I'm all for reducing obesity. But there is a persistent myth that people who are overweight are exactly like people who aren't, except that they're too lazy to restrict their diet. In fact, overweight people frequently battle a slower metabolism that other people don't have. Even the kind of person who is willing to struggle and suffer to stay on a diet undoubtedly has genes that contribute to that condition that others don't have the benefit of. Genes don't affect just physical traits, but also mental ones. If some riders are willing to train much harder than other riders, you don't think this willingness is partly the result of genes?
It's very easy to look at others and say, why can't they do what I do so easily? While ignoring that all of us have things that we find very, very, very difficult to overcome, and which are easy for others to overcome. Staying thin comes very easy for me, including not over-eating even when I might like to on occasion. I don't delude myself that that's because of some magic will power that has nothing at all to do with my genetic makeup.
Genes? Slower metabolism? Don't get me started on this. Heck, I don't have the greatest genes (never could make it as a pro athlete) and have a slow metabolism. My parents were overweight and my father died of heart disease in his early 50s. I'm no spring chicken either, and sustained some significant injuries in a car accident 3 yrs ago. There are days I can barely get out of bed because of PTOA but somehow find the mental strength to get to the gym or go out for a ride or run. Plus I experienced a death with an immediate family member 6 yrs ago that tore our family apart and virtually gave me a nervous breakdown where I could have easily quit working out, start drinking excessively and pigged out on bad food all day.
You'll find many people who have bad genes & slow metabolism and have let themselves get obese. But through will power & mental fortitude have committed to a lifestyle of healthy nutrition & excercise losing tremendous amounts of weight. I've seen this many times over the years at the gym - incredible success stories. Old people, disabled people, people with PTSD, etc., all committed to losing weight and becoming healthy. For example, go look at Drew Carey's story - from obese and a diabetic to healthy, fit, & aerobically strong due to a commitment of healthy nutrition & daily excercise.
The majority of the obese in this country simply don't care and refuse to take personal responsibility for their health. As I said before, obesity is a
preventive condition. And more & more young people are getting obese as well. It's estimated that ~40% of Americans are obese, which is deplorable! The thing that irks me is when I see a morbidly obese person in a store rolling around in a scooter with their cart full of the most unhealthy, toxic food known to mankind. I think to myself; I have to wear a mask and probably be forced to take Covid vaccine (I live in a strong
Leftist state) to protect these people, who take no responsibility for their health and expect others to protect them. And the sad irony is the vaccine may not even be effective for this group!
Researchers fear that vaccines might not be as effective in people who are obese, a population already highly vulnerable to COVID-19.
www.nature.com
On a focus protection strategy, this is one main group that needs to be locked down & shielded. It doesn't do any good with them out in the general public suspectable to getting infected and having a very high risk of complications. A lot of these ICU hospitalizations that are occurring and has gripped the nation in fear are obese people (as well as the elderly with pre-existing conditions who are on multiple medical drugs and have fragile immune systems).
No baseball player has so far, but ask Freddie Freeman about his experience. He thought he was going to die. And there are players who had to drop out of the season because of complications.
Yes...I've read the Freeman story several times and I have a perspective on it. His symptoms are identical to influenza. Remember the big flu outbreak with the Red Sox back in April, 2017? Several players and coaches came down with the flu missing several games. For example, Hanley Ramirez was very sick with a fever of 104 degrees (the same temp Freeman reported). Like Freeman, no one was hospitalized and they recovered with no complications moving on. No quarantines...no mass testing...no shutting down the season.
Furthermore, when my son & I had a severe case of seasonal flu back in the first week of February (remember we debated some issues on that), my symptoms were near identical to Freeman's. His fever at one point was 104.5 - mine was around 103. However, Freeman said he only lost
one (1) pound - I lost 12 pounds! Neither one of us required hospitalization and have recovered with no complications. He's 31 and I'm on the short side of 60.
IMO, this was a classic example of the MSM overhyping & blowing out of proportion a "Covid" case with a high-profile professional athlete for the
"shock & awe" effect (it seems to have had this effect on you). Arguably, I was more sick than he was but having severe flu symptoms these days can't stand a chance against the media's induced-Covid hype with athletes.