Let's Chew the Fat, I Mean, Sue the Fat!

Recently in the headlines there was a story about an overweight man who actually sued a fast food chain because he could not fit into their seats inside the restaurant.  I realize that we all live in an extremely litigious society today but, really? How did he become overweight in the first place? I wonder if he ever thought about that every time he went there to eat (of his own free will mind you).  So this leads me to my question: should we all just sue the restaurants that “make” us fat? 

This story got me to think about my own personal experience as an over-eater.  My mother likes to remind me about the time when she was waiting for me inside a local pizza restaurant while I parked the car.  She was getting worried about me because I was taking a long time but then she suddenly saw me crossing the street. In her words, not mine, she saw this woman “waddling” across the street” and thought to herself, my God, that’s Lisa!  Waddling! Thanks a lot Mother.  She’s right though, I did waddle.  I was heavy and overweight and going to do the thing I liked most, eating.

I would actually think about it as soon as I woke up in the morning.  Hmm, what am I going to EAT today?  I would have dreams about it the night before and when we finally got to the restaurant I was on a high from the smell of the food.  I always knew it was my choice when I sat down to eat.  Nobody else would have been to blame but myself if my belly would have hit the table in front of me.  The thought had never occurred to me that if I got too big to fit in the tables I was going to actually sue the restaurant that fed me.  If that were the case, I’d be a rich lady by now.

Why can’t we ever accept the blame for our own problems?  We as a society always seem to have to throw our baggage into someone’s else’s backyard.  Nope, that can’t be MY fault, it’s his fault, yea, that makes more sense.  Is this lawsuit going to help this man’s weight problem?  If he wins, will he go and purchase top notch medical care to become healthy?  Will he hire a Personal Trainer/Nutritionist to help guide him on the right track to eating healthy?  Or will he just go out and buy more burgers and fries?  He could probably afford to buy a whole restaurant at that point.

The restaurant didn’t make him fat.  The restaurant didn’t set his alarm every day and wake him up.  The restaurant didn’t drive him to the location.  The restaurant didn’t force him to order unhealthy and fattening foods.  The restaurant didn’t tell his body to gain weight and become obese so he couldn’t fit in the tables anymore.  What the restaurant did do however is sell unhealthy foods.  He chose to eat them - plain and simple. 

The reality is when we choose to do unhealthy behavior in our daily lives, chances are we KNOW what we are doing when we do it.  Unless you are five years old and can’t understand the ramifications you pretty much “get it”.  I guess you could say that some people are in denial but you’d have to be pretty far up that river before the fork was in your mouth. Accept responsibility for your own behavior.  You’re the person who put you in those size 16 jeans and you’re the ONLY person who can get you out.  Look in the mirror and own up to it.  Only then will you get the courage to do something about it.  If you continue to blame others, you never will.