Smoochy called me yesterday to tell me that his friend’s mother had a stroke. I think he was shocked at my reaction. I didn’t really have one. Yes, I’m sorry that the lady had a stroke. Yes, I’m glad it was a “minor” stroke (I find that term amusing – how minor can it be when your brain/heart whack out?). But I wasn’t surprised, and couldn’t pretend to be.
His friend’s mother is obese. She’s not yet 60 and was using a motor scooter to get around when I last saw her – a few weeks ago at a birthday party. My grandmother is 87 years old and in way better physical and mental shape than this lady.
I really try not to judge people or their life choices, but this obesity epidemic is beyond ridiculous. I’m not talking about needing to get rid of 20 or 30 pounds – I could stand to lose a few myself. But needing to lose what equates to a whole ‘nother person?
My husband is obese. He doesn’t think he is, but he is. He played football in college, and what was offensive lineman muscular heft has turned into a health hazard. Because of him, I am especially dedicated to taking care of myself and trying to stay as healthy as I possibly can. The reality is that if he continues to do nothing about his weight, he will very likely have serious health problems as we grow older, and he may not live to see old age. I’d like to be around – for Lovegirl, and for myself – as long as possible and in relatively good health. I refuse to talk to Smoochy about his need to lose weight anymore. It is exhausting, frustrating, and he’s basically not listening. He’s made his choice, and like it or not, I have to live with it.
My parents were very diligent about monitoring what we ate – no refined sugar, very few processed foods, lots of vegetables, no meat. Their motto was “eat to live, don’t live to eat.” I’m not as strict with Lovegirl – we eat poultry and I allow for more snack food than did my parents – but I do try to make sure that she’s eating a healthy balanced diet that will set her up for good eating habits throughout her life.
My parents exercise – my mom goes to bootcamp on a regular basis, my dad hikes, sometimes 20 miles a day. They still watch what they eat. They stay active, and they have defined middle age/retirement for me. I’m always, always shocked when I meet my friend’s parents and they seem so old compared to my youthful parents. My parents are an inspiration to me as it relates to physical fitness, and I hope to serve as the same type of positive inspiration for Lovegirl.
Too many people are becoming incapacitated or dying way too early from preventable causes. Oh, and Mississippi has once again made #1 as the fattest state in America.
Today, pick one thing – just one – that you can do on a regular basis to make your life a little bit healthier. Today, I’m going to spin class.
Aw man, that makes me want to get my gym schedule back on. I don’t have a car, so I probably walk at least a mile everyday, just getting around. That’s got to count for something.
(It’s not going to help me lose weight though, because my metabolism is used to me getting that much exercise a day. Hopefully, it’ll keep me from the weight related illnesses you’re talking about)
What an incredible post. This issue has really been on my mind lately. Throughout my daily travels, I see morbidly obese Black women and it baffles me. Why was we so plagued with this issue? I know there are too many factors to count, but we’re in crisis and need to address this ASAP. You’re right, there are simple things we can do daily to stem this tide, and again, I really appreciate you getting this discussion started.