Candy coated happiness

This archived article was written by: Janine Thompson

It can be seen all around us, the prospect of losing
weight and living that “South Beach” life we all
imagine. Th at’s how we would like to see the world
around us, while what we ultimately see through
our gleaming eyes are the sights of grease- covered
cow slabs and chocolate-smothered Hoho’s. Oh how
tantalizing. While it sounds retched, these inanimate
happiness providers have become an all too common
vice in our country.
As the billboards around us seem to star every
desire known to man, we fi nd ourselves engorged
in the materialistic, sugar-coated comforts we
fi nd around us. While we see these tantalizing
objects staring down at us, calling our
names, a slight turn of the head makes us
face another demon.
Plastered next to that photo of children
with candy-coated faces are the images
of the people Americans love to hate,
the girls with size 0 waists and the guys
with the perfectly steroidal-abdominal
muscles.
Although they are confl icting images,
they are both highly representative of American
stupidity. Why has the American public become so
overly concerned with looking fabulous and wearing
those skin tight jeans, while taking care of ourselves
is at the bottom of the list? Has shoving a fi nger
down our throat after that, oh so delicious slice of
pie become our way of life? It seems it has.
While we have McDonalds practically being
shoved down our throats, there are also the other
demons telling us that size two is the only way to fi nd
satisfaction. With our crazy views of life and what is
important, it is amazing that not every American can
be found in a padded room petting the walls.
Living the average American life, it becomes
humorously familiar. A simple “sit-down” in front
of the television can turn into a game of tug-of-war
of the mind. Th e sequence: she is the fi rst to show
herself, the 500 pound beast who turned into the
beauty in six short weeks. “Trim spa baby!”
As the number appears at the bottom of the
screen, enticing you to lose that fl ab around
your midsection, the image suddenly
changes and a hungry man is displayed,
sitting at home, and then there it is,
“I’m thinking Arby’s,” when you
really know what he is thinking
is “I’m thinking early death.”
While you can see the grease
drip off the wax fi gurine of the
sandwich on the screen, you can’t help your mouth
from watering in suspense for your next roast beef
melt. Th en there it is, the devil himself, screaming,
asking if you want more energy to get you through
your day? As the obnoxious man in the jumpsuit
screams, you grab the phone, eyeing the number at
the bottom of your screen. “I’m going to have more
energy,” you’re thinking as you dial quickly and
there it is, the zoom in of the Gazelle logo, and the
instant grab for you credit card. Two months pass,
and the Gazelle is in the corner, but the television
is still your true love.
It has become all too common that we engorge
in these grease-fi lled, inactive lifestyles, but it is
when the fabulously fi t and beautiful people show
themselves that our society has the true problem.
America has lost all sense in working for health,
and this is when the starvation/fi nger aerobics set
the pathway for the “nada-inch” waist we all desire.
While we want the bikini bodies and muscle shirt
torsos, we have no desire to naturally, and healthily
do it ourselves.
Going down this yellow brick road of hell, we
need to fi nally fi gure it out. In order to live the long
lives we seem to desire, a simple sit-up here and
there, and maybe an apple instead of that burrito
will give us the best of two worlds, a body that is
appropriate to show and happiness that isn’t simply
a sugar rush.