Yet Another Perversion of Nature

I just saw this infomercial for the Bowflex Treadclimber. Now, those of you who know me already know that I'm not a big fan of exercise machines, but I think this one takes the cake!

Here's the new cycle of energy waste. People eat too much food, which did itself require a substantial amount of energy to produce, and thereby become fat. Now, being dissatisfied with their newly acquired girth, they embark on vigorous exercise routines, some of which involve machines which themselves require energy to operate! I thought it already sufficient that the bodies of humans have been perverted into heaters - isn't that, after all, what we're doing when we eat too much and then 'burn it off' - now it seems that the heater itself needs more power yet! Doesn't this situation strike anyone else as incredibly stupid?

On a slight tangent, I recently read an article about the diet of the medieval man of Europe. Apparently this diet consisted of nearly 5000 calories per day, composed mostly of bread, meat, lots of vegetables, and copious amounts of relatively weak ale. Sounds pretty good eh?! Well, let's not forget that the typical medieval man also did physical labor for over 14 hours per day! Most people these days barely do 30 minutes of physical activity per day. Clearly we should do more, normal, natural physical activity. We don't need machines for that! We have legs and feet!

Finally, we should be eating only as much as we need to sustain our typical daily lifestyle, not more. That probably means no more than 2500 calories for most of us - I daresay 2000 for the vast majority!


Oh well, just my thoughts eh. I have been known as a person who loves food and has many cravings. However, I have over time acquired the ability to control my cravings, and especially to contend myself with smaller portions. It requires only will.