by Lou Belcher

Created on: June 10, 2009

The main reason so many Americans are overweight is that we have abandoned the idea of eating to fuel our bodies. Instead, we are eating for recreation, eating to be social, eating for self-gratification, and eating to heal our emotional wounds.

Not so long ago, people had to grow and harvest the majority of their own food. Because of this, they valued the food and the effort they put into growing it. Consequently, they used the food to fuel their bodies in order to have the energy to grow more food.

The next food stage in America was putting the food in markets where Americans purchased it. Manufacturers realized that if they found ways to preserve food, people could be relieved of the need to buy it fresh. People began working packaged food items into their meal plans.

The next stage in making food more accessible was the invention of the fast food industry. Our need for wholesome food went out the window at that point. We substituted convenience for taste and nutrition.

Slowly during this evolution of food, Americans abandoned nutrition and eating to fuel their bodies. And, they also lost the need for the exercise of working in the fields or the garden. As a consequence, they started gaining weight.

Simultaneously with these food stages came increased sitting. Walking used to be a form of transportation. Now it's a necessity to get across the room but is not valued for much more. Many people will repeatedly drive around a parking lot in order to find a parking space close to the building.

The TV came on the scene first as a deterrent to physical activity. Instead of playing outdoors or going out for a walk after dinner, the family began sitting in front of the TV for their evening's entertainment.

Next, came the computer to further adhere our seats to the sofa and the cell phones have all but ensured that the American public has abandoned exercise all together. Many people today can't make it through lunch without talking on the phone or texting, let alone put it away long enough to exercise.

So, it is not a surprise that Americans are overweight. They eat for every reason except nutrition and they exercise as little as possible. In our busy lives, we have forgotten the basics of taking care of ourselves. It's past time to get back to basics. Unfortunately, the current generation is a generation removed from the one who valued wholesome food. It may be impossible to recapture that.

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