Image Source: diseaseproof 

The internets and the blogosphere are a wonderful thing. I love the conversation, the difference of opinions, the passion, and just the shear amount of information that is out there.

My thoughts and opinions are no secret. More specifically, I’ve blogged and posted updates on numerous occasions about obesity, it’s presence in the media and the overwhelming epidemic that is robbing the quality of everyone’s lives.

I say everyone’s because it impacts and affects the obese and those who are not.

I’ve made some pretty bold statements and have expressed my concerns about what we are doing about it as individuals and as a society. Every time someone or a group of individuals makes an attempt at addressing our obesity issue with a possible solution or potential suggestion they are shot down in the form of discrimination, unfairness and with the guise of obese individuals being victims.

I only recap this because I sparked yet another discussion with my opinions that I felt deserved on my blog recently with "Too Fat To Graduate?".

*UPDATE* – Seems the university in question has dropped the new rule. Read it here: College drops required fitness class for obese

I have a wonderful avid reader of my blog that I respect and adore – she goes by the screen name/pseudonym pinkyrn. She has always been so nice to leave comments for discussion about the myriad of things I post and I value her contribution. Our latest discussion has lit a fire in my belly and I feel the need to explain myself just a lil’ bit further. I just wanted her to know I am in no way pointing or singling her out – she just motivated me to expand on my thoughts. And for that I thank her.

I did not wake up one day with the level of fitness and weight I am at today. I wasn’t given to me – nor was it something that came easy. I have worked hard to get where I am today. It’s a continuous battle everyday for me to maintain my health, wellness and fitness. I too have had to make hard choices about the food I eat, the activity I engage in, and the lifestyle I lead. Just because I am not obese does not mean I don’t understand nor empathize with those who are losing the battle of the bulge and are being categorized or treated as obese.

I do not apologize for my opinions nor do I regret my thoughts and actions. Obesity is a REAL problem and it’s not going to go away just because we feel bad or uncomfortable.

“So I am the fortunate few who are thin. So are you”

I am my current weight by my choice. The choices I have made over the past 4 years has determined my weight and fitness level. It did not come easy, and it still is a daily battle with my food choices and my desire to stay active.

I lived a majority of my childhood as an obese kid. I didn’t get picked to play all the fun games and I was the last kid picked when playing pick-up sports related games.

I realized early on I was heavier than my friends, and that unless I did something about it – nothing was going to change.

Instead of blaming them for my weight – I challenged myself to make ME better. To lose some of my weight and while I’m at it maybe even get stronger. I started small with the ancient weight sets my Dad had in the basement and worked my way up. It took a lot of hard work and dedication but I was able to maintain my weight and improve on it over the years.

I’ve had my ups and downs. My weight has fluctuated to some extremes. In the end it came down to me, my habits, my wants, my needs and my priorities.

I’ve also battled with some pretty scary injuries that left me debilitated to a certain degree.

So mash all that together in a ball, mix in some unrelenting dedication and a no-excuses kind of attitude and you get me.

It’s never been easy.

But nothing worthwhile ever is.

Being obese has always been a choice. Just like I didn’t wake up healthy, the obese nation did not just wake up obese.

“Would you want to be fat if you had a choice?”

Technically we all are born with the choice. We either choose to do something about it, or we choose to do nothing about it. It’s action versus inaction.

Obesity is about as much of a ‘choice’ as smoking. You either choose to puff on the cigarette or not. No one sticks a gun to your head and makes you smoke. You either decide to improve your physical fitness & health or you don’t. Your inaction is as much of a choice as action. You choose to do something about it, or you choose to passively become a victim. It really is that simple.

Just because you are obese does not mean you chose to be fat. What you did do is chose to be OK with you weight. You chose to be OK with your choices of food. You chose to be OK with whatever activity level you participate in.

Now this does bring about the question of ‘Are we born to be fat?’. I think we all have a whiff of genetic pre-disposition that can stack the odds against us during the battle of the bulge, but in the end it comes down to lifestyle choices.

It’s always a choice.

With that being said those who are obese are by far victims. They are a result of a series of choices over an expansion of time. Each individual has a different set of circumstances and scenarios but in the end they were never victimized into being an obese person. They are as much of a victim as obesity is an illness.

“I think it might be a mental illness”

Obesity being an illness is a very loose definition. Illness is likened to a disease. How can you view being obese as a disease? Is it an affliction you acquire unconsciously like the common cold? Is it a virus that invades our immune system unbeknownst to its host?

IMHO – No. Obesity is not some foreign entity that we still don’t know how to defeat or defend. All the knowledge and tools are out there.

The only difference is that each person has to wage a different battle with varying severity dependent upon their own lifestyle, desires, wants and needs.

If it is an illness, it’s then one of the MOST preventable illnesses out there.

The only application obesity has as a mental illness is the psychological war one battles when confronted with stressful situations and the coping mechanisms needed to overcome those stresses.

While being obese is tough just by the shear nature of your body and the stresses the excess weight causes, justifying your weight because you think you’re being discriminated against is once again an excuse that can be added to a long line and series of other excuses that has put you in the position your in.

“Sean what if they were discriminating against you?”

Discrimination is in the eye of the beholder in my opinion. I have been lucky and I know it. Being a middle-aged white male has afforded me many benefits when it comes to facing discrimination. I’m not ignorant of what horribly ugly types of discrimination are out there. Everything from race, sex, age, sexual orientation, career ladder, etc is part of our everyday lives. The difference is some have to LIVE it while others read about it. I will not make amends nor defend actions regarding this horrible deficiency in our society.

Being born male and being discriminated for it is something you have to deal with.

Being born with a certain color skin is something you cannot change and have to deal with.

Equal opportunity has made great gains in fighting this fight- but nowhere does it discuss or mention weight.

The last time I checked your weight is something you CAN change – regardless of the amount- it CAN change.

Also being overweight becomes quite the burden to one’s health. The aforementioned qualities do not infringe upon your health.

So I ask again – how is this discrimination if all it’s doing is trying to improve ones health and well being at such a small fraction of a price.

I am willing to accept and admit that the particular university in question could be overstepping their bounds with only enforcing this new rule with the categorized ‘obese’ students.

“If you and I decide to work out and eat well, well good for us. We cannot force others to do what we think is best. Don’t you see? That is what makes America free. We are free to choose! And that is what is important.”

Maybe it’s force indirectly – I won’t argue that. I did however state that I think it should be a blanket rule, not just for the ‘flagged’ obese students. So if anything – that’s the part that’s discriminatory.

However another person’s obesity does and will indirectly affect me in a myriad of ways. The very least of which is my health care and my health care insurance. There has been enough evidence to support the notion that obesity is bad for you health. Everything from Diabetes to musculoskeletal problems. All those ‘problems’ lead to needed medical attention in the form of doctor’s visits, prescription medication, possible hospitalization, etc. All of which contributes to the rising costs of health insurance, it’s influence on Medicare and Medicaid, and adds to the complexity of the overall health care insurance equation. So I ask again. How does this not affect me?

Maybe I’m being a little obtuse. Maybe I’m being a little harsh. But life shouldn’t be viewed through a set of rose-colored glasses. In the end obesity is a seriously problem that has no real solution as of yet. Who are we to sit back and just let this keep happening to the world around us?

I wanted to thank pinkyrn again for motivating me to share my thoughts. I haven’t felt that motivated to blog about a subject in a while- WHEW. I’ve been letting this one stir in my mind for a while now. I was so worried I would offend her or anyone else for that matter. But in the end – I am who I am – and I hope I haven’t lost too many readers to my unapologetic attitude.

Carpe Diem

Tags: epidemic, obesity, too fat to graduate