Why you should avoid the “new normal” at all costs

Is fat the new normal? That’s an honest question for the world to ponder. But before you answer yes or no, there are a few things I want you to consider…

Like the fact that seats in waiting rooms, theaters, and other public venues are slowly doubling in size. Arm rests are disappearing so people don’t overflow into the next seat.

And take a look at clothing: Women’s dress sizes have shifted dramatically. For example, what was once a size 12 is now a 10. The same is true for men’s clothing. (I am considered an extra-small in many shops now, which is just absurd.)

These are just a few examples of the distortion at hand.

The dangerous consequences of “resizing” America

This country is in the midst of a horrible obesity epidemic. And instead of fighting it tooth and nail the way we should, we’re resizing everything around us to accommodate it.

This strategy has ushered in an era of “fat acceptance.” But all I see is “fat resignation.” Because while I genuinely applaud the demand for inclusion across all facets of life, things get tricky when weight is involved.

To be clear, overweight and obese people deserve to live their lives just like everyone else. Discrimination, bias, and shame are never acceptable. And people should be taking a stand over it.

Especially because obese and overweight people aren’t totally to blame for their so-called “bad habits.” Low-fat dogma has dominated for decades now, trapping people in a dangerous dietary web of sugar and processed food. And we all know that Big Food and Big Agribusiness are doing everything in their power to keep it that way.

But that doesn’t mean we have to resize the world. And we do so at our own risk.

The smoking gun behind deadly disease

Obesity is the leading cause of a dizzying list of health problems in this country. It’s worsening arthritis and driving the diabetes epidemic. It’s fanning the flames of inflammation, leading to higher rates of cancer, dementia, and everything in between.

And the only solution to this increasingly deadly epidemic is to help people lose weight… and keep it off.

At the end of the day, there’s a space between shame and acceptance — and that’s the line we should be walking. Because fat is deadly, and we can’t afford to accept it as normal. But shaming obese people isn’t the only other option.

Compassion and consistency over judgment

Let’s face it: A good half of Americans are overweight, and they’re obviously struggling. Judgment and criticism is not going to help them struggle any less.

But knowledgeable, compassionate, and consistent guidance will.

There are so many tools at our disposal. Yet there are also so many mixed messages and competing points of view, it can easily confuse people, which leads to inconsistency.

We tell people they need to diet to lose weight… but then we give them backwards nutritional advice, make junk food cheaper, and enable delusion with vanity sizing. That’s not exactly what I’d call a national commitment to better health through weight loss.

What we really need is a societal shift. We need to let people know that there’s nothing shameful about obesity. But that it’s still lethal. Which is why the behaviors that lead to it — whether it’s overeating, under-exercising, or both — need to stop today.

It may be common, but obesity shouldn’t be accepted as normal, much less healthy. We must keep fighting this fight — and so long as I live and breathe, I will continue to do my part.

If I had my way, my A-List Diet book would be required reading at every doctor’s office. But in the meantime, the best I can do is urge you to pick up your own copy today.

Experience the difference that lasting weight loss can make in your own life and health. And when you encounter someone else who is struggling, don’t judge… share the solution instead.

P.S. In addition to my A-List Diet, I’ve also created a drug-free plan for preventing and reversing metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and prediabetes. It’s called the Metabolic Repair Protocol, and you can learn more about it by clicking here.

 

Source:

medscape.com/viewarticle/896057