My name is Con Mitropoulos. For those of you that who don't know me, I am an extraordinarily brave and generous person whose not afraid to accept that I see the world differently from the masses. It's a tough job but someone has to do it, so I have chosen to do it by rejecting rejection and embracing resilience. I do this because I don't know if I am going to get up in the morning, so I have chosen this moment because it could be my last.
I have a huge dream, to change the world and make it a healthier place, one life at a time. My suggestions are radical and will be deemed by many to be over the top, controversial, and insensitive, by pressing many nerves and stepping on too many toes, however this is a dream that needs to be told.
I strongly believe that I have the solution to many of the worlds problems and would love to lead the way in making those solutions a reality, however to begin with I would like to concentrate on the endemic of obesity.
For many years my brain has been bombarded with so many statistics that I realized that with a problem this big what's the use of statistics, trends, and figures for my purpose. This problem is so huge and growing so fast that I already know this, so being able to calculate just how huge and how fast is pointless when you already have the solution and are prepared to act, as I am doing now.
Chaos flourishes without order and it is this absence of order that has allowed this endemic of obesity to become what it is today. Civilized society maintains law and order through the many rules and the adherence of these rules in a systematic way.
We must take heed of this, that peer pressure will move more mountains in social environments than any other means. The need to be a bird of the same feather is historically more important to the human species than it is to be the single soaring eagle that refuses to flock and instead is seen one at a time. Someone must take the lead in order for others to follow, so follow me.
Let us take the smoking of tobacco as cigarettes as an example, where decades ago most smoked and few did not, however today it is the exact reverse. In the past it was considered socially acceptable to smoke absolutely everywhere whereas now people are frowned upon should they dare light up. What was once cool, an image of sophistication, is now an image of abuse of ones health and the disregard of others rights. How would a mother with a baby be looked upon in today's society if she were smoking compared to yesteryear? Many reasons can be found for this change in behavior of habit, however it is the social pressure to change that acts as the catalyst to this particular change. The many government initiatives in education, advertising, taxes, and the like have definitely contributed. However, if we intend to facilitate a permanent change of social mind and agenda, then the decision to change must occur within the mind of the individual and must occur abruptly, which is usually the case in any life changing moment.
Controls are everywhere and exist for the sole purpose of maintaining balance.
A bartender is empowered with the ability of refusal to an intoxicated patron. A business that serves alcohol is limited to the selling and serving of alcohol only to those of certain age. Substantial penalties exist to discourage the sale or supply of alcohol to minors and the intoxicated. Rules and regulations to the operation of motor vehicles whilst intoxicated exist to provide a safer environment for motorists and pedestrians alike, as does a demerit and penalty system.
Property and liability Insurance companies adjust premiums for insurance based on past performance measured by infringement, age, statistics, place of residence, and history. This is also the case for life insurance which is variable by premium and cover based on lifestyle including current and pre existing conditions. As you can see, risk plays a vital role.
What we choose to watch and listen to is also regulated evidenced by the various rating systems for movies and songs that exist. This suggests that an individual or audience must have reached an advanced stage of mental or emotional development that needs to be characteristic of an adult, or to a degree of maturity expected of a certain age, to ensure that the individual has attained a degree of wisdom, experience, or sophistication to be able to deal with what they are about to watch or hear. These systems exist so the level of maturity of the viewer or listener is sufficient so as not to be influenced negatively and consequently be able to tell the difference between fact and fiction.
Therefore, if these rules are adhered to then balance in life can be maintained. However for example, if one continues to operate a motor vehicle in a manner outside the guidelines then powers exist so their license can be revoked to ensure no further nuisance and only awarded again once they have proven they are fit to hold such license again. The same applies to all areas of our lives such as the payment of bills on time and the existence of a credit rating establishing grounds to approve or deny credit in future. In extreme cases, one could use the example of jail where one might require total removal from society for months or years until they are rehabilitated to lead a normal life.
All the examples mentioned require sufficient training and therapy to the point where one can demonstrate they are fit to return to a normal life with the reinstatement of former privileges or reputation. Rehabilitation as demonstrated through history is required after imprisonment, addiction, mental or physical illness, to restore former privileges necessary for participation in civilized life. These guidelines, rules, penalties, and methods of rehabilitation exist in all areas of our lives except one, health.
Now that the foundations have been established, lets draw our attention now to the topic of this address and that is the topic of obesity. Consider this everyday example, what controls exist when a clearly overweight child approaches the counter of a fast food outlet in a developed country and orders a double cheese burger with fries and a carbonated drink packed with enough calories to fuel a fully grown adult for an entire day? The answer is none. The same can be said for an adult who knows what they are doing, is expected to be mature both emotionally and mentally purely because they are of adult age, yet they are gladly supplied with this same meal as many times as they want whether they are overweight or not. If this scenario was to be repeated in a bar then the child would be refused service and the adult would only be supplied alcohol until the bar tender established that the patron had too much to drink. Experts say that there is a direct link between being overweight or obese and the many diseases that inflict illness on humanity today. These experts suggest that these lifestyle diseases can be avoided by sensible and controlled eating and better lifestyle habits. The control is with the people and the lack of responsible control has lead to the endemic that we are faced with today.
I would like to suggest a user pays strategy. If we consider the growing endemic of obesity as an example, then the relative cost of health care would be increasing proportionally to the growth of obesity. Therefore the total health care cost should be divided and funded proportionally by those that choose to live a healthy lifestyle and those that don't.
This will be determined by a compulsory annual health inspection where each citizen will be categorized based on their results in weight, waist measurement and body fat percentage.
Those that pass the annual health inspection will contribute less to healthcare and those that fail will contribute more and will continue to do so until they pass the annual health inspection. Those that fail the annual health inspection will be encouraged to eat responsibly, exercise regularly, and have regular scheduled visits to their relevant medical practitioner for guidance and education.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme will not be available to those that fail the annual health inspection a second time or two years in a row. We are each responsible for ourselves and if we refuse to make a healthy lifestyle change then we should bear the full cost of all medication and not rely on others.
The greatest risk, as assessed by life assurance companies, is that presented by individuals who choose a life where they are sedentary, smoke, drink, are overweight, have proportionally large waist measurement, have too much body fat, and/or have an existing illness. The least risk is those that are of healthy weight, have slim waists, have acceptable levels of body fat, don't smoke or drink, exercise regularly, and have no existing illness. One can argue quite successfully that the health service requirement and overall cost to society as a whole would be generally greater amongst those of the overweight group, consequently they should contribute more to healthcare than the healthy weight group who should contribute less. This is users pays in it's simplest form.
Substantially increased taxes should be applied to cigarettes, alcohol, and fast foods which will be paid only by those that choose to consume them. These taxes will then be directed to an alternative fund that is funded by the contributions from these individuals and is only used to provide the amount of health care that will be required along the course of their lives. The contributions derived from taxes should be increased as is required according to the costs experienced by the health fund.
Everyone knows that healthy food is food provided by nature and if you pretend that you didn't then you know now. Anything else would have gone under some form of processing and is not necessary for life including all fast food. This is evidenced by the fact that the Australian government for instance, has listed the most basic food for human consumption as GST free. These foods include fruit and vegetables, raw unsalted nuts, spices, rice, pasta, meats, chicken, whole fresh fish, canned fish, eggs, cheese, fats & oils, soup, bread, infant formula, breakfast cereals, milk, tea, coffee, sugar, fruit and vegetable juice of at least 90% minimum by volume of juice.
Put simply, you cannot expect to lose wait, change your body shape, and see your abs for the first time by eating whatever you choose and especially if it is processed and comes in a packet. All food that comes in a packet is a product that is marketed to be sold to as many people as possible. Many healthy claims will be made like it is low in one ingredient and high in another meanwhile it probably has extra salt and sugar to compensate for the loss in taste as well as a list of ingredients that you don't recognize. Even fast food companies go as far as suggesting that they have healthy choices. Don't eat it because if you do you will never look or feel any different from what you look like now. If packet food is healthy and good for you then why does everyone look the way they look, and why is obesity as bad as it is and increasing at the rate that it is?
I challenge anyone who believes that they have tried all diets and cannot lose weight, that claim this diet doesn't work, and that they are just different and just cannot lose weight, to do exactly what nature intended you to do. You really need to stop lying to yourself and take responsibility and change for the better. The moment you accept this challenge you will find that you have been living the biggest lie of your life and everyone was fooled.
A healthy lifestyle where a beautiful body and great health is simply a symptom, a body free of pain and zest for life are yours to have, and all you have to do is stop lying to yourself and accept the truth, and accept this challenge. I challenge anyone, I challenge everyone, and I challenge you.
As a general summary, eat anything that grows in the ground or comes from anything that grows in the ground, and anything that runs swims or flies or comes from anything that runs swims or flies, excluding insects of course unless you're that way inclined. An example is any fruit or vegetable, nut, grain or seed. Fish, shellfish, crustaceans, all forms of poultry, beef, pork, game, eggs and milk. This is very similar to the governments recommendation of the most basic food for human consumption noted earlier.
Eat food like this for five and a half days a week and do not veer off this plan no matter what and then take one and a half days off where there are no rules where you can eat whatever you want without guilt. Eat like this for five and a half days and then eat whatever you want for one and a half days. Eating like this is a self fulfilling prophecy where you have to see to believe it. As your body begins to clean itself and becomes energized you will begin to see and feel real changes and when it comes to your day off you'll find that you won't enjoy what you used to as much as you did, and your habits will just begin to disappear as the new you becomes more apparent each day, you are now on your way.
If you choose to do this you will succeed and if you choose not to then you will ultimately fail, history has proven this fact. The choices you make in life always have been and always will be yours. You and you alone are a product of what you believe and consequently what you choose to do, so make your choice and be prepared to reap the rewards or pay dearly.
Drastic times call for drastic measures and obesity is getting worse by the minute and we need to act now. The response needs to be immediate and economically viable with the responsibility being with every one of us. Obesity is caused by eating too much and moving too little. We all know exactly what we should eat but we don't. It is a choice we make many times each day that has a cost and it is now time to pay up, you cannot expect others to clean up your mess any longer. Current trends cannot be sustained and it is inevitable that change is necessary now. I have the solutions and would love the opportunity to change the world one life at a time starting with yours. Obesity is an illness that needs to be cured immediately, it is not bad luck, it is bad choice so stop making bad choices. I would love to address the masses through the media and invite all opportunities to do so.
I apologize if I have offended you in any way however sometimes you need to be brutally honest to be totally honest. Change your mind first, your body next, and your life forever. I am on a mission to change the world by making it a healthier place. I save lives one at a time and today I would like to save yours.
Con Mitropoulos is on a mission to change the world and make it a healthier place. He saves lives one at a time and invites you to get healthy by learning how to motivate yourself, exercise and eat right through his videos. His videos are available for free. There are no gimmicks, no hidden agendas, and it's all free. Be the best you can be and see for yourself at http://www.conikitv.com
(c) Copyright - Con Mitropoulos - All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
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