First and foremost, I am going to say that I flat out despise bullying behavior out of anyone. I believe that everyone, without exception, needs to be treated with kindness and respect until they prove to deserve otherwise. I will not allow mean spirited people within my inner circle of friends under any circumstance. That being said, I have read with interest the fire storm that has swept over the all round fitness guru, Jillian Michaels over her statements in regards to the issue of political correctness harming people who are over weight.

What did Jillian Michaels say that people found to be so wrong and mean spirited?

In a new interview with Women’s Health U.K. the former “Biggest Loser” trainer opens up about why she thinks political correctness is doing more harm than good in the wellness community.

“I think we’re politically correct to the point of endangering people,” Michaels said in the magazine’s January/February issue. “Yes, we want to be inclusive of everyone (and respect that) everyone comes in all different shapes and sizes. That nobody should ever be body shamed or fat shamed or excluded and that everyone is equally deserving and should feel equally valuable.”

But Michaels added that she believes that people’s sensitivity on the subject is detrimental to the overall health of some individuals.

“Obesity in itself is not something that should be glamorized,” she said. “But we’ve become so politically correct that no one wants to say it.”

When WH asked the 45-year-old why she thinks that shows in the same vein as The Biggest Loser (quick re-cap: the US show ran from 2004-2016, and was hooked around contestants competitively trying to lose weight) have been moved away from, she said:

‘I think the world has shifted to a place where that format and messaging is considered fat shaming. But it isn’t, and it’s not meant to be. Now we’ve gone so far in the opposite direction. (1)

So, where is Ms. Michaels wrong?

I do not know much about Jillian Michaels, I am neither a fan or against her as I have not been one to follow her. Who know’s, maybe she is too blunt for some.

But, what I want to know is exactly how she is wrong in her analysis. While I full well understand that truth can often be painful to some, it does not mean that it is wrong or should not be said. If you were to visit your physician and you had a serious health issue, would you want them to be truthful with you, or would you rather they sugar coat their diagnosis in order to spare your feelings. Well, obesity is a serious health issue that is becoming more of a societal issue each and every day for not only adults, but our children are suffering from this malady too.

Ms. Michaels believes political correctness is doing more harm than good in the wellness community. I have to say that I fully agree with her. She believes in being inclusive of all individuals, regardless of their different shapes and sizes. But, she is 100% correct in that people’s sensitivities to the subject is detrimental to the health of some individuals.

Again, where is she wrong?

Unless you are a child who does not yet understand the issues and ailments that arise from being over weight or obese, no one can say they are not aware of what this problem does to their health in both the short and long term. Before I get accused of being insensitive too, here at David’s Way, Brenda Sue and myself have dedicated countless hours bringing you quality articles and recipes to help you to lose or manage your weight in a healthy manner.  We have never, and will never charge you a penny for this.

I get what it means to have a weight problem, I have had one myself in years past. Brenda Sue gets the issue from personal experience too. We have written extensively here on the website about the health issues which come as a result of being overweight and obese. In a nutshell, here is a list of preventable, yet serious ailments that are all related to poor dietary habits:

Heart disease and stroke.

High blood pressure.

Diabetes.

Cancer.

Gallbladder disease and gallstones.

Osteoarthritis.

Gout.

Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea (when a person stops breathing for a short time during sleep) and asthma.

Obesity is not just a cosmetic problem. It’s a health hazard. Someone who is 40% overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as is an average-weight person.

If you are an adult, you might believe that your weight problem is no one’s business but your own. You are wrong, as at some point in your life when your health begins to fail, you can very easily become a burden on those in your family who will have to care for you.

It s never about just you. This problem is also about our children who are the future of our respective nations. When we as adults have obesity problems, our children will often follow our lead with weight issues of their own.

From Mayo Clinic

Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because the extra pounds often start children on the path to health problems that were once considered adult problems — diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Many obese children become obese adults, especially if one or both parents are obese. Childhood obesity can also lead to poor self-esteem and depression.

One of the best strategies to reduce childhood obesity is to improve the eating and exercise habits of your entire family.

Treating and preventing childhood obesity helps protect your child’s health now and in the future.

No one deserves to be fat shamed. No one deserves to be picked on, bullied and belittled. However, if we are to get the epidemic of obesity under control, it is going to require an honest reflection of how we live our lives as a society. Do we want to thrive in good health for many years, or do we want to doom ourselves to a lifetime of misery from preventable ailments that come from the instant gratification we derive from poor food choices such as foods that are heavily laden with added simple sugars, unhealthy fats, high amounts of sodium and preservatives we cannot even pronounce?

If as a society, we give in to those who get upset when another gets real about the obesity problem we have been facing for a few decades now, how is this a help to anyone?

If we are not to allowed to be open and honest about this issue which brings serious health complications, just how are we to explain to future generations they never had to suffer if we had just been more disciplined in our own personal nutritional habits?

How can we tell our children we care about them while not being open to having an honest dialogue to fix this rather than just accepting that obesity is not within our own control if we make the choice to control it.

Where is Jillian Michaels wrong?

(1) https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/fat-loss/a30105892/jillian-michaels-cover-star/