Posted on 04/17/2005 8:10:16 AM PDT by qam1
I understand where you are coming from. I used to be on the "other side" of this issue myself. I was one of those who scoffed at the "health nuts" who'd go out jogging everyday and spend extra money on natural and whole foods.
I got to the point where I weighed over 300 pounds and I couldn't climb a flight of stairs without huffing and puffing. My doctor said I was on the road to a certain heart attack and type II diabetes. This was clearly no way to live.
When I started exercising everyday and eating right, I cannot put into words how much better I felt. It was without a doubt the most important thing I ever did in my life.
I lost over 100 pounds, my chronic back pain disappeared, my cholesterol went down to 171 and I have zero signs of heart disease and diabetes. I now have tons and tons of energy and my own kids have trouble keeping up with me.
But like you, I'm not going to be preachy either. I'm not going to force my opinions on anybody and I'm not going to advocate any kind of "nanny" government. But I can say from experience that those who take pride in their unhealthful ways and think they are going to beat the odds are only fooling themselves. Eventually, their unhealthful ways will catch up to them. And then they will become a burden on our already overtaxed society.
I look at people my age (I'm in my early 40s) who are already popping a half-dozen pills a a day and are being treated for chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. They are costing the rest of us a fortune by driving up the cost of health insurance. As well, they are cheating themselves of a well-lived life. But I will maintain my "live and let live" attitude lest I be accused of being a health nazi. I will just be thankful that I was able to see the light.
I may drink too much, but at least I don't smoke.
I may cheat on my taxes, but at least I'm not a lush.
I may steal office supplies from my employer, but at least I don't file phony workmen's comp claims.
Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera ....
ROFL
Smoke marijuana and lose weight? Those twelve points are deep. Too deep to grasp, too deep to understand.
Why not something simple and easy to remember, like, “I’d walk a mile to smoke a Camel”, which what the Fokker Triplane pilots of the German Flying Corps said during the Great War, meaning a Sopwith Camel, of course.
Thanks a lot. This thread made me think I wanna go outside for a smoke now. Ok brb.
The article about her was a real "PUFF" piece.
IMO, we're overtaxed because of an apathetic populace unwilling to fight against government's costly (yet mainly ineffective) social programs and their never ending quest to intrude further into peoples' lives.
We should be fighting to end that, not fighting with each other over who is, or is not, costing someone else money.
Congratulations on the weight loss.
You are correct...........but I get annoyed with the sanctimonious types who think they know better about someone else's health than the person themselves - particularly when they don't even know them.
I have never advocated that tobacco use is the healthiest thing in the world for one to do - but it is also not the most unhealthy thing to do either. Although you wouldn't know it listening to the anti-smokers.
As the list of the "12 steps" from this article show - they have all intentions of using the identical, often fraudulent, tactics on diet and excersize as they did to tobacco.
Those of us who have been fighting the battle on tobacco have been predicting this for years, and for years we have been laughed at - well I hate to say I told you so...........but
My, how smarmy of you. We all die of something, and who knows when it will be?
Could be that an obese smoker could go huffing and puffing past YOUR grave, chomping on a bag of Cheetos and saying, "All that tofu, wasted."
Cut it out, wouldja?
Granted my comments to johnmilken came across as a bit snippy - but please understand that it gets tiresome to be looked down upon because of different choices.
But that should not be the point being focussed on here in regard to this article.
The point is they are planning to do to folks who have not made the choices you 2 gentleman have regarding diet and fitness, exactly what they did to those of us who use tobacco. And much of that is the use of deceitful tactics.
They felt they weren't getting enough people to stop using tobacco - so they went for the guilt factor of how it is dangerous to people around who don't use it.........this is pure fabrication as there is no scientific evidence that exposure to tobacco smoke is harmful to otherwise healthy people who have no underlying health problems (such as asthma)
I'm all for promoting healthy lifestyles - but to do it with misinformation, flimsy statistics and in many cases outright lies is wrong.
That is what we should be dealing with here - not who cares more for their health. That is exactly what they are trying to do and we are falling into their divide and conquer trap.
Well, then, allow me...
Gabz told you so! :)
After the government takes care of the fat problem, what do you suppose they'll tackle next? Euthanasia for all of the "so damn healthy that they outlived their usefulness" crowd?
We all knew that once they 'thought' they conquered and controlled the smokers, they were going to start on someone else. We have tried and tried to warn everyone. But many people think that smokers are a big joke anyway and wouldn't listen to us.
Yea, right. But it might just add more years to their lives if these kids DID smoke. Lots of fatty's like this don't make it past 45-50.
Bet me!
Good Lord! And they say that smoker's stink? Haha!
Why don't you grow up. And just what is your relaxation of choice? Prescription drugs or booze?
And I believe in God. When my number is up it won't matter one iota if I ever smoked or not.
Here you go:
hehe :)
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