I Believe Everyone Can Lose Weight…Even You!

According to the Centers for Disease Control, almost two of every three American adults are overweight. This number has grown from about one in two about twenty years ago and continues to increase. It is obvious that the American lifestyle has become more sedentary and the rates of diabetes and heart disease have increased proportionally. Our generation needs to be the ones to change this trend or we may become the first generation to have a lower life-expectancy than the one before it.

When I was in middle school, I was headed down this road. I was five feet, two inches and weighed 160 pounds. I was nearly clinically obese.

However, like many people I had no idea where to start to get healthy.

Watching television, you are bombarded by ads for weight-loss programs and diet drugs that promise drastic weight loss in a short amount of time. While these programs do work for some people, most people will not achieve the results promised. The reason for this is that you can’t lose weight only working out for twenty minutes three times a week. Many people expect to lose weight and become healthy only giving the bare minimum of effort.

This entire idea contradicts itself; maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires great effort. It’s easy to be unhealthy in our society. Unhealthy food is often cheaper and better tasting than healthier alternatives. Exercise is neglected by most people.

The root of the entire problem is that getting healthy requires true self-commitment. The effort has to come from within; no one can control what you eat or exercise for you. Another issue is that many people believe that they are so unhealthy that there is no way they will ever get back to where they should be. However, the truth is that anyone who is willing to put in the effort can lose weight. The first step is the most difficult. However, you will find that once you get into a routine, you will stick to it and actually enjoy getting out and exercising.

When it comes to eating right, moderation is the key. It is near impossible to eat healthy all the time because temptation is everywhere. Therefore, self-control when eating is crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Just taking smaller portions will go a long way.

I believe that it is possible for everyone to get healthier. Finishing my sophomore year of college, I am five feet, eleven inches and weigh 160 pounds which is right where I should be. The biggest thing I did in getting myself healthy was to just get up and exercise. I started running in high school and as I started having success, eating healthy and maintaining my exercise routine has become second nature.

The benefits go beyond reducing health risks. I feel better about myself and I love being able to get up and exercise.

Getting healthy is possible for everyone. Once you get yourself in shape, you’ll wonder how you lived being unhealthy.

500 words.

Finally Getting Healthy...

According to the Centers for Disease Control, almost two of every three American adults are overweight. This number has grown from about one in two about twenty years ago and continues to increase. It is obvious that the American lifestyle has become more sedentary and the rates of diabetes and heart disease have increased proportionally. Our generation needs to be the ones to change this trend or we may become the first generation to have a lower life-expectancy than the one before it.

If you watch television, you are bombarded by ads for weight-loss programs and diet drugs that promise drastic weight loss in a short amount of time. While these programs do work for some people, most people will not achieve the results promised in advertisements. The reason for this is that people expect to be able to lose weight only working out for twenty minutes three times a week. We want to lose weight and become healthy while putting forth the least amount of effort possible.

This entire idea contradicts itself; maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires a lot of effort. It’s easy to be unhealthy in our society. Unhealthy food is often cheaper and better tasting than healthier alternatives. Exercise is neglected by most people as we look for more ways to be lazy.

The root of this entire problem is that getting healthy is almost entirely self-responsibility. The effort has to come from within; no one can control what you eat or exercise for you. A lot of people believe that they are so out of shape that there is no way they will ever get back to where they should be. However, the truth is that anyone who is willing to work at it can lose weight. The first step is usually the most difficult. You will find that once you get into a routine, you will stick to it and you will actually enjoy being able to get out and exercise.

When it comes to eating right, moderation is the key. It is near impossible to eat healthy all the time because temptation is everywhere. Therefore, self-control when eating is crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Just taking smaller portions will go a long way.

At this point, some people may be wondering who I am to say that all of this will work. This is me when I was in eighth grade.

I was five feet, two inches and weighed 160 pounds. I was nearly clinically obese. Now I am five feet, eleven inches and weigh 160 pounds which is right where I should be.

I won’t say that getting healthy was easy. It took years and a good deal of effort on my part to get healthy. But it’s not impossible. The benefits go beyond reducing health risks. I feel better about myself and I love being able to get up and exercise.

Getting healthy is possible for everyone. And once you get yourself in shape, you’ll wonder how you lived being unhealthy.

500 words exactly.

"Well I made a difference to that one."

My ideal job is to be an engineer in the alternative energy industry attempting to find a renewable energy source that can be produced cleanly and efficiently for our entire nation. It is becoming increasingly clear that fossil fuels cannot be relied on to fulfill our nation’s energy needs much longer. Eventually fossil fuels will run out and we’ll need a new source of reliable energy. The field that intrigues me is geothermal energy, which is collecting heat from the earth and making it useful.

The stereotypical “American Dream” is to make money in order to raise a family and live comfortably. Being middle class with 2.3 kids and a dog is what many people see as the American Dream. While I certainly would like to accomplish that, and being an engineer will likely do that, there is more to my American Dream than living in the suburbs and raising a family.

My American Dream is to use my skills in order to help as many people as much as I can. I believe that any work that I do in alternative energy would be tremendously beneficial to our nation and also the entire world. I have always liked serving my community and finding a new source of energy would be a great way for me to do that. I could join the military to serve, but I feel like I have the skills to help the nation in a completely different way. If I can help engineer a better way to provide energy, I will have done more good than I ever could’ve done serving in the military.

To me, the American Dream is accomplishing the most good possible with the abilities I have, and prosperity is just icing on the cake.

"Colin?!?! He's the Holy Grail of Lab Partners!"

The experiences that we have in school can have a tremendous impact on the rest of our lives. The worst classroom experience I’ve ever had was Algebra II with Ms. Barnes as a sophomore at Century High. She was a new teacher straight out of college and did not know how to teach math or control the classroom. None of the students were focused, and her solution was to bring in a bucket of toys (‘distracters’) that we were given to play with when we got bored in class. I have no idea what she was thinking giving 15 year-olds toys in class.

Ms. Barnes had no enthusiasm or passion for algebra, but even worse was how she assessed us on the material. We took tests in groups, with no measures to be sure that everyone participated. Some tests were open note and open book, which doesn’t test your knowledge on anything. I found myself dreading math, a subject I had loved for years.

On the contrary, the best educational experience I have ever had was Chemistry II with Mr. Ferrin that same semester. I despised my first chemistry class in high school and Ferrin’s Chem II class had a reputation of being the hardest class at Century. Ferrin assigned tons of homework every night and expected your best work on every assignment, which lead to the reputation. However, he was enthusiastic and knowledgeable about chemistry. I found myself enjoying my homework and even smiling during quizzes (causing the quote in the title). Ferrin earned the respect of every student and controlled the classroom. Mr. Ferrin’s passion for chemistry is the reason I am majoring in Chemical Engineering.

Looking back on that semester, I am amazed that one man and his class completely changed the direction of my academic life.

"What we Want, What we Believe!"

The Black Panther Party was established in 1966 to promote African-American empowerment and social change. Their methods were in stark contrast to the prior peaceful protests, and included militant demonstrations and attacks on police. Stephen Shames spent six years with the Black Panthers, photographing both the public and private aspects of their organization. The 1960’s and 1970’s was a racially charged, tumultuous time in America and Shames’ 1970 picture depicts the seriousness of the issues and how passionately the Black Panther Party felt about creating a better society for African-Americans.

In this picture, children are standing at attention, wearing uniforms and berets, in a classroom at a Black Panther run school. A poster of a man hangs above the children, creating the feeling that someone is watching them. The militaristic discipline of the organization and the seriousness of their ideals is shown in the faces of the children, none of whom are smiling.

The Black Panthers’ militaristic approach can be related to the Vietnam War which was at its peak at this time. The Vietnam War sparked powerful feelings, and the Black Panthers were showing that there was a war that needed to be fought at home rather than across the globe. There were many protests at this time, but the Black Panthers distinguished themselves with their ferocity and militarism, sending their message louder than the rest of the protests that were going on.

The students are living in a special Panther children’s house due to the racially motivated police shootouts that occurred in member’s houses. Innocent children removed from their homes so they won’t be shot by police shows the turmoil present at this time.

It is impossible to look at this picture and not see the devotion to the message that the Black Panther Party was sending out.

Boom Boom Tap

One brand that I identify myself with is Under Armour. Under Armour sells performance sports apparel, especially sportswear that wicks sweat off your body. It’s a Baltimore based company that has just recently become popular all over the country. Under Armour represents some of my biggest passions and beliefs which is a reason why I wear it so much.

I identify with Under Armour because they make sportswear for people who love to be outside no matter what season. I find myself wearing Under Armour almost everyday, usually when I am running. There are times when I look in the mirror leaving my apartment and I’m wearing an Under Armour hat, shirt, compression shorts, and running shorts. I don’t mean to wear all one brand when I run, but find it to be the most comfortable. The clothes are good for more than just running; I wear them whenever I go camping or hiking. I relate Under Armour with some of my favorite activities, so I can easily identify myself with the company.

One of my strongest beliefs is that as a nation we need to improve our health and fitness because our overall poor health will cost us severely in the long run. Under Armour makes clothing that helps people get active and be comfortable while doing so. The brand represents fitness and being active, which I value very much.

Under Armour is a company that has its roots here in Baltimore. I was born in the city and have lived in nearby Sykesville for my entire life. I’m proud of where I come from and I like supporting a local company that gives back to the community, for example sponsoring the Baltimore Marathon.

Under Armour is a revolutionary brand of sportswear that continues to get better and better.

My Personal Media Habits

So much of our lives are determined by what goes on around us, especially in our early years. Media consumption is certainly influenced by how our parents raise. As I look back on my media habits, I realize that my parents and my household have had a great impact on my media habits now.

First, I have never been one to watch too much TV. I attribute this to my parents deciding when I was four years old to turn off our cable TV. We didn't turn it back on until I was seventeen in the spring of my senior year. I only watched TV when I was bored, and never planned out certain times to watch TV. Now, I still don't watch very much TV because as a child I had tried to find better things to do than watch TV.

Along those lines, my mom was vehemently against video games so they were never in my house. I was lucky to get a Game Boy when I was about 10. Now, I almost never play video games and I have no interest in ever purchasing a system.

On the contrary, one piece of media I use all the time is my computer. I've been using computers since I was three so I've been familiar with them for almost my entire life. I am on my computer for about three or four hours every day. I use it for communication, school, music, and gaming. The computer is so universal and can have so many purposes which is why I use mine so much.

I also always carry my cell phone with me. I didn't have one until I started driving, but I couldn't imagine not having one. I'm not the biggest fan of personal interaction, so my cell is a way to communicate without actually having to see the person face to face. Calling and texting are how I do most of my communication. For me, it's a method of being more social without actually being out all the time.

While I am happy that I don't play video games or watch very much TV, I know that I should rely less on my computer and my cell phone for communication. Being able to communicate well with people is a valuable skill that is being slowly lost in our culture. I need to work on using media less because I realize that I rely on it too much. This is a goal not easily accomplished because society has accepted replacing much of our lives with media to make them "easier," but I wonder if we are actually hurting ourselves with our ever-growing reliance on media.