Let’s NOT Talk about Obesity!
I am really tired of the word “obesity.” Anyone else out there feel the same way? I am sick of hearing about how fat our nation has become, how unhealthy and heavy our children are, and how big we are ALL going to be in the future. It’s demeaning and defeating. And most of all, it’s not like we all decided this was our goal as a nation, and we enjoy this state of affairs! When this trend began, people did not call each other up across the nation and connive to collectively break national records for weight every year. It happened over time from a combination of sedentary lifestyles and highly technological, high-stress, and food-abundant environments. So let’s quit talking about obesity like people have full control over it, okay? It’s more complicated than that.
Did you know that we health professionals are not even in full agreement that obesity is bad? Epidemiologist Stephen Blair states, “There’s too much focus on BMI and body weight,” and he argues that “when it comes to living a long life, it’s better to be fit and fat than thin and sedentary.” The Health Living at Any Size philosophy puts the focus on lifestyle instead of weight. It prefers setting realistic and achievable goals, such as “I will walk 20 minutes daily” over outcome goals, such as “I will lose 20 pounds in 3 months. For more information on this concept, visit www.healthyweightnetwork.com
My final reason for not wanting to talk about obesity goes back to the Law of Attraction, as discussed above. If we health professionals keep whining about obesity and how heavy our nation is, then is it possible that obesity is what we are attracting for our clientele and even for ourselves? The Law of Attraction states that what you talk about, think about, and believe, soon becomes your life. Hmmm. If given a choice, I prefer to attract wellness.
So to avoid the “O” word I’m going to say these words and phrases instead: love of physical activity, delicious and nutritious foods, life balance, spiritual fulfillment, positive relationships, intellectual stimulation, rewarding life work, quality sleep, hearty laughter, etc. These are the things I want to attract. Care to join me?
