Being fat is a choice

Now that it's summer, everyone is getting ready for that bikini body; hitting the gym, watching what they eat, tanning, etc. It's this endless cycle most of us put ourselves thru to make sure we look good for at least a few months. We all let ourselves go occassionally and then we all bust our ass later to fix it. It's a choice we make.

Just like being fat in general is a choice. I guess, overall, this came up because I'm sick of hearing excuses of why people think they are fat. It's one thing to know what you did to make yourself that way (too much fast food, soda, laziness, etc.) but stop making excuses for it already! The biggest excuse I'm sick of hearing is "I had a kid and now I'm fat." Here is what I think:

Having a kid is obviously going to put some extra weight on you. I don't have kids so I may not understand the lengths you have to go to lose the weight. What I do know is I know more people who lost all their weight after having a kid and look just as good as they did before. Now I'm not talking about those people who complain that not everything is the same (skin, body tone, etc), that is probably expected. I'm talking about the people who weigh the same as they did at the climax of their pregnancy or more 2 years after having their kids and use the kid as an excuse of why they are fat. It's not the kid that made you fat....it's YOU! It's a choice you make everyday. Here are some common choices:

• Snacking: Chips vs Fruit/Veggies. It's so much easier to open a bag a chips than to prepare fruit
• How often do you watch TV? Why not go for a walk/jog, gym time? Got a kid? Take him/her w/ you in a stroller.
• Going to the gym takes time and money. But I would bet that you find time/money to eat out
• Taking naps isn't needed that often....go to the gym/walk/jog
• Eating healthy is a chore. Eating unhealthy is easy
• Fast Food = Fat Food
• 1 can of Dr Pepper = 150 calories, 40g of sugar!! Vitarain from Costco = 0 calories, 0 sugar, lots of vitamins
• Breastfeeding burns thousands of calories. This alone is a surefire way (from what I have seen) to shed some pounds. Not doing it is just asking for more trouble losing weight

These a just little things that can contribute to a fat lifestyle. Being healthy is not easy. You have to plan your meals and make sacrifices (like waking up at 5 am to go to the gym so I can come home and be lazy after work). It's like anything else in life you do....you make choices, you prioritize what's important and you live your life accordingly. I don't have a problem with larger people in general......I do have a problem with people using excuses like their kid as the reason they are fat and not their lack of physical activity or poor eating habits. I realize genetics can play into your body type but it's also been proven it doesn't account for 100% of your body type. That's all on you. I have no desire to be fat. And I have made the choice that I never will be. Go ahead and say, "Well, when you have a kid, you will think differently." Watch me. I've done everything I've ever said I would and I promise you I will do this as well. I may never be as skinny as I was in high school (but I won't make excuses) but I sure as hell will never be fat.....kid or no kid.