How Did You Get Here?
You look up, and BAM! You are not the same man you were 10 years ago.
Two kids later, you look up and realize you haven’t found a way to PRIORITZE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY daily. You look up and you are carrying way more pounds than any other point in your life. You somehow went from a size 32 in the waist, to a 40. You would have thought you were the one who carried those babies for nine months—no, that was NOT you. You look around, your family, your co-workers, your friends, social media…they ALL look like YOU. Your group of friends told you to “Just embrace it man, it’s normal.”. They all appear to be in the same situation. They all look like they are heavier than they have ever been. That makes it normal, right?
Just because you may be seeing more people in your day-to-day life, living unhealthy lifestyles, does not mean it is normal.
ACTIVE-DAD
But it isn’t just you and those around you. Thirty-seven-point nine percent (37.9%) of men over the age of 20 are obese. Do you know what age group of men are the fattest? Men aged 40 to 59 are 40.8% tubby tubbies!
Excuse me, is this mic on! Fellas, nearly HALF of us are OBESE! Don’t take my word for it, check it out here. Somehow, at some point we allowed ourselves to accept obesity as the new norm. We shrugged off the fact obesity is associated with serious health risks and conditions including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer that are some of the leading causes of preventable, premature death.
What is Obesity?
If you need a technical definition, weight that is higher than what is considered a healthy weight for a given height is described as overweight or obese. For the purpose of this post, the definition is unnecessary. You don’t need a definition. You know you are obese. You know you are not feeling healthy. You know you are not looking healthy. You know you have not PRIORITIZED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. You know what you are eating and the amount you are eating, are reasons you are where you are today. You may even try to jokingly accept it. The medical term—OBESITY— may be useful as a SLAP in the face, as a label. BUT YOU KNOW!
Fellas, nearly HALF of us are OBESE!
ACTIVE-DAD
It felt like it happened over night, but that is not reality. It happened one bad decision followed by another, and another, and another…I think you get point.
Obesity is NOT NORMAL
The heading says is all. Just because you may be seeing more people in your day-to-day life, living unhealthy lifestyles, does not mean it is normal. It’s one thing to be positive about your body (check out “Can You Promote Body Positivity AND Self Improvement?“), but that is not the same as being proud or accepting obesity as natural. Obesity is creeping into our everyday lives and wreaking havoc. You must be the one to stop it. This is about you. This is about your family. Your kids will be influenced by your actions. If your family sees your acceptance of being obese as a normal lifestyle, they will read you LOUD AND CLEAR. Remember when your mom use to tell you “Do as I say, not as I do.”? That may have worked in your younger years. Was it effective as you got older? The “Do as I say, and not as I do” is not only an ineffective way of parenting, but it will not create a lasting impression. Your kids will remember your actions. It is time to lead by example!
Do as I say, and Do as I Do
Start by PRIORITIZING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. Start by leading yourself. Build on that self-leadership (check out “Why You Should SHUT UP About Leadership, If You Fail To Lead Yourself!“) and your family will see the example you have presented them. This is bigger than YOU. It is about your family too. Save yourself! Save your family!
LET’S GO!
LET’S GET TO WORK!
PRIORITIZE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY!