Gluttony is a Deadly Sin
Recently, I’ve been hearing more about competitive eating. Maybe I’m taking it too seriously, but this phenomenon kinda bothers me. With all the health problems that we have in this country related to overeating and obesity, I find it a bit disturbing that we celebrate this type of gluttony. Not to mention, all the people that starve to death every day on this planet, or the countless people who have eating disorders.
Competitive eating is actually gaining momentum as a legitimate sport. ESPN even provides coverage of competitive eating (which isn’t saying much, because ESPN covers a lot of things that aren’t really sports, e.g. dog shows, rodeo, nascar, baseball
), and the body that governs competitive eating has actually approached the olympic committee about becoming an olympic sport. Fortunately, they rejected the overtures, but the fact that the competitive eaters actually think they had a chance is somewhat disturbing.
What’s next, competitive chain smoking? Or how about competitive binge drinking? That would be very popular with the college kids.
August 29th, 2005 at 8:36 am
I agree…there is something very disturbing about cheering on someone eating 50 hot dogs in 10 minutes or whatever it is. Gross.
November 28th, 2005 at 11:47 pm
Hey Matt and other site visitors. Interesting topic to discuss on the site of a guy who I met in a definitely HEALTHY context: Ultimate league. In a country where 1 in 3 of us are not just overweight, but obese, competitive eating is really not a good thing for people to be glorifying and seeing on television. Add that to video games, EXCESSIVE time doing what we’re doing right now (I’m not being a hippocrite–I’ve lost 70 lbs. since 2004 and play Ultimate, as I mentioned before) and cable television, etc. etc and it’s easy to see the things that led up to this–the negative effects of a conversion to an almost all white-collar society and the tremendous advances in entertainment-related technology. Now, most of us don’t get exercise at work. We have to make a point of doing something for exercise as you’re not burning many calories in a cubicle!! So, if you’re exercising, way to go!! Keep it up!! if you’re not, get your ass in gear. Start small and build up–a good brisk walk every other day, and then add a sport, aerobics, jogging, lifting, pilates, yoga–whatever floats your boat. You’ll be glad you did.
One last thing. If you’re saying to yourself right now, “I don’t have time to exercise,” you’re dead wrong. YOU DON’T HAVE TIME NOT TO EXERCISE. If you’re completely booked and exercise isn’t a part of your life, you’re doing something less important, and you’ll have to let it go. If not that, then reduce the time alloted for several things you can, and voila! you’ll have time to exercise.
Getting back into shape is the best thing I’ve done in 7 or 8 years. You’ll feel good too–just give it the ol’ college try .