The US is the greatest country on the face of the Earth. We really are super lucky to be living here. We enjoy freedoms that many people will never experience in their entire lives, and for that I am grateful. But this freedom, and all the luxuries we have at our fingertips, have caused an adverse reaction: the unintended, yet excessively carried out right to bear fat. What if our right to be fat was taken away? Well, if you live in Japan and you’re fat, then you’re breaking the law. I can only imagine how that would go over in America. Although what Japan is doing might seem unconstitutional in the US, it might become necessary at some point. New research done by John Cawley of Cornell University and Chad Meyerhoefer of Lehigh University estimated that obesity-related medical costs have reached $168 billion. Another study revealed that obesity could add $2,800 in annual medical bills.
We are quickly becoming the unhealthiest nation in the world and an unhealthy nation is a weak nation. And who wants to live in a weak nation? More importantly, who wants to go from being the strongest nation in the history of mankind to the weakest, fattest, most unhealthy nation on the face of the earth? I mean, the statistics are scary, and people either don’t care or are lying to themselves. Do you know that only 11% of the population exercises on a regular basis, and of that 11%, only 2% actually get results? According to a report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, preparing meals is the most common moderate physical activity. Now that’s an interesting statistic.
So, if you think becoming a weak, out-of-shape nation is the wrong direction and our right to bear fat has been stomached for too long, then take these simple steps to make a change if you are on the unhealthy path.
1) Start eating a minimum of 4 servings of fruit and vegetables a day each; preferably raw and not covered in a highly fattening dressing.
2) Limit your TV watching to an hour a night and replace it with some type of outdoor activity; walking, basketball, etc. Aim for 10,000 steps a day.
3) Train a minimum of 3x a week, for a minimum of half an hour, getting your heart rate above 120 beats per minute for the entire training.
4) Stop eating fast food.
5) Track your calories online and eat 90% healthy foods.
6) Limit your alcohol intake to a few drinks a week.
7) Find a “health buddy” and hold each other accountable for the things listed above.
