If you want a snapshot of the physical being of our society, go to a water park. My family and I did just that this past weekend and what I saw was alarming! There is no hiding in a swimsuit, folks. If we would have lined up average sized or fit people on one side of the building and overweight/ obese people on the other, there is no question of which group there was more of. Our society is in sad shape, no pun intended. It seems to be so extreme, too....many people 50-100 pounds overweight, easily. I'm not judging, I'm observing.
Obesity strikes all age groups, but what stuck out to me was that the age group, at least at the water park, that had the biggest weight problems were the twenty-somethings, especially females. Let me analyze a bit--
1) Is this the "lost" generation that hasn't learned how to cook real food? They've grown up in a world of convenience and Super Size food/drink and don't know what a normal portion is?
2) Is this the generation that grew up learning that "everyone is a winner" and there are no losers in childhood games and sports? If so, has that left them devoid of knowing how to appropriately deal with failures and let-downs as an adult and they turn to food to cope?
3) Are the twenty-something's so used to having everything instantly that they not only eat in that fashion, but give up on fitness goals too soon because the results are "taking too long?"
4) Have they been brought up to understand personal responsibility?
I don't know if there's truth to any of that, but could there be? Maybe I'm spinning my wheels here. It's just such a different world now than when I grew up. More pressures now, more uncertainty, less of so many good, basic things. I'm afraid of what is becoming the new norm in terms of "acceptable" weight. I envision our society turning into the Wall-E movie with people floating along in chairs with a screen in front of their faces and a never-ending soda at their ready. How close are we to that?
We've got to take some responsibility for ourselves and get it under control for upcoming generations. It should never be "normal" to look around and see this many people in physical trouble. Care for yourself and those that you love and keep making healthy changes. Seek help if you need it.
