Who uses sticks of butter anyway?

There’s been a lot of controversy over these bariatric surgery ads lately but I would have to totally agree with the message: obesity is suicide.

However, I completely disagree with the solution being bariatric surgery. I’m sure in many cases it’s completely necessary in order to save someone’s life, but for the rest of the world that is obese simply from being lazy and unhealthy, these ads are just sending the message, “It’s ok you got fat, just have surgery.” We’re a culture obsessed with quick-fixes and even quicker results.

While an ad for a gym membership that says something realistic like, “Get active, work out at least a few days a week, eat healthy and lose weight over a period of time that you can actually keep off,” doesn’t get much attention, it’s what works. I’m no expert, but over the last couple of years (especially the last one), I’ve learned to love the gym and even though fries are my weakness, I’ve learned I feel like crap after eating them. Like they say, it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle change. Why isn’t anyone advertising that? Oh, I know, because it’s not shocking and apparently shocking/scaring people is all that works in the country.