Want to burn more calories? Be silly. Seriously.
“Last year the government spent less on the Ministry of Silly Walks than it did on national defense.”
Typically, I don’t believe my posts will be of a political nature, but this one’s been on my mind for a while. For me, one of the most discouraging and disappointing aspects of the current debate on healthcare reform is the total lack of discussion about personal responsibility in healthcare. For the record, I’m for universal healthcare, but I see no reason why it shouldn’t come at the expense of some “personal freedom(s).”
For instance, if you wanted to use a (non-existant) “public option”, you wouldn’t be allowed to smoke, and you’d have to be a card carrying member of – a gym! or otherwise be able to prove you make a reasonable and regular effort to get off your butt for a while each day.
Why are we talking about requiring health insurance when we could just as easily require gym membership with better longterm results. Why isn’t the Plastics Lobby rallying for mandatory ultimate frisbee team participation or for buying everyone in America a hula hoop!
I’m perfectly willing to contribute my share of taxes so others who are uninsured can get healthcare coverage. However, if you’re going to to use my hard earned dollars for your healthcare, you better take care of yourself!
Are you a smoker? Yes? Not eligible! Do you walk 30 minutes a day? No? Not eligible!
And yes, I realize there would have to be all kinds of exceptions for people who can’t walk and, blah, blah, but let’s face it, for the vast majority of us, “sitting disease” happens in a deskchair not a wheelchair.
And to that, I’m no exception.
Here’s how I know. About nine weeks ago, I started using this new gadget and website, Philips DirectLife. I’ll write more about it in the coming days and weeks, but during my Assessment Period, sitting at my computer for most days, most of the time, here’s what it showed: Me = Less Fit. Gross.
I sit on my butt for a living
Since then, I’ve been sometimes more, sometimes less successful meeting my gradually increasing activity goals each week, but to illustrate my point of the efficacy of a Hoopin’ Healthcare Plan, check this out:
I bought my hoop yesterday!
But even if we can’t afford the hoops, an amazing free and easy solution to our nation’s activity deficit has been proposed by the MSW. You can’t tell me that we wouldn’t burn a ton of extra calories each day under this administration.
