Halloween Calories

I'm house-sitting, and as is common nowadays there are thousands of TV channels available. Last night I watched one of those reality programs called, “My 600-lb. Life,” two episodes. I had no idea there were enough people over 600 pounds to warrant a television series.  It was embarrassing to peer in on their turmoils but it did shame me to begin watching my daily caloric intake, and I imagine that’s the point.

At the moment I’m in a place where very few people are obese:  Incline Village, NV.  I’m guessing most ritzy neighborhoods have similar demographics.  Why is that?  They can afford liposuction? Expensive designers don’t make sizes over 6?  Wives in particular are bound by some sort of pre-nup involving the bathroom scale? 

All of the above are likely true, but my theory is simply that quality food is expensive. I speak from experience, especially after the government cut my SNAP benefits almost by half. My medical professional says I should cut down on a certain kind of fat surrounding the heart, but how can I possibly afford to eat if I omit hot dogs, bologna and Vienna Sausages?

Last night I threw away a pound of hamburger meat bought on sale.  I thought I checked the date and put it in the freezer when I got home; but I wasn’t sure it was completely defrosted because parts of the meat were creamy-white.

Sniff, sniff…ugh…but that can’t be!  The Supermarket wouldn’t be so irresponsible to pawn off bad meat for a couple of bucks, would it?  “If in doubt, don’t,” so I tossed it.  If I’d picked it up in a Walmart I might have taken it back, but in this upscale town I wouldn’t dare. They might call security.

So I pulled out the old standby: eggs, bacon and toast, and watched 600 pound people navigate across the screen, trying to lose the necessary pounds before TV Doc will approve surgery to reduce their stomachs. They can be quite nimble, considering; especially getting behind, albeit WAY behind, the steering wheel. What was evident in both examples was that the subjects needed to fix something inside their heads; but first acknowledge their problem. Therapy was part of the deal. One woman was willing; the other was not, and after months of playing the blame-game dropped out of filming.

I wondered how these people managed to easily pay for hotels and rentals, not to mention their fancy phones, yada-yada, until I realized…duh…they’re being paid, of course. But what about the woman who was unsuccessful? Back to her one-story box-shaped home.  Her unfinished story is now fodder for the rest of us, and if she felt like a failure before how must she feel now?  We heard, over and over, that she'd be bedridden in another 100 pounds and dead within a couple of years, so what now?

I’d like to know how many wealthy people weigh over 600 pounds, not counting Sumo wrestlers? Maybe their therapists nip things in the bud while plastic surgeons tuck the rest. Most of us can stand to lose a few, but consuming 10-12,000 calories a day? It boggles the mind.

What if we develop a state-run facility and force all adults and children to attend if their body weight exceeds the recommended, healthy amount?  Wouldn’t that save ga-zillions on future health care?

I know, it's not PC to body shame. Time to change the channel.