Just a few observations in American society:

• While people are eating more healthful foods than ever (just take a look at the huge success of Whole Foods Markets), fast food restaurants are thriving more than ever.
• While America is growing older, most of what we see in advertising and entertainment has been created with youth in mind.
• While more people than ever before are drinking clear, natural water, more people are also drinking “monster” energy drinks loaded with chemicals and caffeine.
• While there are more diets on the market and “fat burning pills, more people in America are overweight and obese.
• While our children face an obesity epedemic in America (for example, 28% of youth in Houston are obese), more children than ever are vegetarian (about 1.5 million nationwide).
• While there are more people sedentary than ever in America, there are more fitness, sports and recreational opportunities available than ever (take Houston for example, there are over 25 Bally Fitness Centers, 30 24-Hour Fitness Centers, 40 YMCA’s, 58 Municipal Community Centers, 40 public swimming pools, 50 golf courses, 250 plus soccer and softball fields, and over 350 public parks).  People in Houston cannot make any excuses!

Why are there such extremes now in America? 

The explosion of choice.  We now live in a society with millions of choices.  Maybe it’s a form of information overload.  Anyway, nowadays we have more freedom of choice in every area of our life, such as new employment, new religions, new foods, new technologies, new forms of communication, new sports and leisure activities, etc.

It’s not like the old days.  I remember 30 years ago in the mid 70’s there was only 1 kind of potato chip.  I occassionally ate them and didn’t think twice about it.  However, if you go to your local grocery store you’ll see an amazing variety potato chips and other kinds of snacks.  You’ll see chips that are baked, fried, rippled, low-fat, no trans fat, reduced fat, salted, no salt, natural, and with flavor subcategories (barbeque, sour cream, jalapeno, spicy, etc.).

My Cuban friends tell me it’s very hard to buy meat in their country.   Everyone is forced to consume soy.  As a result, Cubans have very little cholesterol problems and other health issues.  However, I don’t believe the government is the solution here in America.

I like my freedom of choice.  Never will I let anyone take it away from me.  That’s part of being American. 

Sometimes I meet with a client for the first time and they ask me the question “what am I going to do to fix them?”  I say “nothing.”  I tell them I will provide them with the right information, guidance and coaching, but they ultimately “have to do it.” 

Some women will say that a lot of the beautiful celebrities like Jenifer Lopez and Jessica Simpson have a lot of resources at their disposal to look gorgeous, such as personal trainers and personal chefs.  I say, “yeah, that’s true, but they ultimately have to do everything themselves.  They have to do every repetition with intensity.   They have to do their cardio workouts at least 6 - 7 times per week.  They have to eat well and in the right amounts.”

The information is out there, especially on the Internet.  You just have to take responsibility for yourself and “do it.”

The government is not the solution. 

What do you think?