"What Caused You to Get Fat?"

On one of the forums that I frequent, one geared towards weight-loss and healthy living, someone asked the question “What caused you to get fat?” Instead of answering there, I thought I’d blog about it.

I read through a slew of excuses. People blamed kids, injuries, over-eating, depression, laziness, and even gremlins. You can go read the thread here. Or just skip it. I would.

The thing is, no my own weight gain sneaked up on me. I gained weight because I wasn't paying attention. One day, I was the picture of health. The next day, a few years later, I was a mush ball of goo, more like a picture of fuzzy jello. That isn't exactly true, and there were many contributing factors, including the above mentioned (except maybe the gremlins). But the biggest contributor was that I wasn't living my life. Life was running me, and I was just going through the motions.

I can't say that one day I just woke up and said "@$%&, I'm fat!" Because I didn't. I didn't even wake up and say "@$%&, I'm not living my life!" It was a long process. Or, I should say, it has been and continues to be a long process.

I started waking up around Christmas 2010, and still doing so. And it is changing my whole life, not just my fitness level. I slide, on occasion, or often, back into old habits. Much of this week has been like that, leaving me pretty angry with myself.

That's how I got fat.

Why's it always gotta be FOOD?

Okay, I'm not trying to put down something nice that someone else did for me. I really do appreciate it. Just, in the future, let it not be food.

My in-laws took our little family, as a birthday present to my wife and I, out to dinner tonight at a Brazilian restaurant. It was delicious. I served the Lord for two years in Brasil. I love the people and the food. It was a great gift, for a guy that hasn't committed himself to becoming healthy and losing all of the extra weight he's been carrying around.

My real annoyance is this: That every little milestone in life must be commemorated with oodles of fatty, sugary foods.

Why?

Why are we so addicted to stuffing our faces at every happy, sad, or mildly interesting occasion?

Okay, actually, I do know why. But I want to break out of that. I no longer want anything to do with it. I don't want cake on birthdays, or popcorn at movies. I don't want funeral potatoes at funerals. Or that soapy tasting chocolate shaped like a temple at weddings. Candy and chocolate at Easter, Halloween, Valentines and Christmas. I want out. From all of it. I was as guilty as the next guy of pushing the fatty, sugary, chocolaty treats. How many times did I buy a box of chocolates on Valentine's Day for my wife, while she struggled to lose her extra pounds. What a horrible husband I was.

I do want to continue to enjoy the occasional dessert, in moderation. I'll have a chocolate something or other, or a few Ju-Ju Fruits (Twinkies and jelly beans are banned forever). But I don't want them nearly as much as they are pushed at me.

Let's, instead of having cake, play games. Instead of chocolate bunnies, lets spend time together. Instead of fudge and chocolate dipped pretzels for your neighbors, how about a bowl of fruit, or a heartfelt gift.

Now, I just need to be careful climbing down off this soapbox...

...and onto a treadmill.