Editor's note: Americans may be living longer and even exercising a tad more, but they're not necessarily healthier, a study released Wednesday shows. Myriad reasons exist: too much bad food, too little good food, a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, drinking and just plain living in the wrong area of the country. Yahoo asked readers: What is your biggest obstacle in the way of a healthier you? Here's one response.
Tell us in the comments about your biggest health hurdle.
FIRST PERSON | There is no greater challenge to my health than controlling my weight. As the son of parents of above average height, I stand 6-foot-5 and will never be described as small. Weighing 290 pounds, however, my future is jeopardized by this hardship on my body. Alarmed how such risk affects my three young children, only improved eating and exercise provide real hope of better health.
I married and started a family in my mid-20s, and I previously made the prudent decision to quit smoking. I benefited from powerful motivation of fatherhood and proudly stopped cold turkey in 2004.
Weight was not then an obstacle. Taking my last smoke, I was 225 pounds and largely proportional to my height.
In two years that followed, my son became a toddler, a new daughter graced our lives, and we relocated to a new state, where a third child was born.
During those life-shaping times, I gained 50 pounds.
Though a new wardrobe was required, a busy life seemed a valid excuse to resist changing the lifestyle of frequent fast food, sugary drinks, unhealthy snacks, and unnecessarily large meals. I figured the weight would eventually disappear, just as it unexpectedly arrived.
That never happened. I accumulated another 15 pounds, before I plateaued at my current level in my early 30s.
Occasionally, I get a bug to exercise or shop healthily, but these decisions are never backed by commitment.
In addition to possessing an obese-level body mass index, I have been warned twice that my cholesterol is high. This alarms me, since I lost a grandfather, who I never met, to early age heart disease.
Sadly, other than occasional glances at nutrition facts, even these warnings have not produced change. I consume too much and exercise insufficiently.
I cannot honestly declare commitment to eliminating these deficiencies and overcoming their shallow excuses. But I realize such steps would be wise. I further recognize self-examination and public confession are tools to find willpower to improve.
At 36 years old, I'm blessed with a loving wife and great kids. They deserve the best husband and father I can provide. I cannot be that person at my current weight, as I'm not operating at full potential and risking future health too greatly.
Though my family needs me now, they will depend on me in 20 or 40 years. I want to live a long life. I want to witness future generations of Briscoes, as well as the exciting changes technology will surely bring.
Those desires must be greater than momentary satisfaction from a cheeseburger or the couch.
Remembering that logic, words must become actions, marked by healthy eating at home and increased exercise across my hometown of Port Charlotte, Fla.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/first-person-weight-greatest-challenge-health-192800451.html
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