Let’s ask our dear friend Teddy:
I had a lot of trouble convincing him to give me this interview, and I hope you appreciate the effort. While Teddy isn’t a human, he’s still a carnivorous mammal that can tell us a thing or two about diet. So, without further ado, let’s get to it!
Me: Hello, Teddy. Us humans have been wondering why we become fat. As an animal who can have up to 10 inches of fat under his skin, what can you tell us about this?
Teddy: Well, David, I’m glad I could join you. See, as a healthy, fat-rich bear living in the wild, I know a thing or two about dieting and survival. See, during the warmer seasons, I eat a lot. And I mean a lot a lot.
My body stores as much fat as possible, because during winter, hunting food is much harder for me. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t just eat meat, I like my salad as well, and there’s not much of it in winter. This is why I take it easy and live off my fat reserves. As far as I know, you humans have them as well, correct?
Me: Yes, you can say that it’s becoming a problem. [We both laugh]
Teddy: Well, that’s understandable. Your metabolism has gotten used to a scarcity of food in certain seasons. But since you never actually experience that scarcity in today’s world of food abundance, then you’re stuck in an endless summer, preparing for a winter that never comes. I hope I could help in this struggle. Can you now give me a salmon?
Me: Sure thing, Ted.
Now, what did we learn from this? I hope that we understood the following things:
- Storing fat is a survival strategy for the wilderness
- We store fat in order to consume it later
- Breaking that process can lead to obesity
That’s all. Don’t hate the belly, hate the game. I’d also give away a little secret. I didn’t actually talk to a male bear called Teddy. I’m sure someone in the comments is going to say this is a female brown bear called Matilda living in captivity that doesn’t know how to hunt, but the general idea stays the same.
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