This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.
But I chose a different path
Obesity
Diabetes
Hypertension
And other issues related to being overweight
All of it is primarily voluntary.
Does it run in the family?
Yes, but what would the results be if they changed their habits?
Something different.
Looking back at the pictures of everyone when they were younger, you would see many slimmer-looking people.
But something changed.
Their habits.
Hence, their bodies changed.
Even for those born naturally thick, once their habits significantly derailed, so did their bodies.
I Didn’t Grow Up Privileged. Neither Did My Parents.
My family grew up in economic hardship.
And the previous generations grew up significantly poor – as in a piece of bread or nothing at all for their meals.
My mother was abused mentally, physically, and emotionally and had to leave her home at 14 and support herself.
My father had to start providing for his family before he was 18.
Yet, my parents were both able to positively impact my health despite not having the best childhoods that implemented healthy habits.
What If My Mother Hadn’t Introduced Me To Health?
My mother got into health during our childhood.
She threw away all the white bread and unhealthy snacks, and from that point, junk food wasn’t a regular occurrence in our home except on weekends or when we went out to eat, which is probably why some people snuck it into the house or found it necessary to eat it outside of the home.
The extreme change conjured other consequences, which I’m still observing today in my family, but overall it was one of the best decisions she made.
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I Chose To Opt Into A Healthy Lifestyle
There was one point in my life when my body almost took a turn; I finally saw what could become a thing, and that was when I gave into sugar too much for a short period.
“Oh, so this could be a thing?” I thought to myself.
And I never tested that theory again.
It still wasn’t until after college that I was able to master sugar. Now I can put it down at will, take long breaks from it, and consume it in modest amounts without craving too much more.
Privilege & Diet
Some believe I didn’t have to deal with being overweight because of my privilege or genetics.
But I didn’t grow up privileged; I had parents who decided to think bigger than their circumstances.
My mother accessed the knowledge available to everyone in America, which helped her positively impact her family.
If you have a library, the internet, or access to a convenience store (if you live in an insecure food area), you can probably find a magazine on health, and we all know that vegetables are healthy – even if they’re frozen; it’s still better than nothing.
Whether you have five jobs, five kids, or five family members to take care of and only have time to watch tv, you could watch Dr. Oz instead of Keeping Up With The Kardashians – but even then, you will witness them eating healthy.
There is no such thing as “I can’t be healthy,” “I don’t have time to be healthy,” I’m too stressed to be healthy,” or “My life is too hard to be healthy.”
If you believe any of these truths, I want to tell you that you’re lying to yourself…
My mother gave me access to specific knowledge, but guess what? There was also health class, P.E., and recess in elementary school…
You also get another chance to learn about health here.
If you got a cell phone, which even many homeless and incarcerated people have, you could do some internet searches on health instead of browsing social media.
I’m still trying to find a legitimate excuse for a person to live an unhealthy lifestyle.
Your health will not give you a break if you’re too busy, stressed, anxious, or “out of time.”
So you should make time.
The Guy In The Picture
For many people who are overweight, instead of doing something about their weight, they choose to do things completely unrelated to living a healthier lifestyle, like spending time on their phones, the internet, or social media (i.e., I’m not implying the guy in the picture isn’t working on his health).
Every day, take one action to improve your health, which might include:
Taking a walk.
Doing one pushup.
Doing ten situps on a commercial break.
Eating a salad (without the unproductive dressing options).
Keep your goal small and consistent, and build from there.
As a kid, I didn’t start lifting weights several times a week. I first started with playing outside; then I got into sports; then I got into the gym; then I started running; then I started weight lifting; then I started weightlifting seriously and consistently for years.
Do I take breaks? Yes.
But after years of consistency, breaks don’t matter as much.
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This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.