Obese Children Are Not an Uncommon Sight Anymore

It’s not a big deal anymore for us to see and be overweight in America. It’s become old hat to see big over weight, and out of shape people. It’s become rather normal to see fat obese people walking around, or should I say struggling to walk around.

During this past summer, my wife and I went into get an ice cream at a famous ice cream shop, and as we sat down to enjoy one of my favorite summertime treats, it caught my attention that everyone in that place were overweight, including us. We were talking about the coupon that we found, and how proud we were that we got one of our ice cream treats for free. Proud to save money while we think nothing of stuffing ourselves with ice cream. I look back at that now and don’t find anything to be proud of at all.

But the one picture that I will never get used to seeing, is when I see a five or six-year-old child struggling to get in or out of the car because they are not just overweight, they are obese.

Obesity in America is growing into a major health problem, but obesity in our children is growing at an alarming rate. Studies show that children who struggle with obesity in their youth, will grow into adults with major health risks. Heart decease, high cholesterol, hypertension, respiratory ailments, orthopedic problems, depression and type 2 diabetes. The hospital costs alone associated with childhood obesity were estimated at $127 million during 1997–1999, up from $35 million during 1979–1981. In 2000, the total cost of obesity for children and adults in the United States was estimated to be $117 billion. Yes ladies and gentlemen, that’s billion with a B and every year it goes up.

You want to talk about fixing the health care system in this country, you might want to start looking at our children and the almost 80% of all Americans that are obese today.

Think about that word obese for a minute. I’m not just talking about fat or overweight people, I’m talking about being obese…80% of all Americans are obese. A whole society that has a completely nonchalant attitude about food and what they put into their mouths and it’s being passed down to our children. The national debt and our eating habits are going to kill this country if we don’t start doing something very soon.

The two biggest reasons for this growing obesity problem in America is eating to much of the wrong things, and not getting enough exercise. Now It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out, but we spend millions of dollars every year to find a solution to this crisis when the answer is simple and right under our noses.
We are eating ourselves to death and there are children on the other side of the globe that are starving to death. It just doesn’t make sense to me. Instead of talking about it, lets start doing something about it.

Now I’m not talking about starting a new diet that everyone needs to get on, God knows we don’t need another one of those, but we do need to educate ourselves on some very simple and basic information, and then get off our butts and just do it.

1. Eating the Right Things
Lets see, french fries, ice cream, and cheeseburgers are not the right things. Jillian Michaels, from the TV hit series, “Biggest Loser”, says that kind of food is poison to your body. Would you eat arsenic…noooo, so why would you eat something that is just as harmful? These foods may not kill you in ten minutes, but it will eventually kill you down the road. Don’t you want to be around to see your grand children and great grand children? Than start giving some thought to what you’re eating.

My wife and I started a health transformation challenge, and no I can’t stop talking about it, because it has forever changed the way I look at eating. I watch what I put into my mouth now. I still love to snack, but I snack now on fruits and things that are nutritionally good for my body.

The chemicals that we put in our foods to preserve the shelf life and make it taste better, are killing us! My grand-mother cooked with real butter and used salt and had her own garden of vegetables that she used in her cooking everyday…NO CHEMICALS, all fresh. She drank coffee, not de-caf, didn’t smoke, and drank alcohol only for medicinal purposes, and she lived to be 98 years old.

Now I love ice cream, and my wife and I will reward our selves with a treat on occasion, but what I’m starting to see happening is our taste for that kind of stuff is diminishing. I never thought I would see the day when I would say, “I can skip the ice cream”. It takes a little discipline, but your body will eventually start to loose its craving for those kinds of things.

I’m 58 years old. I’ve lost twelve pounds and I’m well on my way to my goal of dropping 40. I’m exercising and toning up and It’s exciting to be feeling awesome once again.

Watch what you put into your mouth!

2. Start to Get Out and Move Again
I’ve always been active in my life, played sports and was always out doing something, but it doesn’t take long to get used to sitting in front of that TV or video game and just do nothing. If that’s you…BREAK THAT HABIT RIGHT NOW, and a habit is all it is. Habits just start by doing the same thing over and over, again and again, until it becomes something that you do all the time without thinking.

Just like you develop bad habits, start bringing in new ones. Get off the couch and get moving. Start slow at first by taking a little walk. Just get in the habit of moving. Now you may experience some soreness at first, but remember, no pain…no gain. It’s the act of starting that’s the hardest thing to do.

I started walking a little on the treadmill and doing push ups every day. I can do 45 push-ups right now at one sitting, and walk a couple of miles a day. Now when I say push-ups, I don’t mean those girl push-ups. I used to be able to do 100 at a time back in the day, and I would like to get back to that point again, and you know what…I will.

If you have young children, get them outside and away from the TV and computer. Sign them up for Volleyball, baseball, basketball, or track, and go to every game they have. Show them that you’re interested in what they are doing.

Exercise as a family. Ride your bikes together, go for hikes, get out and have a family fun day where you all get outside and do something together. You’ll not only be building strong healthy children, but you’ll be building strong healthy relationships and memories that will last a life time.

3. Plan Your Diet
Last of all take some time to plan your meals for your family. Get some education on good nutritional foods and snacks for your kids. It doesn’t have to be dull and bland to taste good and be good for you.

You and I can make a big difference on our children, our grand children, their future and the future of America.

We can Do it! Lets Start Today…Right Now!