From time to time, ol Ty will post up a Tyrone Public Service Announcement (TPSA) just to let my peeps know I'm thinkin' about them. What strikes me all the time lately - particularly before the NBA Finals when they were puttin' up clips of Tyler Perry's show 'House of Payne' every twenty seconds featuring portly actors Lavan Davis and Cassi Davis - is how big everybody is. And since my focus is more skewed toward the southside, I have to comment on southside poundage, particularly among our southside sisters...
Now ol Ty's not here to preach or testify but come on now. An obesity study conducted eight years ago showed that 78% of southside shortys were considered overweight - 50% of that crew were considered obese. 78%. Now that was but no one can tell me that that number has eight years agodecreased. There's been all kinds of rationales for why this is - unhappiness with their social situation, general acceptance of the situation by their southside peers and even some wildness about southside women being larger because southside men prefer them larger (this is known as the 'more cushin' for the pushin' argument, y'all).Well, I'm sayin' bump that to all that noise. There are NO positive benefits to being overweight. Your health is more important than that next Rib Tip Dinner from J's or that 12 pack of Entemann's powered donuts (as good as those joints may be...). When weighed against health problems like diabetes, heart disease, back pain, etc. is it really a choice? I know for some it isn't a choice, but how many southside shortys are walkin' around with a medical waiver from their doctor? 5? 6? It damn sure ain't no 78% - this much I do know.
In addition to the physical damage that extra weight brings, now it's also bringin' additional emotional and economic ruckus to the table. USAToday was recently out there with an article foreshadowing the rise of weight discrimination and we've all heard about the airlines chargin' for an extra seat. If they're charging for bags now, how long is it going to be before they start chargin' for extra weight as well? There's no upside to being overweight just like there's no upside to smoking. My goal is to see all my peeps livin' to a ripe old age like 'Tini Mack's grandmama who made to 103.
Imagine that y'all. A southsider makin' it 103. What kind of odds was Grandmama Mack buckin' to pull that off?? I'm sad to say that Grandmama Mack recently gave up the ghost to take her place among the Mack Council of Ancestors but she left behind a lesson to be learned - take care of yourself. You're not just on the planet to enjoy yourself, you're also here for other folk to enjoy you. Don't short change them. Plan to pass on a few of those donuts, get your exercise gear on and stay a good long while.Peace@Least,
Tyrone
No comments:
Post a Comment