Should Gov. Chris Christie Lose Weight?
LARGER-than-life NJ Governor Chris Christie ate a donut on David Letterman (which was hilarious BTW) and it’s been a news story since a former White House physician said she was worried he might die in office.
Because it’s no secret that Christie is eyeing the White House.
And the biggest controversy it seems, at least on the national scale, isn’t his political ideology–-it’s his physique.
Can a fat man be President?
Yes, we’ve had a few.
Should a fat man be President?
Christie doesn’t think it’s a problem. Others see his weight as a disqualification for leadership.
Note: The discussion here isn’t even about politics as much as it is about being obese and in charge. In other words, can someone be fat and an effective leader at the same time?
First, as a fellow fat guy, I have to say that I empathize with the man
I’m not a NJ resident—and I know very little about his policies and the effects that they’ve had on NJ citizens.
But I know this:
- Chris Christie has struggled with weight his whole life | Check
- Being a governor has got to be stressful—-there’s a correlation between stress and poor food choices
- Being “too busy” is a popular excuse for not taking better care of yourself
Should Governor Christie Lose his excess weight?
Yes, I think so. Here’s why:
- The most important reason: morbid obesity is unhealthy
- He has a platform now, he could use it to be a role model for the 1/3 of us Americans who are fat. Right now, you’re just reminding us to make excuses.
- The visual connection between politics and obesity is never good
- Silence the critics so the debate can be about actual policy and not physique.
- Highest office = highest level of scrutiny over personal health. You can’t have that much power without being held to a higher standard. That’s why President Obama quit smoking.
You don’t have to be fit to be a leader. Those of us taking charge to pursue health, while still obese, are leaders in a very important way.
And we are pursuing better health because of the responsibilities we have:
To take care of ourselves and those we care about.
To set good examples for our families.
To make the most of this one life we have.
To prevent future problems within our present control.
Chris Christie can be a leader without shedding a pound. So could you or I.
But what kind of leader/husband/son/friend/role model/boss/mentor could we be if we pursued our best selves for the sake of both ourselves and those who look to us?
What do you think?
This is terrible but..
Can you imagine the great PR he would get if he did? Or publicly lost weight? He’d be all over the place – Extreme Weight Loss, daytime talk, morning shows, everything! He should save it for when he’s running for office.
It’s a good point. He has the platform + the media’s attention. He could keep it now that he sorta has moderate appeal (or at least intrigue).
You basically mentioned my missing bullet point.
Rae Rae J is on to what I was thinking…it is so expensive to run for President. If he lost weight he would get a ton of free publicity. Also he could say…look I tackled and (so far) won this life long battle. Now let’s get after some of these things that you all (Congress) say are impossible.
Chris Christie—making the impossible possible. 2016
;-0
Adelyn = Christie 2016 Campaign Manager.
Surely someone else is giving him this advice right?
I certainly hope so.
I get why he says that he can do anything now. I said it 90+ lbs ago. I didn’t have any “real problems”. No diabetes, no weak knees, did what I wanted to, kept up physically with a demanding job that requires me to stand, etc. etc. etc. On this side of 90 lbs I see that things are even better now.
I wish him great success. And I wish it for you, and me, and everyone!
Yeah those were my go-to excuses. I have good cholesterol, decent blood pressure, etc—
I had to talk loud enough to drown out the ticking time bomb
I honestly hope that anyone his size, age, and height makes the decision to lose weight in order to live longer and get healthier. Sadly, if you’re big and you don’t really care about it or want to lose weight…my opinion has no bearing.
Ya know?
You’ve got to want it. I don’t think he wants it.
Maaaaaaybe after his first stroke he’ll change his mind (but that did nothing for my dad). Again…he’s gotta want it.
It’s difficult when the denial gets so ingrained that it seems like getting the message through is impossible.
The common refrain I hear is “it’s my life/body I’ll do what I want”–
as if that person’s (or my) personal choices have zero consequence with anyone else. It’s just not true.
So much of the obesity-related complications are preventable. Fast forward 20 years when people are crying around your hospital bed and say still defend that it’s your personal choice.
It’s easy to get preachy. I know it’s hard to break that fat “tunnel vision”. I’ve only begun to break mine.
P.S. I recently saw a picture of his daughter and my heart broke. If he changes his weight for the better, he’ll only be helping her out, too. Just sayin’.
Yeah I don’t know his daughter but I know that I am motivated by the prospect of future children to pursue better health now. I want to break the obesity cycle.
Pingback: Shame Yourself to Skinny |
Pingback: Chris Christie Got Weight Loss Surgery, Should You? |