The price of Obesity

Posted by bodybuilder

Posted: August 27, 2008 - 11:11 am

Obesity costs this country almost $100 billion a year and Alaska is one of the leaders in those dollar signs with almost 25% of obese adults. The problem is not just being overweight, it's the issues associated with being overweight that are racking up the Benjamins.

Being overweight invites chronic disease such as Type II Diabetes, Cancer and Cardiovascular disease to name just a few. Not only that, but being morbidly obese greatly affects both men and women's self esteem and the social stigma associated makes them 5 times more likely to be depressed and even commit suicide.

Get up and move your body!

This information saddens me because being overweight is preventable and can be controlled. As a trainer I find it astounding that the average person has no idea what a carbohydrate is. Most people don't realize how much control they actually have over their own bodies and will often blame other circumstances for the fact that they can't or won't lose weight.

People must choose to lose weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle when they are ready. But if you are currently overweight, ask yourself when in fact you will be ready. Will you finally realize the importance of exericse when you have Diabetes and you start to lose your vision? Will Cancer scare you into a healthy lifestyle?

Is that really the kind of motivation you are waiting for? Why not take a stand and seek out your own motivation for getting healthy before time takes it's toll on your health and you no longer have any control at all? Don't let the words, "shoulda", "coulda" or "woulda" make their way into your vocabulary.

Look at it this way, we all only get ONE life. Most days we take that life for granted and just trudge along without regard for what goes into our mouths or what we are doing with our time. We self-talk ourselves into denial about our eating habits, workouts (or lack thereof) and proclaim that "tomorrow I will start that diet." Tomorrow will come and go and you will be one day older and still not where you want to be. Don't wait until tomorrow to start eating right and working out, do something today because tomorrow may never come.

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