Losing Weight Isn't Just about Looking Good

I was reading this piece in the Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/14/AR2009071400671.html when I was reminded that losing excess fat is about more than just looking good (although it can be a primary motivator).

When I set out to lose weight, I was unhappy with how I looked. But I was probably even more unhappy with my health and my lack of energy. It seemed to be a self-perpetuating cycle. I was too tired to do anything, and because I moved less, I gained weight. And, I was constantly sick, everything from minor colds and head-aches to pneumonia.

But, as Ezra Klein points out, counting calories is a public health issue. He seems ambivalent to the idea of posting calorie counts at restaurants, but I really think they should be blatantly posted. Not only would it encourage all of us to consume fewer calories, but it may even induce restaurants to reduce portion sizes, fat, sugar, etc. to reduce calorie counts.

We wouldn't just be thinner, we'd all be healthier.