hurting less, enjoying life more, having smoother more resilient skin, sleeping better, having better focus and more. Join me in choosing better health. I have a bit of weight to lose myself, but I'm also focusing on being healthy. I also have to redefine my terms of health. Would I rather be a size 4 and sickly or would I rather be an 8 with good muscle tone and endurance? I'm working on it...it's a process, but not one that's impossible. What will you decide?
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