With me being on holidays and in recovery mood from racing I'm going to go completely off topic tonight. It is still sort of related. My buddy Craig had mentioned it once when he was down for a race. He said in a not so quiet voice at a restaurant "man everyone here is fat". You know what, he is right. This obesity issue is dramatic and getting worst. So this is my two cents worth on this problem.

Is it food? Is it physical activity? I chatted about it with Mom one time on the way to a race. Now she said she was completely inactive as a teen and didn't eat all that great. Now with that said, the bad foods in the 50's and 60's is no where near the bad foods we eat now. Hell some people don't even realize that they are eating bad food. With advertising etc. Lets put it this way. If you can buy that meal at a restaurant that has a drive thru window it is probably not good for you. I know that they say everything is good in moderation but I think we need to look at what we are moderating. You do need to treat yourself and I know myself I can't give up my beer. But I still eat as healthy as I can. McDonalds hmmmmm ya right. Not just for the general public but if you are a athlete and eat this
crap why bother training. Everything you just did was counter acted with all the crap you just ate.

Speaking of drive thru's Are you that dam lazy. Tim Hortons lineups 15 cars deep but no one in the lobby. Well it does make it faster for me. These are the little things that do burn all those excess calories. Walking into a restaurant instead
of sitting on your fat ass. We have gotten into a world of convenience that has made things almost to easy. Have you ever noticed that you very rarely have to open a door anymore. Its all automated. Lucky that we don't rely on our arms to do much.

This leads into the inactivity of our generation. When I was a kid it was playing outside all the time. Now technology is great and I love my laptop BUT when did playing a game of basketball on the computer beat out playing the real thing in the school yard. In the summer it was racing up to the school after dinner for a couple hours of hoops or in the winter playing hockey. I never see that anymore. Now what has caused that. I know that they had eliminated physical education from the school a few years back but have since reinstated it. Hell that was my best subject in school. It was also a stress relief. Is it that parents are afraid to let their kids out of their sight thinking that someone may steal their child. Awww whats a couple lost kids for the cause. Just kidding. Is it that all sports need to be structured and protected. kids can't just play because they might get hurt. Back to the a few lost for the greater cause.

I laugh at some of the attitudes of people involving health. Actually that's a bad way of phrasing it. It scares the crap out of me that my tax dollars are going to a bottomless pit because people don't take care of themselves. Some say that sports are expensive. No they are not. A pair of shoes is all that is needed to go for a walk. Its the little things that you can do to make it better. Don't try to get that close parking spot at the mall. If you need that coffee park the car and walk in. I can guarantee that you will be out in 1/4 the time as the people in dive thru and you are also causing less impact on the environment.

I heard a really interesting report from a private health insurance company. They are adding a surcharge to their premiums for people that smoke, high blood pressure, over weight etc. Normally I hate insurance companies. I own a company and deal and give them lots of money. This is the first time I totally agree. When I did my physical for my own personal insurance and they called me to say they will lower my rate because of my extremely good health I was happy. Now I work hard at being healthy so why shouldn't I be rewarded. I don't strain the health system because of heart attacks, etc. Why shouldn't it be the other way. people that neglect to take care of themselves should have to pay more because of that. I'm a former smoker and lived the total crap food life so I know from experience. They have proven the effects of obesity on the system. There are reports out the claiming that the generation of kids growing now will more than likely die before their parents do. Now even with all our amazing modern medicine it still comes to the fact that you can not put crap in your body with out seeing bad results. My training partner Molly (the dog) started eating the cats food for a couple months. It took a bit for me to catch it but her energy level dropped and she started to get fat. This is a high strung dog that now just wanted to sleep. She is all back to normal but it was the same effect as someone who lived on ice cream. It tastes so good but doesn't do much for your health. Maybe people believe that modern medicine will find a cure for everything. Are people that naive? Take some pride in yourself.

For those that say I don't have the time. That's B.S. put down the cookies and make time. For those that say that you are to tired, well exercise give you energy. There are a few that do have uncontrollable reason for being over weight but for the general population there is no reason for it.

All right I'm done ranting for now. Lets crack open a bag of potato chips and dip it in chocolate sauce covered ice cream. Ya right.