I'm Fat - So What!!!!!

This is me in October 2001, right before bariatric surgery. I weighed in at 269 lbs. I lost 130 lbs., or one complete person! I had tried every diet imaginable and had given up. After a year of research, I finally decided to go this route. I know it's not for everyone but it worked for me. I have gained back approximately thirty pounds in the past 7 or so years. So I can truly say I've been fat most of my life and I totally understand the ramifications of weight on our general health.

The article following came from this past Sunday's Parade Magazine. It makes me furious to think that the government has plans for watching what we eat!!! I am totally for less government, not more intrusion into our "private" lives! We'd better pay close attention, folks, or we are truly going to be sorry.

How Other Countries Fight Fat

While many governments struggle to keep their citizens nourished, the leaders of wealthy nations are trying to get theirs to eat less. In Japan, health officials check the waistlines of citizens over 40, and those considered too fat undergo diet counseling. Failure to slim down can lead to fines. New Zealand has rules barring people it deems too fat from immigrating to the country.

In Great Britain - where 60% of men and 50% of women are expected to be obese by mid-century - residents of some cities are being recruited to wear electronic tracking tags to calculate how much they move each day and how many calories they burn. Daily exercisers will be rewarded with store coupons and even days off from work. Britain's National Health Service is paying for at least 30,000 weight-loss classes.

Germany plans to spend $47 million on health-eating and sports programs and to set tougher nutritional standards for school lunches. The government is also asking candy makers to stop targeting young children and encouraging software companies to develop games that force players to move. Does the U.S. need a government-backed effort to end obesity???
Vote at Parade.com/intel.