Research has shown approximately 25 percent to 35 percent of American adults are inactive, Blair said, meaning that they have sedentary jobs, no regular physical activity program and are generally inactive around the house or yard. "This amounts to 40 million to 50 million people exposed to the hazard of inactivity," Blair said in an interview. "Given that these individuals are doubling their risk of developing numerous health conditions compared with those who are even moderately active and fit, we're looking at a major public health problem." Link to entire article here.
I don't make excuses for getting fat. Bottom line - I was eating more (and it was crap - plain and simple crap), severely depressed, and not moving period. I have nobody to hold accountable for that other than myself. Up through my 20's that had not been the case and not any major weight issues. It was a slippery slope and a downward spiral that was further exacerbated by the depression. Excuse? Nope. It's the explanation. I own up to it and took what honestly was drastic steps to get back on track and out of my depression.
The real point of my post though is that I think there is way too much focus on food and weight in the media vs. the lack of MOVEMENT. When you think about it, all the foods that are 'bad' have been around for a number of years. Yes, the portion sizes have also grown, but ultimately everybody has to be accountable for the choices they make when eating. In other words, this crap about taxing 'bad' food pisses me off. Just because you tax it doesn't mean people are going to stop eating it. And, who the hell in the government is going to decide what a 'bad' food is that warrants this tax? Stupid I tell you.
And as far as kids go, I'm old. When I was a kid it wasn't until my early teens (I think) that Atari was even around (that's a game unit like Wii and XBox for any youngsters that may be reading). Therefore we were always playing. And that meant riding bikes, chasing each other, and even some rough housing (ha). But the play was physical. When you think about kids today they are plugged in all the time. TV, gaming, texting, chatting, etc. etc. It's no wonder to me that kids are much heavier.
Bottom line - We need to look at the bigger picture of overall eating habits (choices) and exercise. And yes, I bet some people are saying, "well, easy for you to say you have a band." Well, my band is empty. I have minimal restriction that is only triggered when I eat a big bite of something that is not well chewed (and it's only protein like chicken or beef) or frankly just eat like a pig. And the stuff that got me fat (candy, ice cream, etc.) will go right through regardless of how tight my band is. As I've said in previous posts, variety is important for everyone in what they eat for overall health. But I have also harped on exercise. Some may be able to get to goal without exercise, but I believe that is a small number. I also believe that long term success is ultimately tied to exercise.
Man am I on my soap box? : ) And truth be told, I am NOT a fan of exercise. I just do it cause I need to, it's good for me, and at the end of the day makes me feel good. So my soapbox summary is: generally make good choices - which personally I find is WAY easier on the days I do exercise for some reason - and MOVE people!!!
Exercise today:
- Tuesday - Steep incline - 60 mins on treadmill (including warm up and cool down) - 4.6 miles
1 comment:
Couldn't have said it better myself! Thanks!!
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