Enabling and Taking Responsibility.

I wasn't sure which of the many topics in my head and my inbox to expand on until I turned on the television and got engulfed in TLC's "Half Ton Dad", Half Ton Mom", and "Half Ton Teens", I KNEW I had my topic.
1022 pound young father? A 29 year old mom who is 900 pounds? 800 pound 19 year old?  573 pound 16 year old? 700 pound 18 yr old? Wake up people!

Obesity rates in the United States are among the highest in the world. According to the CDC, 64% of adults are overweight or obese, and 26% are obese. It estimates that the number of obese American adults has been rising steadily, from 19.4% in 1997, 24.5% in 2004 to 26.6% in 2007. Should current trends continue, 75% of adults in the United States are projected to be overweight and 41% obese by 2015.
The economic cost attributable to obesity in the United States has been estimated to be as high as $99.2 billion in 1995, with $51.64 billion attributable to direct medical costs.Researchers for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and RTI International estimate that in 2003, obesity-attributable medical expenditures reached $75 billion.

It's not like these people woke up one day and weighed 400 pounds. Barring medical reasons (which none of them had), they have to take reponsibility for their action. The "Half Ton Mom" paid with her life, leaving behind a husband, an 8yr old daughter and a 13 yr old daught who both have weight struggles. Murphey, the 18 year old, paid with his life as well.  But SOMEONE was bringing them donuts, cakes, cookies, sodas and pizza. They couldnt even walk, except for the 16 yr old. Their mothers played a GREAT role in their problems. I watched in HORROR as the moms made hot dogs and lasagna for them, after the doctor told them no more. John orders hot wings, pizza, curly fries, and cheesecake, in ONE MEAL. Mom enables them for everything: they did NOTHING for themselves: 19 yrs old, 800 pounds, and didnt know how to BATHE himself. Moms and other various family members brought them everything they wanted. Everything kept at arms length or a yelled "mom!" away. At what point do we stop enableing our children and make them take responsibility? Even 18 yr old Murpheys death didnt make these people open their eyes. Not the death of Renee, the 29 yr old mom, and not the news from the doctor of their own impending death.
These kids ENTIRE life was in their bedrooms: Video games, Television, Computers, Internet, Cell phones..it's all robbing our children and others of growing up the things that MADE our child hood: Remember playing Kickball in the streets? HA! We would RUN home off the school buss so that we could get our homework done, so we could go out and play kickball in the streets. Home plate was an old aluminum can that someone threw on the side of the road, and second base was that jagged crack in the street. :-) We played tether ball and hide-and-go-seek.We played basketball, and touch foot ball. We played games outside that we made up. "Ok. We run to the tree and find a big rock and then run back and put it on the bucket. The last one to get back is a rotten egg!" We couldnt get lost in the internet, or Video games. OH. We HAD video games. (Remember Atari?) But the concept of sitting at home doing NOTHING wasnt an option.

Our children are dying. They are getting Lazier every day and have this sense of entitlement. Do you cook seperate meals for your children than you do for you? DO you have the snack drawer or cabinet that is for the kids? WHY? If YOU can't eat it because it's crap, why are you letting THEM eat it?
WE need to do something about this. Because, overweight/obese children, turn into overweight/obese adults...if they live that long. I could go into all the different health problems and issues obesity causes..but you already know about them.Take responsibilty: for ourself and our children. DO NOT enable them or their destructive behavior.

I STRONGLY encourage EVERYONE to get moving! Be active.Let your children see you being active. Involve them in activities. DO WHATEVER you need to do to prevent this EPIDEMIC from spreading. Make it a family activity. After dinner, the whole family goes for a walk, a bike ride, something. Okay,Sunday is family day. That is FABULOUS. It doesnt have to be a movie, vegging out, and pizza. Go places. Go to the park and have a family picnic with frisbee and volleyball. WHATEVER. Just get moving.
I am on day 7 of my Beach Body Fitness Journey.I hope to show you that no matter HOW busy life gets, you have to make time for health and fitness. You may follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/mzfitbitch), or on my Beach Body BlogSpot (www.karensbeachbody.blogspot.com).

Yours in Health, Fitness, and Wellness,
Karen Williams-deCastro~CPT