Ladies, Promoting Unhealthy Lifestyles Leads to Death

As Rush might say, This will get me in trouble.

There is a segment of the female population that is promoting the idea that just because they are fat doesn't mean they aren't beautiful. They have websites, books, television programs, and various niches on social media to make the point. They are tired of being picked on and made to feel "less than" because of their size. Part of this I understand.

There should not be a blatant war on people who are overweight. It's just not cool.

But at the same time, this segment of the female population is causing harm. You may be fat. You may also be beautiful. But you will die early because of heart disease, diabetes, kidney problems, and a variety of other medical issues that we have a wide knowledge of these days. You will have a lower quality of life in general because of your weight. Joint problems. Back pain. The inability to fit in an airline seat. You're going to put up with this because you're trying to make a point about body image? Great. We'll put "She was fat but she was beautiful" on your headstone, along with a picture so we can all remember how young you were when you died, and admire your dedication to the cause. You sure showed 'em, girl!

Americans seem to have a hard time putting down the fork. Probably because we have so much food and so much money and plenty of time on our hands that there isn't much else to do. We sure as hell aren't solving problems or helping the less fortunate.

It's not hard to lose weight and eat well. We see time and again how people who have been huge at one point in their life slim down to a healthy size. It's not easy. It does take effort. Effort that I, myself, having been at least 40 pounds overweight my entire adult life, have yet to be able to stick to. Effort is something Americans have a hard time sticking to these days, period. I have seen two friends who have dropped a tremendous amount of weight. They look great, and when I ask what they're doing, they have the same answer. They made a plan, consulted experts, and stuck to the plan. This is the example we--I--should follow.

My weight, according to my doctor, is becoming an issue as I approach 40. Changes need to be made. It seems to me these women would hear that advice and then claim that they have been somehow persecuted. Seriously?

I'm all for a positive image and what it takes to attain that. I'm all for feeling confident about oneself. However, trying to achieve that confidence while taking risks with your health is misguided.


ABOUT: Brian Drake is the author of The Rogue Gentleman. His audio commentaries will soon air on RadioSlot.Com. Follow him on Twitter @BrianDrake75