Obesity in America
September 1, 2008 by Terry
Filed under Terry's Rambles
America, home of the beautiful, land of the free. The place where convenience is king. Hungry? Don’t get out of your car, we got it. Need some exercise? Surfing TV channels must burn a few calories, right?
As Americans, living a fast paced life is the norm. We’re constantly rushing to work, driving our kids to doctor appointments and soccer games; there is just no time to stop and think about exercise or health for that matter. While there are those who genuinely make an effort, the consensus is that America is obese. But why wouldn’t we be? McDonalds, Taco Bell, the sub shop that’s just too good to pass up – we are mesmerized by high calorie and cholesterol driven food. Food that will fill up our stomachs quickly, just so that we can go onto the next task on our “to-do” list.
Some say that we’re just not ready to give up personal time. Let’s face it – most of us work 9 to 5, wake up when the sun is still sleeping and if we’re lucky (and don’t live in New England), can make it home in time to catch a glimpse of sunlight. At this point, we’re tired, cranky, and just want to put our feet up, or spend time with the kids, or hey, maybe even do a load of laundry. Life is simply too short and given that we’re at work more than 75% of the time, we don’t want to spend these precious hours sweating at the gym. Can you really blame people?
There are critics who would argue that it’s just one more chore on our list of life. We want to see our kids grow up, be fit enough to take that hike and eat well to avoid those diabetes. It is a give and take – to enjoy, one has to pay their dues. But for many Americans and people around the globe, there are just not enough hours in the day. If you’re looking to change these unhealthy habits, try to incorporate exercise in any form – whether it is parking further away at work, walking the dog or playing frisbee with your kids. Anything is better than zilch!
If we turned off the TV, avoided the daily McDonalds trips and changed our outlook in regards to activity, perhaps we could regain our figures and most importantly, our health. Quit complaining and look at the overall picture. It may cost us an hour out of our day, but it’ll add years to our life.
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