We hear so much about the mechanical side of weight loss in society today. Diets, programs, surgeries, treatments… most of what I have talked about on this blog has been very mechanical, how to and results oriented.

Today I’m going to share an experience the other day that brought about a reaction in me unlike anything I’ve experienced before. Based on this response I think that, perhaps, the scary side of being severely overweight is starting to register with me. I think that’s a good thing…

My wife and I like to eat! We always have and probably always will. One of the aspects of eating that we have had to change to meet the objective of thinning down is WHERE we eat. Instead of eating at buffet style restaurants where fried, greasy and high sodium food is the choice, we now only frequent those places where we can eat right.

Anyway, the other day we decided to run up to Souplantation (Sweet Tomatoes) to have our main meal. Each time we go there the place is busy, which is a good thing considering that it’s good for you.

I’ve been to Souplantation several times since we moved to San Diego. Each time we go we see people of all shapes and sizes there (for whatever reason) and, up until the other day, I never gave it a second thought.

As we enjoyed our lunch the other day, my wife got up to grab a bowl of soup and I couldn’t help but notice a severely overweight woman across the way feeding her child. What horrified me was the fact that this child (sitting in a high chair, no more than two years old, probably younger) was struggling and pulling away from his mother as she tried to feed him. What was even more disturbing is that this child (at the age of two) looked to be (easily) 20 pounds heavier than he should have been.

At first I was enraged at the mothers ignorance at how much (and what) she was putting in his mouth. Here we are at one of the healthiest restaurants on the planet and she’s shoving pasta and cheese in this kids face like he’s never going to eat again. As I continued to watch I saw her dinner guest return to the table. As the guest tended to the child, the over weight woman got up to make another trip to wherever. I was shocked to see, after she had moved, how much food she had stocked on that table. My anger toward her turned to empathy when I saw that, because I’ve been there. I was never a food stacker, I was a plate stacker. I’d make several trips and stack plates instead, but it’s the same thing.

What this all boils down to is addiction. I could easily relate to the comfort she sought in food for what could be one of a thousand reasons. What was sad was to see that addiction projected upon an innocent child who is being set up for a life of pain and ridicule if it doesn’t stop. Seeing this happen in front of my made me want to yell, cry, scold, warn… interesting feelings for a guy who tries to cover everything with a sense of humor.

What’s really starting to bother me and fuel my passion for helping people overcome obesity is the fact that this disease is becoming socially acceptable. I’ve been there. I’ve been at the juncture where the “I, and others, should love me for me and I don’t care what anyone thinks” mindset has been my crutch in all of this. This might make a few people angry but what’s a blog without a little controversy. Simply put, the excuses come from a bullshit mentality. Every last one of us has the ABILITY to change our mind, it comes down to a choice to do so. In most cases it’s not a matter of can’t, it’s a matter of WON’T!

It doesn’t matter what you try to tell yourself, abusing your body is not socially acceptable. I’ve been watching (sorry to admit) this new “More To Love” reality show on TV (affectionately referred to by my wife and I as “The Fat Bachelor”) and have been amazed by some of the things people will say to justify the mistreatment of themselves with food. I look at myself in pictures and on video now, and even though I’ve made decent progress, I’m still embarrassed by the way I look. I find it hard to believe that those who try to excuse it away don’t feel the same, especially when they openly admit their self consciousness when wearing a bathing suit.

This blog post doesn’t really have much of a point, I guess… kind of rambling and ranting here, but let me try to sum it up so someone can benefit from this. I think the point here is that when you make the conscious decision to change your mind and work through the pain and discomfort that comes with a weight loss mission, your eyes are opened to things that you never saw before because wherever you looked, the reflection was the same. When that reflection begins to change, it could very well mean that after years of trying, the change is significant enough to believe that you might just finally be making progress!

Have a great Saturday!

Rex