Obesity, the preventable epidemic
By Caroline Neeley Special to the Acorn

Do you remember the slogan from those old trash bag commercials? You know, the big black trash bags you could stuff everything into, including the kitchen sink, until it bulged in every direction? The slogan was: "Tough enough to overstuff."

That was me in my early 20s, at 5 feet 5 inches, tipping the scales at a whopping 160 pounds. I ate anything that moved, winked or tried to run away. Nothing was safe if my belly was rumbling.

I gave my weight problem a wee bit more thought after a day of being called "hefty" and "tough enough to overstuff" by my older brother. I took a long, hard look in the mirror at my folds, layers and overstuffed body. Yes, I was a big fat lump.

As cruel as my brother's insults were, he got me to reevaluate how I was destroying my body and hurting those around me. My will to succeed and drive to prove that my brother was wrong about me became a central motivator in my life. I immediately stopped eating fattening garbage.

I went on a strict diet and began exercising again after an obviously long dry spell.

Seventy four percent of Americans over the age of 15 are fat. In fact, obesity has become as rampant here in America as the great flu epidemic that ravished Glasgow, Scotland, in 1917, where thousands of people died, including my great-grandpa.

Unlike the flu epidemic, which couldn't be prevented due to the lack of medical advances, obesity can be prevented and treated by today's medical professionals. Yet our nation keeps getting fatter despite the additional help that's offered through diet and nutrition books, fatburning pills and fitness gurus who tout exercise not only for the body but for the mind as well.

It is my humble opinion that the No. 1 reason people are getting fatter is laziness, followed closely by nonchalant attitudes toward eating healthier. The lamest explanation I find is "low willpower." Nonsense! If there is a will, there's always a way. It starts with saying no to unhealthy snacks and substituting fruits or vegetables.

America has become a society dependent on large meals, often complaining when a serving of food seems too small. Restaurants have steadily increased the overall size of their meals, with soups, salads and appetizers often large enough to feed an army. Yet we're compelled to purchase and eat appetizers, entrees and dessert, along with the accompanying bread baskets, despite our bellies telling us they're full.

Perhaps we do this not because we are used to having large meals but because we want to get our money's worth. Remember, it isn't always what you eat that affects your weight. Often it's how much you eat and lack of exercise.

To my knowledge, there are not too many people who get fat from eating vegetables and fruit and more fish and poultry. Let's face it: People are eating larger portions and more junk food and exercising less. Obesity can cause Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and premature heart problems, even in children.

It can be prevented by changing your diet, attitude and exercise. Please consult your doctor before you begin your transformation if you're grossly overweight.

Oh, and by the way, I have stayed at a comfortable 120 pounds for the past 20 years.

Caroline Neeley is a conflict negotiator, anger management counselor and motiviational speaker. She can be reached at (805) 484-5134.