Food, Balance and Obesity

Food, Balance and Obesity

Do you ever wonder how so many people in this nation have become so overweight? It seems like, in perhaps the last five years or so, we’ve just blown up. One would think that it would be people with the most resources that are fat – you know, gluttony. It’s actually the poor people, mainly, and the many individuals who commute, have desk jobs, families. It really boggles my mind sometimes when I really think about how much time I spend sitting in a day. At least two hours in my automobile, around nine hours at work. I have to sit to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, so that’s another couple of hours. So, even when I get around to it, that hour a day of exercise does very little toward advancing my fitness level. At least not the level of fitness I would like to achieve. For instance, if I had to run for my life right now, I’d like to have a shot at it. I’m afraid, though, at this point, I could make it a couple of blocks, and then collapse.
Then there’s the diet factor. Doctors say that consumption of dairy products such as yogurt can help aid weight loss. I tried loading up on the yogurt, and you know what? I just can’t eat it like I could when I was a kid. Lactose Intolerance is real, alive and well. I’m sure yogurt is great for you, but who wants to run around feeling yucky all the time? Milk is out of the question too (it’s funny though how ice cream doesn’t seem to affect me at all).
I’m fighting the good fight. At this point, my battle with the bulge has become more psychological, where I notice that I eat poorly when I feel added stress in my daily life. I am increasing my intake of fruits and vegetables and do my best to ignore those pesticide warnings. I don’t understand how we went wrong with the food we eat now, either. I love tuna, but you know what? I’m afraid to touch the stuff. I don’t want to find out that I get enough protein in my diet but I suffer from mercury poisoning. I’ve reintroduced small amounts of beef into my diet, but what else am I getting with it? I probably sound more than a little paranoid, but I can’t help but wonder about the quality of food available.
Many of our food and diet woes point to one essential issue, and that is the issue of balance. Most of us, in an effort to just make ends meet, don’t lead balanced lives. Realistically, I don’t expect to have it all. I am working full-time, growing in a writing career, and more frequently than not, I haven’t placed my physical fitness at the top of my list. I can take responsibility for that much, and I’m making changes to re-establish my physical fitness. Most, if not all of us are doing the best we can in our own lives, but as I write this and reflect on my daily life, I know that achieving a balanced life will be my ultimate goal. Obesity and being over-weight in general (all other health factors being equal) can be a sign that something in one’s life is out of balance. Lack of funds, lack of love, lack of motivation, lack of anything essential to our mental, spiritual, or emotional well-being is often the culprit.
Well, I have ranted enough for one day. I hope this writing inspires someone to release the remote control, get off the couch and go for a walk.