Sunday, April 26, 2015

Skinny Can Mean Fit, But it Doesn't Always

Something that has been on my mind recently is one of the major problems that we are dealing with in America right now, and that's our health. We have been taught from a young age that skinnier is better and that the skinnier you are, the healthier you are. However this is not true at all. We need to take steps to solve these issues by encouraging a healthier lifestyle for Americans, instead of a skinnier lifestyle. This starts in the education system.
I think one of the main issues is that children aren't educated about this enough in school. They learn that exercise and fruits and veggies are good for them, but that's all. They need to be taught that their health depends on a balance of so many factors. They should learn that if you don't like exercise, then you don't have to do it every day as long as you watch what you eat closely. Or vice versa, if they don't like watching their calories, then they should be getting a good amount of exercise every day. That also doesn't mean however, that if you exercise everyday then you can eat whatever you want whenever you want, it just means that you have more freedom in what you eat. Your health involves a balance.
Another thing that they should be taught is that part of that balance is genetic, but skinny doesn't always mean healthy. Some people are more prone to obesity, and some people are just naturally skinny. However, don't get that confused with some people are naturally healthy, because that is not the case at all. Often, weight and health correlate, but sometimes they do not. You could be a size 0, but if all you eat is junk food and you never work out, then you are not living a healthy lifestyle. On the other hand, if you are a size 6 or 8 and you eat healthy and workout regularly, then you should be happy with your body and accept that that is your healthy size.
Our education system needs to teach all of this to children. Health isn't just eating healthy or just getting exercise, it is a combination of both, and that is where people often go wrong. Just keep in mind that if you are eating healthy and you get regular exercise then you are good to go, don't worry about your weight.

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