TopFatLossTrainer Perspective Post:  A Society In Desperate Need of Help…by Brian Utley

Hope everyone out there is having a great Labor Day.  I love this weekend.  It means cooling temperatures and the start of college football season, which is the most anticipated time of the year down south in Alabama where I live, especially with the Tide coming off their championship season and Saban nation at the top of the polls again.

As for me, my allegiance doesn’t lie with my home state.  I’m a Notre Dame Fighting Irish fan and was relieved to see them get out of the gates strong against Purdue after a string of mediocre years.

Another part of my weekend included my wife and I driving over to Atlanta to spend the day at the White Water park.  Slides, slides, and more slides…nothing like playing teenager again for a day!!

But, while I was enjoying my time at the park, I was also very discouraged.  Why?  Because I was witnessing our country’s obesity rates before my very eyes.

According to the most recent statistics, 34 percent of American adults and 17 percent of children are obese.  The adult percentage has doubled in the past 30 years, while the percentage of obese children has tripled during the same time period.

As a country, our 34 percent obesity rate ranks as the HIGHEST in the world, comfortably ahead of Mexico, the UK, Slovakia, and Greece.  Meanwhile, Japan and South Korea are near the bottom with figures under 5 percent.

As alarming as those numbers are, my own eyeball test at the park suggests that number is actually low relative to the reality of the situation.

One is considered obese when their body mass index (ratio of height to weight) is 30 or greater.  Now, I am aware of the flaws in figuring body mass index, since it doesn’t consider muscle mass, but the numbers still reveal an alarming epidemic across this country.

And, it’s not like our government isn’t aware of the problem and hasn’t tried to address it.  A decade ago federal health officials set a goal to have no more than 15 percent of people in our country obese by 2010…we have failed miserably.

It’s important to realize that the tone of my post is NOT, “fat people suck” or “what a bunch of losers.”  Not at all.

Listen, I was blessed with good genetics, played sports when I was young, and grew up in a household where sensible eating was part of our daily lives.  So, the foundation was laid early for me to live the lean body lifestyle that I enjoy today.

But, there are millions out there who haven’t had these advantages, and sadly enough, they’re suffering the consequences of it on a daily basis.

I realize I’m speaking to the choir, because if you’re on this site you’re more than likely in great shape or on your way.  But, my point is that we all know our share of people who fall under the obesity category and go through their daily routines feeling self-conscious about the way they look and can’t enjoy the same quality of life that we do.

I really felt for those I came across at the park who clearly were uncomfortable walking around with all their flaws on display.  The really sad thing is that most of them have given up, because they’ve reached a point of no return in their minds.

They associate more pain with taking the action to get in shape than the pleasure of actually looking great and living healthy, and it shouldn’t be like this.

I don’t want to be over dramatic here and suggest that Brad and I are starting a revolution, but we’re certainly trying to make a difference.

Yes, this is an “advanced” fat loss site, so much of the workout content isn’t applicable to an obese person at first, but there is definitely an entry point and motivating evidence available for those looking to finally take action and sustain it.

I know that steering an obese person toward anything related to getting in shape can be uncomfortable, because you don’t want to offend them.  So, share these posts on social media sites, and keep exposing the people in need to the content indirectly.

We can only hope that sooner or later curiosity will get the best of them, and they’ll make the most important click-through of their lives.

Your Coach,

Brian Utley

Ultimate bodyweight workouts: SEALs Workout

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