I am Responsible for What I Eat

I am hungry. Not because of a lack of food but because I need to be. You see while I am on my injured reserve I have decided that I need to cut back on my food consumption. I think this is a problem that is uniquely American and it is both a blessing and a curse.

I have battled my weight for many years and it is due to a definite lack of will power. It is my problem and not the fault of anyone else, I ate my way into this problem. I do not blame my fellow farmers and ranchers for my weighty problem, nor do I blame food processors or even the fast food restaurants. Therefore, it is my responsibility to change my habits.

Only in America would we have a problem with too much food. Only in America would we have enough food that we could over-process food into snacks and only in America could we blame the farmers, ranchers, processors and restaurant owners for our over-eating. When in reality it is our own fault.

We have a choice of the most healthy, nutritious foods and often they are right at our fingertips. We should have the best diets of any people in the world, however, we chose to eat poorly. I admit it, I love to eat. I enjoy a great diversity of food. I eat my fruits, veggies, lean meats (including beef and pork) and whole grains but I also have a fiendish sweet tooth and an attraction to unhealthy foods.

So we now hear about the need to regulate foods, tax unhealthy offerings and remove all sweets from our schools. Anything remotely unhealthy is ostracized. I ask, what happened to personal responsibility? When I was a child those foods were there, but my mother understood nutrition and only let us have them on special occasions. Now we feel that the government must make our choices for us and our children because we are not able too.

I don't know about you but rather than relying on our government to regulate our nutrition, I think we need to take responsibility for our own health. I plan to use my current immobility to combat my weak will power and change my habits. Foods do not need to be banned or taxed, rather we need to realize our eating habits are a personal decision and not a subject for government regulation.

What is my point? I think three things need to happen. First, our farmers and ranchers need to be praised and revered not scolded and criticized for producing the bounty we have in this country. Second, it is not the government's place to be the food cops. Finally, we need to each be responsible for our own choices and the choices of our children. Then and only then, we will each defeat the problem of obesity.