Before you eat another morsel...

Its becoming a global epidemic, one that is threatening to overtake the centre stage issue of global warming - obesity!!

I watched a documentary on super morbidly obese people on Sunday, what I saw filled me with disgust and horror. They profiled a man who weighed 1000 pounds - yes that's a 1000!! I have never seen so much fat on someone in my life before. He agreed to be filmed as he was hoping to undergo a gastric bypass to help him lose the weight. Over a period of time he lost the required weight and underwent the surgery. At the end it was reported that he was making good progress and losing more weight and he was even able to stand for a few minutes.

What really disturbed me was the fact that these people allow themselves to get this way through their own failings- whether emotional or physical and then expect medical science to fix it all up and Bob's your uncle!! Being fat myself, I know what a struggle it is to lose weight and more importantly to keep it off, even though some people have a hormonal problem and cannot seem to help it, I still have to wonder if it isn't an excuse for gluttony? Harsh I know, but I have to wonder.

Statistics for obesity are frightening, it is estimated that more than 60% of Americans are obese and even more frightening there is a 20% increase in childhood obesity. Doctors reckon this is the first generation of children who could die before their parents!!!!

In other words, we are eating ourselves to death. Everywhere you go you are assailed by sights and smells encouraging you to indulge and have fun. With our stressful and hectic lives, we seem to have developed that - why not mentality, after all I've worked hard enough, I need a reward don't I? Instead of looking for other avenues to work off our stress, we turn to the one thing that never reprimands, never talks back and is always available - food!!

I should know as I have done so for years. It is much easier and nicer - yes I am guilty of enjoying being gluttonous! to reach for something to comfort me. Food is a good companion but it is a terrible master!

So think of this before you put another bit of food in your mouth - why are you eating it? To stay alive or to keep from dealing with some suppressed emotion. Its tough, but once you've dealt with your demons, you'll be surprised how good it feels to be free from the tyranny of food.