"If you had cancer, would you take two hours for chemotherapy?"

                                                              The Biggest Loser

If you watched The Biggest Loser last night, you heard this quote (or thereabouts) spoken by the doctor to one of the male contestants. They were talking about his medical testing results and the doctor made that comment. When he did, you could see the surprise in the contestant's face and his response was he would.

It made me think. If I had cancer or some medical issue that made me change my habits, would I do it? Obviously, I would do what I had to in order to stay healthy. I would do chemo, I would take medication, I would do whatever I needed to so that I could live as long as possible. I would even do needles (I hate needles, with a passion). I mean, I base this on my little issue with milk. I found I'm slightly allergic to milk, I break out around my mouth and cheeks when I drink milk directly or eat ice cream. I know it's nothing earth shattering, but it is a random "medical" issue I've been dealing with for the last year and a half. 

Being overweight is a medical condition. There is a "cure" - eat healthy and exercise more. It's not always a fun one. Who wouldn't rather be eating donuts and sitting watching tv...or in my case reading a book? But, the doctor was right. If you had a medical condition, you would do what you needed to. If you were diabetic, you would reduce your sugar intake. If you had a heart condition, you would limit your salt and reduce stress. If you had cancer, you would do chemotherapy as prescribed  by your doctor. 

This quote is what I need to remember when I want to eat something I shouldn't (like the Hershey's nuggets I had after lunch...) or when I want to bail on my trip to the gym. Why do we not consider being overweight/obese as a medical condition? Is it because so many people are now overweight/obese we think it's the norm? According to the American Cancer Society, 1.6 million people would be diagnosed with cancer in 2012. The number of overweight people in the U.S. is approximately 103.8 million (based on the CDC estimate that over 1/3 of Americans are overweight/obese and the U.S. population based on the U.S. Census numbers). If those 1.6 million people are doing all they can to combat their diagnosis of cancer, why are the 103.8 million people not doing all they can to combat being overweight/obese? 

I need to remember this. I need to remember, I don't need two hours of exercise a day to combat the extra pounds I carry around on my body. I need to make better health choices and I need to be active 4 days a week for 30 minutes. If I can do more, great. If I can't, then I need to be forgiving and move forward. 

Does this quote make you think? Do you think it will help you make better choices?