Pick a media outlet, any one…television, newspapers, blogs, or your favorite social media site. I’m guessing you can’t spend 3 minutes in front of it, without hearing something about obesity or health choices. Talking about eating healthy used to be a huge turnoff to Americans, and now it’s an obsession. Unfortunately, many look in the mirror and see a body that is not morbidly obese, but average…maybe even thin. The conclusion for many is…I am healthy.
Congratulations, You’re not Overweight
Yep, it’s true. Obesity at any age is extremely unhealthy. It’s great to see more people trying to lose weight and avoid heart problems, joint pain and increased risk of stroke. But make no mistake, your weight is only one indicator of your health. It’s like looking at a used car. If the vehicle is rusted out and dirty on the outside, you are fairly certain it has not been taken care of at all. On the other hand, just because a used car is shiny and clean does not mean it has been maintained well.
There are countless thin, good looking individuals who smoke, over drink, eat poorly, and rarely exercise. Regardless of appearance, their bodies are not thanking them. Your body is like a personal credit card, use it as you see fit, but sooner or later we all have to pay the bill. Statements like I can eat anything I want, I have a high metabolism,
deny the inevitable…Garbage In, Garbage Out.
Sorry…I’m not a Follower
One big objection people have to lowering their carb intake and exercising more, is they feel it’s just part of a fad. I am not a vegan…
or I will never go Paleo.
Of course, doing anything because everyone else is doing it will generally have disastrous results. However, not doing something beneficial, just because it is trendy
is also faulty reasoning. There is pretty much zero evidence to suggest that a high carbohydrate diet makes for a healthier human being. So…regardless if you are into putting a badge on that says I am a (insert diet name here), making healthy choices and reducing your sugar and carb intake will make you feel better. Maybe it’s time we start looking under our hoods, instead of just admiring our paint jobs.
Eric Carlsen is one of the creators of Carb-Loaded a documentary film that examines the causes of the diabetes epidemic.
