Being overweight means that an individual carries more burden than others–those who are fortunate enough to be belonging in the normal weight group. An overweight individual burdens the weight of not only one’s body mass but also the weight burdened to him or her by the opinionated society. To be relieved of such burden means shedding off that extra weight—which is a difficult undertaking. But the sheer power of the human will, one can decide one’s fate, or to put it in simpler terms, the kind of life that one could lead. It can be said that each individual is responsible for what kind of life he or she will live.
As the famous saying goes, “every action will always lead to a reaction. ” In my case, being overweight is a direct cause of my own actions, I had also eliminated that extra weight by doing actions that could lead me into being a better person in terms health. The concept of being malnourished is stereotyped as always being skinny and underweight. What most people don’t realize is that being overweight is not a sign of being healthy, actually it is quite the opposite. This could be a primary reason for being overweight, aside from being deprived of healthy physical activities and unregulated consumption of food.
From firsthand experience, to be overweight doesn’t happen overnight. I was gradually gaining weight without me noticing it. What became noticeable is that the condition of my health is getting worse as I gain weight. I had noticed that the gained weight prevents me from doing the things I was used to do with ease. Even the most minor of physical activities tires me quickly and makes me gasp for air. I also had headaches that I suspect came from high-blood pressure. Every society is very opinionated and each individual has certain prejudices.
It is not uncommon to see overweight individuals being ridiculed by the society. Overweight people become a sort of unlimited source for offensive jokes and hurtful nicknames. Because of this mentality of the society, overweight individuals distance themselves from the rest of society to avoid being emotionally hurt. Moreover, overweight individuals feel that they can cope up with social activities, especially those that require physical fitness. Sports are probably the social activity that overweight individuals can’t participate in the most.
With all the stereotypes and unhealthy social life, being overweight has a large and adverse impact on an overweight individual’s self-esteem. The self-concept of an individual is greatly influenced by the stereotypes within the society. In the case of most societies, overweight individuals are regarded as having low regard to one’s self. But probably the most hurtful stereotype of all is that being overweight means that an individual is considered as not normal. Thankfully, I am now shall I say enlightened from the all the load of being overweight.
I have learned that I had caused myself, along with my social life and self-esteem, the burdens of being overweight. Being overweight is just a direct effect of my direct actions—my being inactive in physical activities and unregulated consumption of food. I can’t blame genetics for being overweight. That would just make a solution for being overweight untraceable. I can’t change the way society views overweight individuals, I can’t change the configuration of my genes, but I can certainly change my habits. I have made the decision that I would live a normal and healthy life.
Through participating in healthy physical activities and eating a balanced diet, I’ve managed to trim down my weight dramatically. There is really nothing wrong about being overweight, it is just that it sometimes limits an individual’s enjoyment of life. Through will power and a little self-imposed discipline, I am now enjoying the life that I can’t enjoy when I was overweight. Other individuals that carry the burden of being overweight should realize that they themselves are responsible for their own condition, therefore the solution to their problems is also within themselves.