I WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

This morning I watched part of the TODAY SHOW.. they had a segment on a documentary coming on PBS http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/takeonestep/fat/ .. it scared me when it listed the statistics. I vowed to myself a long time ago.. I was tired of being an obese statistic. I want to succeed and whats more.. I want to help people.. After all, I have been a weight warrior for 44 years... from the second I popped out into this world to the very minute I am typing these words.. I know what it is like to be chunky, fat , large, obese, big, big boned, extra large, stout, and round etc etc... I know that when I achieve my goal I want to somehow help other adults and children.. I want to help them avoid all of this pain.. and shame and guilt.. and anger. and all the negatives that go with being overweight.. There really are no positives with being obese, face it... that is the truth unless you consider sore knees, not being able to achieve what you want to achieve, shortness of breath.. people staring at you.. a postive.. it is really not a positve .. I am not on a hunt to make everyone thin... I just want people to look at what they are doing..look at the choices they make.. and believe they have control.. WE are in control of our choices.. I will always believe that...
On the previews of this documentary .. to me it painted a bleak picture..yet it also painted a positive one.. and it was factual... and scary.. I dont like scary.. I read an interview with one of the producers and in the long run he basically said.. concentrate on getting healthy.. which I do agree with it.. but at the same time.. he was saying accept your size as you are.. maybe you just can not be smaller.. and I TOTALLY DISAGREE... However, the statistics are against each of us to be successful in this endevor. That is okay.. It will be a life long challenge.. no one ever told us this would be easy... I think obesity can be controlled by PROPER EDUCATION.. putting a physical fitness program in the schools that ALL!!! children no matter what size they are can participate in.. and feel good about and not feel self concious because they can not run as fast as whoever.. There are so many variables of obesity . FROM the Large teens going to fast food places with their thinner friends...I think they just want to be like their thinner friends.. eat like them .. be accepted by them and so forth.. they are not thinking.. oh man .. maybe I should not eat that.. they are thinking well.. my friend here eats it.. why cant I??? Or what about the adult who grew up "eating that way" and just really does not know.. Those are questions we have to help these young people answer. anybody answer... .Help them learn they are in control of their choices.. and by the grace of God teach them that they can have some things just not an abundance of everything....that eating can be fun.. and healthy.. and yes you can have some of the not so healthy stuff from time time.. MODERATION... a very good word..
IF we look at the world around us... Just look... DO you see and observe the way things are being packaged now..??? ORGANIC THIS ORGANIC THAT... face it baby .. an OREO is still an OREO no matter how organic they claim it to be... The advertising world.. really believes we are stupid.. and in a sense they are correct.... thats the real bottom line.. We want to believe what they .. tell us.. we want to believe that because it is organic... HEY it must be good for me....We are the only ones who can change that..what we want to believe .. what the truths are...... General Mills products may claim to be whole grains.. and perhaps in a way they are ... BUT COME NOW... LUCKY CHARMS IS STILL LUCKY CHARMS freeze dried marshmallows never will be good for you... even if they do change the color of the milk... nope just not good...... HAVE YOUR CEREAL.. I LOVE CEREAL >> BUT PAY ATTENTION>>>>look for High fiber in your cereal anything with 4 or more grams of fiber in a serving size.. is a good thing... The awesome thing.. it does not TASTE bad.. its actually very good.. there are several out there that are really good... My favs are Kashi VIVE.. its a great movie munchy cereal.. and I just sampled Good Friends.. it was very good.. and I think it is like 11 grams of fiber in a serving.. and Vive is about 12 or so... I think.. not sure off the top of my head.. but I do know that both cereals taste great and are high in fiber and good for you.. another one is GO LEAN CRUNCH ( not the regular go lean but GO LEAN CRUNCH) ...it is super.. about 8 grams of fiber and i think 190 calories.. the VIVE cereal is about 170 calories for a cup and a quarter. I think the other servings are 1 cup size servings.... I always aim for 8 or more grams of fiber. Fiber helps fill you up... thats a good thing too.THere are some great positive choices out there try them...

Obesity is a disability.. it is a disability of the spirit and physical self.. I bet I am making some people mad.. thats okay.. I am not saying Fat people are bad hellooo I am one.... .. I am saying our size creates problems for us.. from embarrassment to pain....Here is something else that I have never heard said about us large folks.. I have seen it though time and time again... THERE ARE SOME BEAUTIFUL LARGE SIZE WOMEN OuT There and some Handsome large size men......and when these women and men lose weight and make certain life changes.. they become even more beautiful.. I am not talking about models.. I am talking about YOU !!!!! whoever you are reading this... Lets be vain for a second... when you are smaller... most of us..look better... and its not just the weight .. its as if we have some kind of aura around us.. I have seen this... I have seen women and men...who have lost weight and they .. have this glow.. Do you know what it is.... ??? I do.. its is simply called.. better HEALTH!!... they look healthier.. they are for the most part healthier...
It is fantastic to be able to accept your self at whatever size.. and yes you might be fairly healthy at a large size.. but I can almost guarentee you that somewhere along your lifespan something will happen to you that is weight related... that can prevented... these are the things I believe that need to be looked at.... and somehow I want to help .. do something to change all of that..too.... It is my deepest wish that each of us reach and maintain our goals... so that we can watch our children grow up.. so that we can participate MORE in life instead of watching from the sidelines .. when we get tired or achey.. or whatever... Hearing statistics makes me sad...
Lets not be statistics..
Lets just be winners
Wish me well
Wish you well too.