If Every Mayor Was Like Bloomberg, We Wouldn't Be So Fat

   So today, not surprisingly, NYC courts turned down Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal to ban large size sugary beverages. While over 50% of adults and over 20% of children in NYC are obese, they have decided to tell the Mayor to shove it so they can drink their 1,000 calorie beverages and raise that number even more, because it's their right to put whatever they want in their bodies.

    Where to start...? Well firstly, the libertarian part of me feels like we should all tell the government to shove it, legalize smoking in restaurants again, legalize even bigger soda drinks, legalize weed, crack, cocaine, etc etc etc. But the reality part of me, that has worked over a decade in pre-hospital care, hospital care, and long term post hospital care knows better. People want the "right" to be fat essentially, because lets face it, everyone knows soda is bad for you. However, after they have the right to get obese, and they come down with medical problems that are so severe they need operations and treatment beyond their financial capacity, who do you think they then demand helps them because it's their right? If you want to destroy your body then you better be ready to pay the price, and not have it end up in the tax payer's hands. Even when someone has insurance, they may claim that they are covering themselves and are financially responsible, but insurance is not some magical thing that pays for you when you inflict disease on yourself, the more people that use it, the higher the premiums. Health insurance costs have not risen in the past 20 years, they have sky rocketed. I know all too many people now that can't afford health insurance even though they have good jobs, and now are risking the catastrophic things we can't prevent such as cancers or accidents, while other people are abusing the system for completely preventable diseases.

    20% of children obese? These kids will never even get to enjoy their childhood, they won't be able to play sports (or at least play as much as the in shape kids). They will spend more time going to doctors, hospitals, clinics, and doing things that children should not have to even think about doing. It hurts me every time I treat someone as an adult with a disease that they were responsible for, but it's heart breaking to see a kid that is overweight, that is going to be bullied, that is going to have health issues, and that is not going to enjoy childhood as much as a kid should. And if that's preventable, why are we not doing it?

    Bloomberg banned smoking in the bars in 2002, this was an incredible step in health history, and a huge step forward. This simple ban has probably saved thousands of lives. Besides the second hand smoke, many people quit just to avoid the hassle of going outside. They have also raised the prices significantly on cigarettes which caused many people to quit altogether. Simply saying something is bad for you is not enough these days, the soda could have a huge fat guy on the bottle in an ER getting read for the triple bypass and people would still drink it, but if it was $10.00 for a can, maybe people would start to think twice, and notably that money could go towards the health problems it would inflict later.

    Look, it's annoying to be over regulated with anything, but as it has been well documented in this blog our obesity rate is sky rocketing, our health status in this country is tanking, and something needs to change it. As some of you know from my other blog, I have traveled all over the world. In the leanest nations I have been to, they are not necessarily fitness experts. I can't even say they eat super healthy, but their portions are well in control. You cannot find a big gulp in Japan, or Russia, they simply don't exist, because they don't need them! And neither does New York City, or any city in this country for that matter. I was so glad to see the smoking ban spread across the country, and who knows, maybe the soda ban could have too. Thanks for the effort Mike.

With Mayor Bloomberg 2005

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, consult a doctor or medical professional before beginning any diet, fitness, or weight training program.