Hungry for Life
By: Kathy Rodriguez
B.S. Sports Management; Certified Fitness Trainer
April 24, 2008
Guilty! Guilty, like so many others, of obsessing over counting calories, monitoring carbohydrates, sugar and fat intake. As a fitness professional, I recognize the need for regular exercise and a balanced diet. Unfortunately, in the midst of trendy exercises and diets, I have gotten carried away; and must remind myself as well as others, that the true value of food out weighs the scale.
Most recently, my eyes have been opened to a more pressing problem than calories and carbs. Throughout the world millions of people are hungry and starving. According to Bread for the World, 854 million people are hungry. In fact, almost 16,000 children die of hunger related diseases every five seconds.
So, as someone who is privileged enough to have access to an abundance of food, I encourage you to stop counting calories and start counting your blessings.
The next time you cringe at the vegetables on your plate or choose dessert over fruit remember what a luxury those staple foods are to so many in need of nourishment. The next time you starve yourself to lose a couple of pounds remember those who have no choice in the matter. The next time you binge to the point of discomfort and feel guilty about it later, remember that while you are eating to satisfy your emotions, others hunger for survival.
While it is not in our immediate power to end hunger, we can be thankful for the house that provides us shelter, the family and friends that give us love, and the food that nourishes our body. We do not “have” to exercise, eat well or be healthy, we are fortunate to be given the “choice”.
The choice is always yours, so choose wisely.
