November 17, 2009
I hope you were able to watch the Heart Of The City: Jackson yesterday because I am ready to talk 
First let me say that my site is about encouraging full figure women to love themselves for who they are. At a size 14 or 34 you have to learn to love yourself and if you love yourself of course you will make sure you try to eat right and stay healthy.
Now back to this documentary….
Here’s my problem with these “obesity” specials….yes it’s great that they bring awareness to our community and want us to focus on staying healthy……
But guess what America……
EATING HEALTHY IS EXPENSIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can almost guarantee that a lot of people who are obese do not have the resources to eat right. People like Star Jones who can afford to get surgery, a trainer and chef are very rare.
Also if and when you go to the grocery store, every healthy product in the store is MORE expensive than the processed/fatty foods.
So its easy for someone with money like a doctor or a psychologist to tell us we need to eat better, but most people are not going to make a decision on should they only get lean meats, fruits/veggies or should they pay their light bill this month!
Am I making excuses? No I am stating facts!
For example, there are certain areas in Jackson, Mississippi where people don’t have a grocery stores within 10 miles of their home and even if they do could they really afford to get the healthy food?
Unfortunately for most people its not that they don’t want to stay healthy its about survival. If I only have a minimum wage salary and I can get a bag of French Fries for 1 dollar vs a bag of Spinach for 4 dollars, most people with a tight budget are going to buy the French Fries.
Now can we still workout? Yes! I feel there is no excuse not to workout at least 3 times a week. You can walk around your neighborhood if you have to, as long as you are moving your body. However, if we keep putting junk in our mouths, are the workouts really helping?
So you want us to get healthy? You are so concern about us?
Here’s what you can do….
Build a grocery store in EVERY neighborhood..yes even people in low income areas need a grocery store dammit.
Give every morbid obese person a voucher every month so they can AFFORD to buy healthy food.
Have free health clinics in every neighborhood that teaches people how to eat & exercise the correct way.
MAKEÂ PHYSICALÂ EDUCATIONÂ MANDATORYÂ IN SCHOOL AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maybe this will start to create change instead of wasting our times watching these documentaries with people who make 6 figure salaries telling us we have to do to get better.
STOP TELLING US WHAT WE HAVE TO DO FROM A TV SCREEN AND BRING YOUR ASS TO THE COMMUNITY!
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Krys, You KNOW I LOVE you but we’ve got to do just a LITTLE bit better…
I absolutely agree with 90% of what you are saying. BUT I don’t think its more expensive to eat healthier than it is to eat rubbage at all. Its just that no one has ever taught most of us HOW to eat healthier. Patronise local growers & farmers markets instead of the chain stores. Items are indeed cheaper & healthier w/o most of the chemicals on them (hormones people, HORMONES) that we eat. Does a $3.00 5lb bag of carrots REALLY cost more than a $3.99 14oz bag of ruffles? We need to look at the sodium content of everything we eat, the amount of sugar/carbohydrates, the amount of fat Saturated, UnSaturated Trans & Non-Trans. Spend the $1.25 & pick UP the Sunday Newspaper (maybe even READ it while we’re at it). USE COUPONS. If there’s NOT a good quality grocery store closeby SPEAK THE HELL UP. Call your city councilmen/women, alderman, advocate. Write them if you don’t have a phone. Rally the people in your community. WE HAVE TO STAND UP FOR OURSELVES!
Also there’s NEVER any reason NOT to work out regardless of what you eat rubbage or not (I know you are NOT advocating NOT working out but unfortunately SOMEONE will take what you said & TWIST it!). Ladies all it takes is a simple walk. Start with 15 mins a day. If you have children TAKE THEM, they will be grateful for the family time & they nor you will even notice that you’re doing something for ALL your health. I know alot of our communities do NOT have sidewalks. But like the sister said in heart of the city WALK ALONG THE DAYUM STREET!
Another thing to remember is that there are SO many other health conditions that are related directly to obesity that we also have to contend with. If its a simple as making a few changes in where we shop, what we eat, how much we exercise, in order to improve our overall quality of living, should we not do those things? If you want information regarding free clinics go to http://www.freeclinics.us If you don’t have internet at home, MOST public libraries do. When’s the last time you went in one?
Its too easy for us to say our circumstances prevent us from being able to make a change. THAT IS A COP-OUT. How is any change ever effected IF we chose to do nothing about it?
Comment by Joyll — November 17, 2009 @ 10:39 am
While I did not have the opportunity to watch the city, I agree with you in that healthy food is expensive. I also agree that community leaders need to step up to the plate and focus on reducing factors that contribute to obesity in many communities, especially among the communities of color.
There are however programs such as WIC as well as other public health programs that focus on healthy eating among families. We as individuals also need to be more proactive about our own health. For the foods that we love to eat, there are also healthy versions, but as you stated it is about survival. There are also other public health programs that help people out with buying food, but there is such a stigma on people who depend on food stamps. Not many want to take advadntage of this no matter how beneficial it will be to them and their families.
I do believe that the number one thing we can do, no matter what we eat, is exercise. Walking, jogging, even yoga is good for all of us
Comment by Tia Michelle — November 17, 2009 @ 10:49 am
neighborhoods not having grocery stores is a travesty but i am a believer in individual accountability.
while i know healthier food tends to cost more, i also i know plenty of people of all sizes and health conditions who do not eat healthy food NOT because they can not afford it BUT simply because they much prefer the fatty processed easy food.
they feel its easier to go to mcdonalds and spend $5 on a meal as opposed to going to the grocery store ignoring the fact that they know its not good for them
frankly it comes down in a lot of ways to the value you place on your own life.
dont expect people to do for you what you are not willing to do for yourself.
there are numerous sources online (and offline – go get a book out the library…its free) that people could use to find healthier ways to spend their money.
here are a couple of simple examples
http://bit.ly/3qZGYl
http://bit.ly/6dLeh
http://bit.ly/w5IF8
also a lot of people are not willing to try new things also. they like their chicken fried cuz it tastes better when they see everywhere that fried is not healthy.
i shop everywhere from aldi to trader joes to wholefoods and gourmet shops and no matter where you shop..its all about choice and education and as an individual we are all responsible for our own.
people need to educate themselves on whats healthy for them. they need to comparison shop. to watch the sales.
i am the coupon queen. i never want to pay full price for anything so i am constantly printing out coupons, signing up on websites that send them, etc. and i use the grocery sales paper and plan what i buy based on that.
i see people using wic and food stamp cards to get chips and cookies, so i am hard pressed to think that some folks want to be healthier, so you could give them all the vouchers and handouts you want and it still comes down to choice.
and i am note sure about where anyone else lives but i have never been to a school where phys ed was not mandatory.
and here in chicago we have numerous organizations that try to reach out to people with free health resources but frankly some people dont give a damn..they would rather sit around and complain than get out there and find what they need.
and while i have not seen the documentary, i do not believe that stars celebrity/income nor the manner in which she chose to deal with her own weight/health issues devalues the message..
Comment by Goody — November 17, 2009 @ 10:49 am
@Joyll I respect your opinion but the fact is do most people know what you just said? No….but I guarantee if more people like you were reaching out to these communities and telling them HOW they can find cheaper products then yes it would make a difference. Also most of the local farmers aren’t really local. I was born and raised in California and do not know where a farm is at all.
People want convenience to their lifestyle and who honestly has time to go to a farm? I know I don’t and I personally would prefer to go to my local grocery store to pick up my products.
I think you are speaking in your perspective. You are in a major city and have so many resources around you…but does everybody have that..no.
As far as clinics I mean clinics that have a focus on weight loss. In my opinion their needs to be a free weight watchers clinic in every city that has a high obesity percentage.
And as far as the working out comment anything that I say on here can be twisted but I stated that yes there is no excuse to not workout but if you still dont know what to eat or cant afford to get it then you are just adding more healthy issues…
Comment by Krys Nicole — November 17, 2009 @ 10:53 am
And once again ladies you are speaking in your point of view. All of you are educated and live in major cities with major resources. I am speaking for the underdog who does not have the resources and pretty much was just never taught. We have some people who don’t have a decent grocery store in the neighborhood do you think they may possibly have a library? And fight and stand up? Why would they fight for something that they were taught was never wrong in the first place? As much as we would like to think everybody thinks like us and has our attitude trust me there is another world out there.
Comment by Krys Nicole — November 17, 2009 @ 11:07 am
I think most of the people responding are completely missing the point of this blog posting. No one is saying that people should not be accountable nor is anyone saying that people don’t have access to certain foods. The issue here is that a large majority of these individuals live in urban communities where if there are grocery stores in their neighborhoods, they have to worry about the quality of the produce that are being sold. If you have never lived in an urban community where on every corner you are greated by a McDonalds, Wendy’s, KFC etc. then I would love to hear you speak on solutions instead of telling people what they should or should not be doing. It’s easy for us to sit behind our computers and research resources when many people living in the communities that Krys speak of have no clue where to start. When I lived in the suburbs of Detroit, MI (Southfield) I was not greated with the foods that I am now greeted with right down the street. But I’m lucky, I’m a stay at home working mom with a husband who makes pretty good money so I can spend the money on fruit and veggies and if my neighborhood store does not have the foods that I need I can go elsewhere in my car. I am what many would consider middle class but what about those that are considered lower class? What about those that cannot drive out of their neighborhoods to specialty store? What about those that have multiple mouths to feed and no time to cook? What about those who see a sandwich off the dollar menus at McDonalds a much cheaper solution than the alternative.
Furthermore, WIC is helpful but what many don’t realize is that WIC is selective. A friend of mine attempted to buy cereal that was considered healthier for her children using her WIC allowance and that cereal was denied but the sugary one went through just fine.
Again, no one is making excuses for these people, I’m simply saying…Okay, as a country, we’re fat! What are you going to do about it? Be proactive and not judgemental people.
Comment by Stephanie Danforth — November 17, 2009 @ 11:15 am
I definitely agree with you about more free weight loss clinics needing to be available in cities with high obesity rates. The issue there is HOW do we convince those who need it the MOST that they need to attend these types of clinics? I honestly believe that the documentary & the way it was presented indeed HAD & SERVED its purpose. I too have seen people using their EBT cards to purchase PURE RUBBAGE food & they know its rubbage food & yet we continue to eat it. I honestly believe that we MUST continue filming everyday people like the people in Jackson & showcasing their health issues until we realise that they are also OUR health issues. You are right in that things are a bit easier for me living in a large city with more options but I STILL believe that our circumstances should NOT be allowed to dictate our quality of living. We have to WANT better for ourselves so therefore we HAVE to do better. I’ve lived in some of the largest & most beautiful cities in the world NYC, London, Tokyo, Frankfurt, & Paris. You know what the primary difference is between the people who live there & the people who live in places like Jackson, MS? They WANT TO LIVE & LIVE WELL. We HAVE to do better. We have to WANT better, for ourselves, our children, our health, AND our legacy.
Comment by Joyll — November 17, 2009 @ 11:16 am
@Steph, you are right that we HAVE to be about action instead of sitting here & stating the obvious. This is TRUE. But as a people we ALSO have to be accountable for our OWN health. We know we are FAT!! WE know dayum good & well we are FAT. No one has to tell us. Are we really in such a state of denial that we don’t see it? We know if we have diabetes, HBP, Heart Disease, Asthma. We know if we have these things. Somethings we just have to admit to ourselves & PROCLAIM our healing & health so we can move forward. I’ve lost 37 lbs & still need to lose 50 more. Did I not know once I stopped caring about my health & stopped doing the things I loved doing that I was going to get FAT? Absolutely I did. That’s common sense & sometimes we act like we are all NOT suppose to have some. As far as people NOT having access to the internet sorry hun but that is a cop out because at least 85% of all public libraries have it. What I’m saying is rather than just say well if nobody ever told you how would you know, how about we make the conscientious decision to go out & LEARN what it is we don’t know. Are we going to continue to tell our children that because they live in an urban community that they can’t grow or learn or BE GREAT?
Comment by Joyll — November 17, 2009 @ 11:24 am
obviously we are all responding from our own point of view.
is that not what opinions are?
secondly, i stand by my main point.
just because you have always done something or was never taught something, when you are grown YOU are responsible for your life.
You dont have to go to a specialty store to get anything. Like i said i go to aldis. aldis is considered low end, where all the “poor” folks shop and they have fruits and veggies that most of the time end up sitting on the shelves and going bad in certain neighborhoods here.
hell, i go out of my way at times to those particular hoods because i know the folks aint buying the stuff so i will have plenty to choose from.
so i wont sugar coat it. i see it everyday..
have seen it all my life.
i grew up in the the projects and folks would actually say silly ish like you “eat white” if you had a piece of fruit or preferred something healthy over the junk at the corner store.
And no matter where you live, most people have access to tv and newspapers and there are plenty of programs and articles that deal with health so if you choose not to seek out knowledge and information to better your own life, then you have and get what you have and get.
And Krys you asked “Why would they fight for something that they were taught was never wrong in the first place?”
How about because you want to live and not suffer from every possible disease and illness there is.
Comment by Goody — November 17, 2009 @ 11:38 am
Well, hopefully Fresh & Easy and Trader Joes will start being in these neighborhoods!!
Comment by Lana — November 17, 2009 @ 11:42 am
@goody Ok I will still stand by my main point as well. Yes that’s what opinions are and that’s why I have a blog to post my opinion. And I am pretty sure even if you grew up in the project there was SOMEBODY who taught you to pick up a piece of fruit vs a piece of pie. But those people who said “you eat white” clearly did not have that guidance and yes sometimes those people have to wait until something happens to there health to find out they need to change but once again IF there were more people who went into these neighborhoods directly and spoke to people vs. being behind a computer screen or on tv saying it I believe it would make a big difference.
Comment by Krys Nicole — November 17, 2009 @ 12:09 pm
now i already assumed you have a blog because you like to express your opinion.
i also assumed that you were interested in other peoples as well, especially since you tweeted the link to me, so you didnt have to tell me that, it was a given
and actually no one taught me to pick up a piece of fruit. my mama bought it. we had it at school. i saw it on tv and in commercials and it looked good. so i tried it and liked it.
and while my mama would buy fruit sometimes, she still to this day does not eat much of it and she is a heart patient.
when i tell people that i eat a partial raw diet, they act like its the most unimaginable thing in the world to have a diet that consists heavily of fruits and uncooked vegetables.
i cant tell you how many times i have heard when i tell people i dont eat meat “well do you eat chicken?” as if chicken is not a meat.
so people need to stop the cop outs and craziness and take the lead in their own lives.
if people spend their lives waiting around for someone to come and help them they are asking for a life of misery.
and then the other excuse about where you live..i know people here in the city who grow vegetables on their window sills, so even if you live in mississippi, you have options.
its up to you to seek them.
and there are some people you can speak to until you are purple in the face and they still will not care or want to change, plenty of organizations do it on a daily basis.
Comment by Goody — November 17, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
Well never mind keeping our bodies healthy, it seems to me that some people are not keeping this debate healthy and taking it too personal.:) With that being said I still stand by what I said and I’m pretty sure all you stand by what you said please feel free to continue commenting and thank you for your time and response.
Comment by Krys Nicole — November 17, 2009 @ 12:51 pm
@Lana Yes Lana I hope those stores will come to those neighborhoods
Comment by Krys Nicole — November 17, 2009 @ 1:13 pm
I agree with you. No one who makes beaucoup money should tell us what we should and should not be doing when they don’t know what’s within our means. The healthy food is very expensive. However, I also believe that being healthy is about the lifestyle that we choose to lead. We don’t have to always buy the healthy food but can start to incorporate fruits and veggies into our diets. We can change the way we cook things like bake instead of fry. Sometimes its the little changes that can make a difference. You made some awesome points and suggestions on how things can get better.
Comment by Lindsay — November 17, 2009 @ 7:21 pm
When I was a kid one of the best grocery stores in town was six blocks from my house. Today that same store is one of the worst. Most of the items stocked are junk food or the low end brands because those who shop there will not spend the money on better quality food. New stores are built close to major traffic areas with no regard for neighborhoods.
I would not give vouchers to buy food but I would require nutrition education for those recieving government benefits to teach those who may just not know how to prepare healthy alternatives to grandmas fried everything.
Free helath clinics would be a good idea if people would use them for more than a way to get free condoms, but I digress.
My generation those who graduated from school in the 80’s took physical education out of the schools because it was thought to ruin the self esteem of children now the are trying to reverse their mistake.
Now onto the main issue I did not see the show but I am tired of shows like this that say you fat folks need to stop eating and exercise not to mention I have nothing to say if Star Jones has anything to do with it.
Comment by Glen Johnson — November 17, 2009 @ 8:36 pm
I completely understand what your are arguing here, and I also agree to an extent. Healthier foods/Organic foods do tend to be inaccessible to poorer neighborhoods, but many times people raised on certain types of foods… particularly foods high in fat content and cholesterol tend to have an aversion to eating healthier. We have to do the best we can, with what we have.
While doctors and nutritionists need to keep the disparity between poorer neighborhoods and more affluent neighborhoods in mind, when suggesting healthier food choices to their patients or clients, Buying local produce as opposed to falling prey to the “organic” trend and patronizing local farmers’ markets are the best and most cost effective ways to eat healthier. Leafier products that minorities are familiar with… cabbage, collards, … and cutting back on trans/saturated fats cost virtually nothing. This, coming from someone who is currently struggling financially due to unemployment.
People suffering from obesity, or on the cusp… need to be more mobile. The problem just isn’t going to solve itself. We all have to start somewhere and do the best we can to look after ourselves… regardless of our size.
I do think Trader Joes should build stores in more urban neighbhorhoods. There’s never any excuse to put your health at risk.
Comment by Coffey — November 19, 2009 @ 9:48 pm
P.S. Please excuse my grammatical errors… particulary, “your” when I meant “you’re” am so lazy tonight.
Comment by Coffey — November 19, 2009 @ 9:51 pm