Sunday, September 25, 2011

It could be better if...

Nick and I were talking about this the other day, and at first, I was scared to write about it because I thought it would be too offensive.  But he said I should, so here goes.

One of our favorite shows to watch is The Biggest Loser.  I love watching the transformations in people, seeing them succeed at losing weight and becoming healthier and more empowered.  I love the examples they set and the motivation they give other individuals with the same problem.  It makes me happy to see them accomplish something they thought was impossible.  Having never been there myself, I guess I don't really understand how these people got to be obese.

But it's like the trainer Bob says, it's a disease, it's an addiction, and these people need help.  It's a little sad how their obesity is almost glorified, not in the sense that it's good to be fat.  But they get on this show, are idealized for losing weight, and win money for it.

But then I was thinking about something else.  How many obese people are there in America?  How many people are there who eat for recreation, for boredom, for fun, for depression, or just to feel full?  I remember watching another program on the discovery health channel when I was growing up.  This 600 lb woman entered a rehab center to help get her weight under control.  She said the second day she was there, she started having horrible pains in her stomach, and what she didn't realize is they were hunger pains.  She had never felt hungry before in her life.  She recognized how horrible that was, thinking of third world countries, children who's parents had lost jobs and were now wondering when their next meal would be.  And she said that was motivation enough to get her to lose the weight.

Imagine this:  what if people stopped gorging themselves and gave what they would overeat to those who didn't have any?  How can you eat cheese burger after cheese burger, when somewhere there is a little girl licking her chapped lips, wondering if she will ever eat again.  When there is a little boy digging through the trash to find something edible?  When a father looks at his starving family and wonders how he will feed them?  What if American's stopped being so gluttonous, focusing on their own comfort, and helped those in need?  If we all gave of our excess, there would be no world hunger.  If we all helped each other out, children wouldn't starve.

How can we in good conscious overeat, usually things that are bad for us anyways, and not share our abundance with those in need?  I think people should focus on eating healthily, eating less and exercising more, and realizing how truly blessed they are to live in a nation and time where they have the opportunity to help those around them.

Yes, food addiction is a real thing.  But like I said, how much better would the world be if we stopped becoming obese and helped those in need?  That's why I love fast offerings, and organizations like Red Cross, and Peace Corps, and the LDS church welfare and service programs.  Let's all try to give a little more, and take a little less.

And like I said, I have never been overweight, I don't understand the emotional aspects of how people get there.  So I apologize if this did seem offensive to anyone.  But I really do believe that it's unfair how we live sometimes here in the US, having so much, when there are people in less privileged countries, who would never dream of having something so silly as a food fight.  If people remembered that, I think it would be easier.

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