Symptom, not Disease

Being Overweight is Not A Choice

I write today of a sensitive topic, and one most of my confidence issues stem from. I read an article yesterday coming out against plus sized people being considered role models because they made the choice.

Let me tell you a thing.

Eating disorders don't just come in anorexia and bulemia.

There's also binge eating when stressed.

Bullied from a young age, that is where the bulk of my weight came from. Stress eating.

Until recently my weight had been steady at 250 pounds.

For years. A decade, easily.

Losing weight in modern age is not easy. Finding time to work out as a student or full time worker is complicated before you add other factors.

Fact: Carbs and processed foods are way cheaper then vegetables and fruits.

I have taken to juicing lately though I haven't in a few days. The juicing equipment needs cleaned and my land lady flips out whenever she sees someone in the kitchen doing anything. More on that in a minute.

A head of lettuce costs $1.25.

I might be able to make part of a meal out of it.

A pack of ramen is 20 cents. For one head of lettuce I can have 6 packs of ramen. Tada I can eat 6 meals instead of half of one.

Fruit juice: $2 is a grand deal. Maybe for half a liter. Maybe a whole liter.

A 2 liter bottle of soda is $1.

A pack of cookies is a dollar.

A bag of grapes is 7 dollars.

Gyms are $10-$15 a month. Running and walking only works in the right climate.

The world has put a price tag on eating healthy.  Lets not talk about fast food joints or restaurants that reflect the same thing-nutrition costs twice the price easily.

Lets ignore that when people are in situations with limited kitchen access, their options are eat badly or starve.

We definitely shouldn't consider how biologically your body will try to stay larger once you get there.

No. I did not choose to shove all the food into my tummy.

I hung out with friends and the options were pizza and chips. There were no salads and fruits.

I panicked and stressed and ate.

I don't have money for a gym and I live in New England.

One dollar can get me a lot of things at the drive thru-but a salad isn't one of them.

Obesity is not the disease. It is a symptom.

In order to be rid if it, we need to reverse it all.

Make gym memberships affordable-5 dollars a month or less, so the annual tag is only 65, not 125.

Make fruits, that literally grow on trees, cheaper.

Increase the minimum wage so I don't have to choose between nutrition and defaulting on a bill.

Obesity is not the disease. It is a symptom.