Unhealthy People Piss Me Off
A little off-topic from my regular stuff, but I’ve been angry about this for a few days.
A few days ago, I had to meet with my company’s health benefits administrator. For my unfortunate American friends, yes, we have free health care, but there are still a few things that aren’t covered by our taxpayers like chiropractic care and dental. I love the Canadian health care system. I’ve never had any serious illnesses or anything, but for the most part, it’s pretty amazing…especially after watching Michael Moore’s Sicko film.
But one thing that came up during our meeting was how preventative care is not covered. If I ate like a pig for all my life and never exercised, I would have no problem getting treatment for my type 2 diabetes and obesity. But, as a fit and healthy adult, I can’t get advice from a nutritionist or have my gym membership paid for. It’s not even tax deductible.
Because of my experience as a fitness competitor, personal trainer and FitDarcie, I’ve learned a lot about fitness and nutrition over the years. I just about peed my pants the other day when a coworker walked into my office telling me that fruit was a carbohydrate. How can an adult not have known that? Over the weekend, I had another woman tell me that green tea had health benefits. Are you kidding me? I know all this stuff off the top of my head. I know exactly how I feel after eating a bag a chips. I know what chocolate does to my skin. I know that if I don’t go to the gym, I will probably wake up a few times during the night. I know that if I’m irritable, it’s probably because of something I ate.
All these things are common knowledge to me, and, all of it, I learned on my own. But what about the lazies out there who don’t like to learn new things? Why can we not force them? Why can’t we say, sure, you can have free health care, but you have to tell me 3 foods in which you can get omega 3 fatty acids, and why you would want those. I get so pissed off when a grown man comes to tell me he’s just discovered that drinking water has more benefits than just to flush out the system.
A few days ago, I overheard this woman, in hospital scrubs, telling another woman in the changeroom that she’d just finished a 12 hour shift. This was at about 8pm. And she was at the gym. Last night, I couldn’t resist asking her about it….my mom is a nurse, and growing up, we learned that after a 12 hour shift, you just let her collapse on the couch.
This woman, gets up at 5:30am to make it out the door by 6:30, works from 7:30am to 7:30pm, running up and down hallways, treating patients, blah blah blah, gets on the bus for an hour, and come straight to the gym. I told her I thought it was phenomenal that she did that…I had trouble forcing myself to go on a Wednesday after sitting at my desk for 8 hours. She told me that she can’t figure out how anyone can NOT do it, that she never misses a day, and that she’s lost over 100lbs over the last few years.
This woman has to treat fat slobs who refuse to take care of themselves all day, then comes in and works out for 2 hours. To any of you who say you don’t have time, fuck you. Tell me where you live so I can come to your house and run you over like Michael Bryant on his wedding anniversary.
October 29th, 2009 at 7:50 am
I had to weigh in on this one. As someone who battles with their weight and works out, walks and stakes good care of myself, I don’t know why more people don’t do it. Our school board does not cover a gym membership, even though we have a 500$ health spending account. Other boards out here do. Talking to oeople at school, the excuse I hear the most often is, I don’t have time. You’ll understand when you have kids.
No I won’t!! I see mothers and fathers, with their kids, at the gym all the time. Most places offer free babysitting, and there are many mother and child classes out there as well. Besides, how difficult is it to get up off the couch and walk? I know that the days when I don’t get in some sort of exercise, I don’t sleep well and I feel horrible.
Friends of mine don’t understand why they are so over weight. A lot is their choices of food, but the other part is that they never move! I am in the gym 3 days a week, with the Running Room 3 other days and I swim the other one. If I can do it, and have a serious disease (RA) that limits my movements, I am of the opinion that any one can.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:15 am
How does a gym membership not fall under the health spending account? That’s what pisses me off.
And good for you for keeping up with it Janice! I hung out with a bunch of people this weekend who made a big deal of walking for about 45 minutes…like it was the most they’ve ever walked in their lives. Try doing a 10k sisters.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:16 am
I haven’t even touched on smoking yet. You don’t want to get me started on that.
October 29th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Be sure to let me know when you get to smoking… ; )
October 29th, 2009 at 9:30 am
AMEN SISTER!!!!!! Gym rats rule!
On a side note, I would like to say that overly healthy people piss me off as well. These are the people that are constantly quoting how statistics have shown that eating something or the other will give some disease or the other, or cause a heart attack or something nasty like that. Back the fuck off, I understand my own health pretty well (yay for self taught people!!!!!), and I understand what Im doing. I also understand the limits of my own body and know when to push it. And its usually some out of shape idiot as well trying to lecture me on the intricacies of diet.
This one time, and Darcie I know youll feel me on this, I was at the gym and had my music on (as a rule of thumb, I keep my music on and dont talk to anyone at the gym), and while Im in the middle of a set of squats, this imbecile comes over, and starts talking to me. I ignore him and keep going. A few reps later, he pulls one of my earphones out of my ears and says “you shouldnt arch your back so much”. I wanted to beat him with the weights I was lifting. What a fucking turd.
October 29th, 2009 at 10:18 am
I had to stop reading after your “Michael Moore - Canadian Health Care system” comment”.
I don’t mean to divert the reason for the post, as I will go back and read the rest.
First of all, Michael Moore is a great big fat useless idiot. He can spin ANY topic any way that he wants and tell it as Gospel. The Canadian Health Care system definitely is flawed and the only reason that it is portrayed in the media is because its better than the American system…that doesn’t mean that its good. Canadians say its the best, as a matter of national pride, and Americans say its good because Michael Moore says it is and their own system is so fucked.
I guess I should admit, I am a flag waving Conservative by nature and think people are generally self serving which means I think a truly Universal Health Care system is very inefficient and you spoke about it yourself. If people took accountability for their own health, they wouldn’t be so dependent on it. I know we are a socialist country and we need to help ALL Canadians, but I dare any of you to go to the emergency room at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon on 22nd and Avenue H in the middle of a Friday night to see where your hard earned tax money is going. I suffer from Asthma and had a bad asthma attack but couldn’t get a bed or help because the ER has apparently been turned into a drop in shelter.
Knock on wood, I haven’t had any major hospital stays and I understand how these bills can add up but as Tax payer I can honestly ask this question. Would I be better off WITHOUT universal health care? I honestly would. Even if I wasn’t well off, I have enough accountability to keep me and my family out of harm’s way by teaching them proper eating habits, exercise and general well being….not using FREE HEALTH CARE as a crutch.
I do believe that a tiered health system would be beneficial to ALL Canadians. Free health clinics, or drop in clinics to be provided to ALL Canadians…however those that are more “well to do” like Brett the Self Made Man, can chose to pay for Health care if he so chooses and will expedite the process.
October 29th, 2009 at 11:37 am
@Brett, I appreciate it when people correct my form for me. It’s annoying when it’s a dude trying to hit on me, or when, clearly, my body is better than theirs, but I don’t workout with anyone, and sometimes my form slips.
@Teenwolf, I was not in anyway defending Michael Moore, or the Canadian health system. I was being angry with unhealthy people for abusing the system, and the system itself for not rewarding those who try to avoid using it as a crutch.
October 29th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
I can’t stand working out. I need ultimate distraction. But I’m growing the beginnings of modest belly now that i’m nearly 30 so this week I bought a used Exercycle so I can watch a movie and ‘bike’ my heart out everyday and hopefully forget that I’m working out. I have an exercise question: Will this cause me to lose fat all over or will it leave my torso unaffected and just give me good leg muscles? My thinking was that as long as I’m sweating I’m burning calories bodily, but correct me if i’m wrong, Fit Master D.
October 29th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
There’s nothing like cigar after a 4 hour run, I can tell you that ;)
October 31st, 2009 at 9:33 am
What’s Next? Do you want them to cover your tampons and toothpaste?
November 2nd, 2009 at 4:52 am
Yeah, tampons are pretty expensive…
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Tyrone, you missed the whole point. And what an educated, well thought out answer.
Hey Doll, don’t you live in France or something? You guys have a better system than us don’t you?
Fred- really? cigars after a run?
November 2nd, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Well this is California, so it’s not your typical cigar. But that and a beer or a glass of wine half an hour after fueling back up with electros and food offsets the vascular dilation and triggers a diuretic effect to flush out the byproducts built up during the run.
November 2nd, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Fred- I’ve never heard anyone defend drinking and smoking like that. Incredible.
Sorry Dave, I never responded earlier. Everyone loses fat differently. I’m guessing you aren’t using the bike on a super high setting, so that would tell me that you will lose fat before you start to define your muscles. If you’re looking for sweet, toned leg muscles, just increase the setting.
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:55 pm
Darcie, I’m defending running ;)
November 5th, 2009 at 11:58 am
UK - are you kidding?!
November 6th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
I absolutely agree with you, but I gotta say that green tea is a winner. No dissing green tea plz.
Continue ;)
November 6th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
And this made me want to go to my gym for a nice cardio workout, except that my foot is hurt and I’ve to stay home.
November 7th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Green tea rocks the dome. No one can argue that. What happened to your foot?
November 17th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
fit guy: “how come you’re so fat, honey?”
fat girl: “obesity runs in my family”
fit guy: “bullshit; noooobody runs in your family”
November 17th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I want to laugh.