When are people going to give their heads a shake? There are nice people who happen to be fat. There are rotten people who happen to be fat. There are, however, no people who are fat and healthy. Fat is a contributor to most of the diseases which plague modern society. We all know that. Fear of change makes people defend an indefensible way of being. Fear of the unknown. Fear of success. Just plain fear. Being obese is a horrible way to live. The human body is not meant to be engulfed in inch upon inch of surplus adipose tissue. That's why our backs ache, our knees crack and our feet swell. Our poor carcasses are hauling around enough blubber for your average healthy baby elephant. This does not make us bad people. It makes us people who need to be brave (with others if we can), take that leap of faith and grab the life we deserve with both hands. Damned hard work? You bet. Worth it?
Hell yes. Having a belly that sits down before I do does not mean I shouldn't pursue my life's ambitions, that I should not go to movies or buy new clothes. It does mean that I should honour the strong, funny, caring person I am. It means I should be true to myself and give myself the greatest gifts of all...one chin, the ability to complete a task without having to rest every twenty minutes and the great joy of being able to hold those whom I love truly close-in body and in spirit. I feel sorry for those who dress like clowns, laugh too loudly and proclaim their joy in obesity. If you can't sit in just one chair, if you can't run in the park holding the hand of a laughing child, if for just one second you miss out on one life experience because you don't fit, can't wear, too small, too tired, too hot...you are not living the life you were intended to live. Whew! Sorry about the rant. In case you hadn't noticed, I hate it when people use the media to absolve themselves of responsibility for their blubber. You can live well or you can be obese. You can't do both. Articles like that are the saddest testement of all to what is wrong with being grossly overweight.