The Body Beautiful?

There was a time when people who knew they were going to expose their bodies, for whatever reason, would try alter the shape of them.

If you were going on holiday or had a new love in your life, you would maybe do a little exercise or diet. Now it seems people just can't be bothered.

Having just been on holiday to warmer climes, because I'm British-born it means I feel the need to relinquish clothing in the sunshine. My body is by no means perfect, but it's not in bad condition for my age, as they say. I must also say my wife has quite a young figure - she does watch what she eats, and works out occasionally. I think I would be very self-conscious if I was over weight and unfit. But it seems that lots of Brits see the body beautiful through the eyes of a walrus. Why else would they let themselves get into such a shape? I witnessed young couples in their twenties so fat that they could hardly walk. A girl was so fat she could neither dive in the pool or climb down the steps. I thought to myself the last time I saw anything enter water the way she did, it had a polar bear chasing it! She rolled into the pool then she couldn't get back out, no doubt due to the lack of pack ice.

The Greek people who worked at the hotel where we were staying were all quite lithe. I don't know what they think when they get this onslaught of blubber each year. I heard two people talking about their type two diabetes, both must have been in their early thirties and very overweight. One of them spent each evening drinking cocktails until she was unable to stand! I can't work out how she developed diabetes!

I know this make me sound like a smug snob, which I know I can be at times. You have to think what effect all this has on the NHS. This has become a national scandal. Children are now losing their teeth before they are four, while many are morbidly obese by the time they are ten! People give all sorts of excuses for why they are overweight, but the real reason is laziness! They eat ready meals and takeaways, and have no idea about cooking and nutrition. They drive everywhere and don't exercise. Carol and I love long walks; for us to be trapped in a resort where we can't go out and about is something we detest. While on holiday we walked to the next resort on from where we were staying which was only about two and a half kilometres. When we enquired at reception how far the next resort was from us, the receptionist was shocked to find we had walked so far as TWO AND A HALF KILOMETRES! What is wrong with people?

When I was a child, my friends and I would walk at least six miles every evening. Not only would we walk this distance, but we would be climbing trees, jumping across rivers and running about chasing each other as we walked. I have worked with young people who refuse point blank to walk as far as one mile. This is why we have such an obesity epidemic here in Britain. We mock the Americans for their size but we, too, are eating the same shit as them, so therefore we, too, are becoming a nation of lardies!

I'm not saying that we should all live frugal lives. The government will see that you do that anyway, with their austerity plans. But we must all learn that everything in moderation is good. I like to exercise, but if you don't, take a walk with a loved one/friend. Have a chat as you walk. On a weekend, why not set off on a long walk and treat yourself with a pub lunch at the end of it, that way you have burned the calories off. Cut out fizzy drinks and start to cook your food from scratch, only having takeaways once a week. These simple little changes will help you live a happier and more productive life.

One more thing before I stop my heckle: stop the self-pitying and the excuses and take control of your own life!