North America growing.... in girth

No news stories on obesity today that I noticed. I’m sure if we wait a day or two, there will be more though. Is obesity the disorder of the month/year? We’ve been reading about more studies, more findings, more problems, more everything as we monitor North America’s increasing girth.

There are articles on how a virus may cause obesity, if it’s not caused by menopause, and what we are exposed to as children. Yes, obesity is a health problem and yes, many people who are obese do have a medical issue that makes it too easy for them to gain weight and too hard for them to lose it – but I fear that a lot of this is also taking away personal responsibility from those who don’t have a medical issue that causes obesity.

It’s been said before and I’ll say it again: Why in heaven’s name do we need a “small” soft drink to be big enough to fulfill a day’s fluid requirements? Ok, slight exaggeration, but not that way off. Why is it when I go to a restaurant in the US, my plate is so full that food is falling off the edges? How come, the few times I do stop by a fast food place, I am urged and encouraged to significantly increase my portions of food?

Those huge drinks and portions have nothing to do with health-related obesity; they have everything to do with “I want this and I want as much of it as I can.”

I’m not immune to it. I love good food. Lord knows I love good food and if there’s a lot of it, I just may be tempted to eat as much of it as I can because I love the taste and the act of eating it. I also love my wine. Good, quality wine. So, I drink it – ingesting the accompanying calories at the same time. Self-control isn’t always easy – I know that. I bought the ingredients to make brownies the other day and my youngest son made a batch. I’m not a huge sweets lover but my favourite baked treat is a good brownie. Or, as I learned this past weekend, a pan of brownies. Oops. Yup, a weakness. So, the solution? I rarely bring that stuff into my house. If that’s what it takes, then that’s what it takes.

This post isn’t a put down for those people who seriously battle obesity because of medical issues. It is a piece on how many of us battle our weight and don’t take responsibility for it. I am about 10 to 15 pounds heavier than I should be. I don’t look too heavy; I’ve never looked my weight, but at just shy of 5’6” and almost 160 pounds, I feel it. My goal over the next few months is to get that down to a healthier weight. I’ll never look svelte and elegant – I’m what many try to delicately put as “big boned,” but I can start to feel a bit healthier again.

After that pan of brownies last week, I’ve not eaten anything like that. I am limiting my wine to treat-status rather than a more regular thing. Since my dog died, my husband and I have been going on rigorous 35 minute walks every evening and I’m trying very hard to be better about taking care of myself. Hopefully, this will all work out for the best.

Otherwise, I just may bake myself a pan of brownies and open a bottle of Chateau Neuf de Pape….

News for today:
Bipolar disorder diagnoses increasing: U.S. study
Spending Longer in Bed May Beat Taking a Painkiller, Study Says
New system may classify more lung-cancer patients as treatable
Therapies: Family Sessions Found to Help Treat Bulimia