Please socially distance.

St John Baptist De La Salle.  Friday, 15th May, 2020. 

Apart from being aware of the enormous contribution the De La Salle religious make to education I know little of the Order. Yet St John Baptist's comment "example makes a much greater impression than words" resonates. It is almost a cliche today. It came to the fore of my mind when I read on my iPad news this morning some comments about obesity, it's link to diabetes which links to Covid 19 deaths. Indeed I read that the Prime Minister had noted that he wished to tackle to obesity plague of today. When trying to find that article an hour later it had either been taken down or I was as incompetent as I feared.

I have been overweight most of my life. I recall at the age of 10 getting stuck in a ladder during an obstacle race at school as simply too large! I also recall how I hated swimming as my tummy overflowed my trunks and other pupils jeered. Also at 9 I remember being told I was gross  and having to invent a whole lie about medical problems and how I needed lipo suction.  At one point in my life I was 24 stone. I had a bit of a break down which caused me to reduce that to under 12 stone but now I am up again! I did not entirely appreciate the lockdown humour of a large person getting on some weighing scales. A voice from the machine noted 'Please socially distance. One at a time only'.

I looked up the NHS website on causes of obesity. Its main statement was "if you consume high amounts of energy, particularly fats and sugars, but do not burn off the energy through exercise and physical activity much of the surplus energy will be stored by the body as fat". Although there are a few exceptions (Prader Willi syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, hypothyroidism, corticosteroids and perhaps psychological factors) the main causes are poor diet (processed and fast foods), excessive alcohol, eating out, larger portions than needed, too many sugary drinks and comfort eating. Cancer research UK notes it is a 'complex issue with many causes' and we live in a 'obesogenic environment'. My doctor some 20 years ago, concerned about my weight, noted that there were no fat people in Concentration Camps.

What is it that lead me to eat a pork pie roll followed by a piece of soda bread with lashings of butter and marmalade for breakfast? Why did I eat a huge amount of moussaka last night followed by lashings of cream on strawberries after having a big slice of cake at tea? I am taking little exercise...are we allowed to?

Looking at the causes of obesity (I am about two stone too heavy) I opt for comfort eating as my excuse as well as my catheter making exercise somewhat uncomfortable.  These are not just feeble self justification but to me have a grain of truth. Yet why am I unable to eat less, to exercise indoors? I eat too fast which means I eat more, I am told, so why not slow down?

I am sufficiently informed to realise the solution to my problem, yet I do little about it. The words of the NHS website, the knowledge of what I need to do, the example of friends and exercise gurus on the Internet, have not strengthened my Will, nor my self denial, nor my self discipline. I know the torrid side effects of being fat, obese. 

What to do? Perhaps I need to take responsibility and simply do something. Many cannot for various reasons and I sympathise but surely I can?

I hear the little voice inside me saying: perhaps you have a syndrome, perhaps there is a psychological cause, perhaps you have a poor metabolism?

What will the Prime Minister do to solve my difficulty?

Can I blame him..another get out of gaol free card! 

#nhs #socialdistancing #diet #exercise #diet #overweight #selfcare