What Stresses You More: Weight or the Economy?

My body is something I can do something about, something I can work on and change. I can't do much about the world economy.

Right now, my body is my bigger concern, for sure--I'm 9 1/2 weeks pregnant. I wouldn't say it's as big of a stressor as the economy, but keeping myself healthy is definitely my major preoccupation.

The economy, big time! It's hard for me to look beyond the present and the future. How will I pay for today? How will I afford tomorrow?

I'm still keeping myself healthy. That's easy and exercise distracts me from the muck we're in. But history shows health plummets during very hard times.

During the Great Depression things like homicide, cirrhosis and suicide increased, i.e. heavy drinking and murder. Not exactly healthy!

In a society where money dictates everything. You've got to be a huge bubble head not to worry about it.

I am in control of my body & know how to work it for me. My workouts have helped me thru hard times, family deaths & more. It is the one thing I know I can control to a certain point.

The economy stresses me way more!

Like others have said, I know how to take care of my body and I'm in control of it, so it's not really that much of a stressor for me. I'm not terribly stressed by the economy right now, but that's only because we've always been frugal and we haven't lived beyond our means. The only real evidence of the bad economy hitting us has been in our retirement funds. Other than that, we've got a comfortable amount of savings and no real debt aside from our mortgage. I am slightly annoyed at the price of food, but I try to shop smart to maximize my grocery dollars and still eat healthy. I absolutely refuse to eat boxed mac and cheese and Ramen noodles at the expense of my health.

I appreciate this question of what causes more stress- my weight or the economy. Why? I can see a direct correlation in my life and see how this question leads to a bigger question about how we decide what is the best way for us to live in general.

First, I'm a 33 year old male, 6'1" at 207 lbs. This has fluxuated from 205-220 for the past year, ( I can thank my wife for the scale and having this info in my head). I work primarily on the internet at home and try to ride a stationary bike, do some push ups, sit ups, boxing. More days than not- I would consider myself just a tad above average with diet and exercise. Although, I do eat fast food as well as fresh vegis and yogurt etc.

Anyway, I have picked up a second job doing construction but its sporadic. I wish it was everyday because I'd be more fit. I despise the self control needed to go to a gym everyday and generally believe that our health problems are caused because of how we live compared to the past.

Here's where I get a philosophical. I feel the need to, because I think I see a lynchpin that is common to many concerns that we have. We are all discoverers as the Discovery Channel reminds us. Whether we watch the news, talk with friends and coworkers or research questions related to work or personal interests through the internet. So, we grow all these opinions about this or that ( these opinions are harvested by marketing companies in order to respond to trends, ofcourse)

People are social animals, we rub off on each other, and can't help but take personally our beliefs and this is why people can get so bent out of shape on these forums and just about everywhere else, I'd say. We are all building a picture of the world we live in that takes everything we experience into account.

Here's where I get personally frustrated with discussions about health, weight, or anything for that matter. Doesn't it seem impossible that we've lived this long and can't seem to agree on much? I guess we agree that you'll die if you don't get water in 3 days or food in 3 weeks but not much past that.

Have you noticed that we feel we need the newest diet, advice about one in order to be healthy? I find myself wanting to track everything on my pda so I'll know some kind of greater truth and lead myself toward life control goals.

I think we have so detached ourselves from nature that we have to think too much. People used to have to be constantly active, washing clothes, working physically. All these supposed advances have actually made us work longer hours, get paid less, become less civil, moral, more robotic.

We thought freedom of choice that is catered to by the media is what we wanted. So we ended up couch potatoes, credit addicted, and depressed. We didn't know that our ancestors had some advantages that we gave up. Now we have to worry if we're gonna get the next salmonella batch of this or that?!

I'm asking you to ask yourself if maybe we need to start to let go of this so called civilization that has lead us to such an undignified existence. I like the simple advice that what you put inside yourself is either nutritious or it is poison. All those words on food we can't pronounce- poison! Don't need em'. I don't want to tell you what to think but to ask you to define what is really worthwhile in you? We are full of other people's ideas that we repeat. I think happiness comes from being around friends and family that are happy. The only value that we possess is that which we take in from nature. Hard work in our own vegetable garden is a direct connection with the source of life and happiness, for example. There doesn't have to be some business with all its needs to support my unsatiable desire for more.

Look at our whole perspective on food. My wife and I had our birthdays last month and eventhough we're broke we just had to go to Red Lobster. I appreciate gourmet food, as well, and prepare it from time to time but when eating food feels pornographic you know it aint right.

I'm just asking you to think about how our actions are causing bad stress because we are consumers always wanting more. If this economy gets better will we? The truth is freedom comes from letting the natural world tell us what to do. Isn't it telling us that maybe we shouldn't expect uncontaminated food from companies that can only exist if they worship profit above all else? I think once we start questioning why things are the way they are it comes back to the Garden of Eden story- and I'm not even Christian. We have heaven right here on earth. Because people in the past wanted more than what we we're given they dominated the rest of us. Now, we're all trying to live like the rich. Who wouldn't want millions of dollars and a yacht- I know I wouldn't turn it down. Let's don't play the blame game. We are all literally the source of the problem. We believe we have no value as individuals- which is an insult to nature that made us. This is why we're always running around short of breath like a chicken with its head cut off looking for solutions to our unending problems. We have to accept that what we call education is actually a practice of hiding the truth from people. Everything from school to work is all based on a pyramid scheme. You always have to go through some hoop and pay somebody money and happiness is always around the corner. This serves the people who make money and gain power manipulating the rest of us like the sheep we are. Don't get mad at them- they are as trapped in this deadly cycle as we are. The only way to get out is to pay attention and listen to what our "self" is saying. For example, occasionally, I'll take a cigarette offered me by a friend. I'll take a puff and it tastes absolutely horrible- what I'm surprised about I don't know. Then I'll ask this person if they think it tastes gross and they say no. Hell, I don't know how but maybe they're telling the truth. I know it would be impossible for me to smoke a pack of cigarettes. Maybe I just can't handle it when we can see the same thing so differently. Why else would I continue to "try" cigarettes?

Actually, there is something wrong if what is "cool" is overriding my common sense. So, can you see that "cool" is an evil thing that makes the best and brightest of us do the worst things like drugs, hate an unpopular group, eat unhealthy, etc.? It doesn't just affect the youth either. "Cool" is all around us. I'm not just talking about abominations like _American Idol_ or _Mylee Cyrus_. Politics, Green this and that, porn.

I'm sure all this perspective seems crazy to many. Well now you know how I feel whenever I go out in public or hear the media. We are constantly bombarded with insanity that we are so accustomed to that people think you're rocking the boat to call any of it into question. Believe me, just because I see things this way doesn't make it any more comfortable than you might feel to be asked these questions. I'm just asking you to wonder if being comfortable is the end all be all that we seem to think. I think there are no shortcuts in life and the more I can accept things as they are as well as heed the voice that wants me to allign myself with what is in harmony with the laws of life itself- the better I'll be. I'll be able to develop a true foundation for living that transcends all the artificial constructions that man makes and that this is where the good left behind after I go will spring from.

So, it appears to me, that we should identify a bad foundation of self doubt and going against nature that is the root cause beneath a question like, "Which is more stressful? Your weight or the economy?"

Thanks for reading this and for you being you- whomever that is, regardless with whether I agree with you or not. I wish us well.

If you stress about the economy you'll add on the weight. Simple as that.