I don't know about you, but I for one, am sick and tired of hearing about the obesity epidemic - if people want to get fat, then let them get fat, unhealthy and die. It's natural selection at its best. Those of us that give a damn about ourselves shouldn't have to put up with all the whining and complaining and increased taxes and premiums these selfish SOBs are going to cause us when they start having their McDonald's induced heart attacks and insurance covered stomach stapling procedures.
It seems you can't turn on the TV, listen to the radio, or walk down the street without hearing about the obesity epidemic that is going to kill more people than the plague. Second only to smoking, obesity is the new killer that seems to have come out of nowhere and suddenly everyone is fat and our health care system is not equipped to deal with the complications of the added load (pun intended).
Do You Not Agree With Me?
Before I get flamed by a million fat advocates, let's consider for a second a few opinions that are floating around out there:
Why Fit People Think Fat People are Fat
1. Get real - the biggest reason is laziness. Fat people are just too damn lazy to drag themselves to a gym or go for a run. The only effort they expend is waddling down the stairs, plopping on the couch and lifting their flabby arms to their mouths to stuff a month's supply of bonbons down range - more than most of us will eat in a lifetime. After all, we've all seen the before and after pictures of thousands of people who have put in the hard work - if they can do it, why can't Bob.
2. If it isn't laziness - then it's lack of will. Fat people have no mind, no possible way of keeping their mouth shut and their plump little fingers out of the cookie jar. Hell, once you're fat, you turn into one of those zombies from the night of the living dead and constantly have to feed. It's like the fat replaces your brain. They know it's bad for them to eat yet another helping of pudding, but they do it anyways, cause the little fat army they have accumulated is taking over their mind.
3. It it isn't lack of will, then it's low self esteem. Fat people are losers and they know it. They'd kill themselves if it wasn't for the fact that they can't drag their sorry butts off the sofa, so next best thing is to eat themselves to death. That way the insurance will still pay. At very least they'll feel good while they are putting away that pound of Rocky Road - feeding those little fat cells struggling to multiply.
4. If it isn't low self esteem, then it's because society accepts it. Everyone's fat, we're all getting fatter, so it must be okay. Skinny people are the devil spawn - how dare they take care of the bodies God gave them. Fat people are the new world order and the fatter you get, the higher up on the pecking order you'll be. Fat is sexy, fat is okay. Just be happy with your bodies no matter how much flab is hanging off your gut. Society says its good to be you - enjoy life and screw the consequences.
Why Fat People Think They are Fat
1. It's all in the genes. They have no control over it. They woke up one day and broke the friggin scale because the mysterious fat gene suddenly kicked in and turned off their metabolism. No matter how much exercise or diet control they muster, it doesn't matter because that little fat gene is manufacturing more fat in a day than they could ever lose in a year.
2. Because society and big business is against them. How can you possibly resist stopping in at each and every McDonald's on the way home or grabbing a coffee and doughnut at each and every doughnut shop you pass. If we weren't supposed to eat that crap, society wouldn't have put it in front of our faces. Who can resist the advertising - brainwashing us all the time to grab a Whopper at 3 am.
3. Because they don't have the time or money. Yet they can spend more than small countries make on fast food and Doritos. They think it takes 2 hours a day to exercise and another 15 to prepare healthy meals. If they could fight their way out from under their diet soda, they'd see it just ain't so.
Why I think Fat People are Fat and the Obesity Epidemic is Picking up Steam...
In reality, it isn't any of those things by itself. Ross Enamait hit the nail on the head recently saying obese isn't always lazy. Sometimes it comes down to misinformation and priorities. People don't know how easy it really is to lose weight and get in shape. All of the hype and weight loss diets and technical crap floating around does nothing but confuse people and result in fitness paralysis. So, it is up to those of us that know better to clue the obese in.
Second, people do not put enough priority on maintaining their health and staying in shape. They take it for granted. They feel healthy enough and the changes that occur over time to render them unhealthy with clogged arteries and 100lbs of extra weight straining their skeletal system - happen so gradually as to go unnoticed. One can never really say they don't notice the extra weight and reduced energy, but comparatively, it isn't until someone they haven't seen in a while says something or they see an old picture that they suddenly realize they are putting on weight.
This boils down to priority. In a busy life with kids and a job and a million other activities, the thing that gets put on the back burner is our health. We all think that it would be selfish to set aside an hour a day for exercise if it means cutting back on an hour we could have spent taking our kids to some activity or putting in that little extra effort at work.
Well, let me clue you in. There will always be extra work or activity that will trump your exercise time, if you don't make it a priority. Lump exercise right up there with things you have to do so you don't get fired or have your kids taken away and suddenly there is time to do it.
Quite frankly, it is selfish to not exercise and eat right. You are taking away enhanced productivity from your boss, taking away energy and vitality and life from your kids, and you are disrespecting your spouse by letting it all go. As if this wasn't enough incentive to set better priorities, look to God. He gave you the temple you live in and by abusing it, you are violating his trust.
You are hopefully learning about the benefits and techniques to use boxing as a means to keeping in shape and not becoming one of the statistics. If you are, you have a duty to clue in as many fat people as you can find. Befriend them and pull them into your boxing club. Get them started on a better lifestyle and change their lives.
Do I really believe what I put at the beginning of this article? In part, yes, it makes me mad to think people will abuse themselves all their lives and then expect the rest of us to pay for it. On the other hand, I realize that people are unique and everyone has a situation and circumstances. I don't ignore those facts, but I also believe anyone and everyone can do something about their circumstances -- it is just about a wilingness to act.
So, take it upon yourself to introduce everyone you know to the benefits of boxing. Become an ambassador for the sport and show people the good it can do in their lives. Without ambassadors, boxing is doomed to decline. With people like yourself promoting it, it will thrive forever.
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