Obesity, the New Normal?

Many people remember the days when children went outside to play until the street lights came on.  Literally playing for hours, riding bicycles, skateboarding, playing baseball when everyone on the block, racing each other,   The physical activity that was present is now in the past.  Now, we have advances in so many areas, but better health is not in the lead.

Now, we have everyone including children that are becoming obese.  Being obese means your Body Mass Index (BMI) which is calculated by dividing your weight by the square of your height and that number is your indicator of obesity and underweight.  If your BMI is below 18.5, your in the underweight range.  Between 18.5 24.9, you’re in the healthy weight range and if you are between 25 and 29.9, you’re in the overweight range.

Remember a scene in the movie, The Matrix” when it was brought to the attention of Neo that people are in basically walking asleep?  We must wake up to the fact that although obesity is becoming as commonplace as hot pink hair, it is still not healthy for us or our lived ones.  One of the reasons that Kiley and I had weight loss surgery is because we needed a jump start to getting off obesity road and moving toward a more healthier lifestyle of eating and all that comes with the feeling of achieving something wonderful for yourself.

I read online recently on the site http://medicalxpress.com that a mannequin triggered a plethora of responses ranging from outrage to celebration.  In this article, it stated that those that oppose the plus size mannequin felt that it normalized obesity and leads obese people to feel like they are healthy when obesity does not equate to healthy.  The other side that agreed with the newly sized mannequin felt like it made obese people feel a sense of inclusion.

As an individual who was obese most of my adult life, I say that we need to stay awake when we are battling the scales and know when to speak your doctor about what you can do to when against the fight against obesity.  Love yourself and your loved one enough to make your health count.