A report issued this past Tuesday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Trust for America's Health blamed a bunch of things for the rising obesity rate in thirty-seven states, including:
- Federal, state, and local governments
- School cafeteria meal planners
- Long commutes
- Longer work hours
- Exclusion of obesity treatment from health coverage
- High cost of health club memberships
- Lack of grocery stores in lower-income areas
- Sedentary entertainment
- Stress
- "Relentless advertising" of unhealthy foods
- Shortage of safe walking routes to school
- Mochas with steamed milk and syrup
- Sedentary desk jobs
- Lack of bike racks and showers
- Lack of employer support for employees' exercise time
- Weak top-level leadership at the state legislature level
- Lack of legislation requiring restaurants to provide nutrition information on menu boards
Wow! I sure am glad it's not my fault!
Yeah right. Just like nobody cares for my finances as much as I do, nobody cares about my health as much as I do. Everyone else cares (a) about making money off of me, (b) expending as little as possible to get me to continue expending energy to benefit their own interests, or (c) making money off of other people by not impeding their ability to make money off of me. If I'm fat, it's because I didn't care about my health as much as I should, and nothing else.
I know that I can be normal weight; I've done it before. To do that, I have to overcome odds stacked against me. I have to exercise on my own time, without my employer's financial assistance. I have to pony up for a gym membership (which I did) or find cheaper ways to exercise. I have to resist heavily-advertised fast foods. I have to pay for my own obesity treatments out of pocket.
If I don't, nobody else will care, I'll still be fat, and it will still be my fault. It's my problem to fix.
I don’t think they’re saying that it’s not your fault, but more that there are circumstances that make it easier for you to be overweight. These circumstances can be changed so that it’s easier for you to not be overweight. Of course, in the end, you make the ultimate choice, but it would be helpful if the right choice and the easy choice were the same.
But you are absolutely right that nobody cares but you about your own health!
I read another interesting article the other day, in which showed a link between obesity and severe ear infection problems(including tubes) and tonsilectomy; both of which I had. I still get swimmers ear pretty easy, I can have water in my ears even a couple days after swimming. They explained the possible connection, but I’m not as it would take too long. As soon as I finished it, I said to a co-worker, “hey, it really isn’t my fault…” We had a good laugh because we both think the “its not my fault” mentality in this country today is insane. Surely, those factors, along with extensive travel for work and being a desk jocky when I am in the office, along with a long commute, along with genetics and upbringing(physically we are big people and physiologically, we have extremely addictive personalities), the odds are stacked against me…to the extent I let them be!!!!
It doesn’t matter my upbringing, or the fact that I have a stationary job. It’s mine own damn fault I’m fat! I’m sick of people blaming it on other things. Sure, you may have been big as a child, but you made the choice to eat bad even after you moved out of your childhood home. If you have an office job, make time to exercise, do that instead of watch TV. Journal what you eat. It’s is my fault that I am fat, and It’s also my doing that I have lost over 24lbs, and am 46lbs to my goal weight. I refuse to raise heavy children, and I refuse to let my fatness control my life anymore.