800 Pound Man Dies in Recliner After Living in it for Eight Months

According to Jeffrey Collins from the Associated Press, a morbidly obese man weighing 800 pounds died after sitting in his recliner non-stop for eight months. He never once got up - although I imagine it would have been quite difficult to move with his size - and consequently, he developed bed (or recliner) sores all over his body. You can imagine the smell he had as well. No showers, no bathes, and probably no deodorant. How would he even be able to find his underarms under all of those folds of fat?

The obese man, Tillmon Webb, lived about an hour away Columbia, South Carolina; and not surprisingly, firefighters had to cut him loose from the recliner. Webb's mother was the one who made the call to the paramedics due to pain issues. I imagine weighing 800 pounds is quite painful on the organs. As if this story isn't sad enough, Webb was only 33 years-old. Imagine being so unhappy that you have to eat yourself to death.

Sure, I love to splurge once in a while - well, more than once in a while - but I still manage to go to the gym, jump on the min-trampoline and walk my dog. I do all of that so I can eat and not become morbidly obese. Americans are more overweight than ever but should they blame great television shows that make them sit on their bums for hours at a time or tasty fast food? No, only you can control your weight even if you have health problems and bad genetics. I have everything working against me and yet people consider me to be thin. I think I'm "normal" but it's better than being morbidly obese.

It's no fun eating broccoli and green beans but if you do that just one day out of your week and cut back on some of the saturated fat you're used to eating, you'd be amazed at how quickly the weight will come off. For me, it was donuts that did me in; hence the reason I no longer eat them. However, I've learned to substitute donuts with fat-free blueberry muffins and fat-free brownies - yes, they do exist. The key is to have just one and walk away.

Now back to Webb. He was not a lonely man either; he was married and his wife apparently said he died of a heart attack. Yeah, what did she expect when he had all of that fat putting pressure on his organs? Shouldn't someone have intervened before he got up to 800 pounds? According to the reports, Webb was too ashamed to ask for help. Well, if you ask me, going to the bathroom in the same chair you're living in and dying at 800 pounds while stuck to your recliner are reasons to be ashamed; asking for help is something he could have been proud of.

Webb did not have health insurance which is most likely the reason he did not ask for help. But if illegal immigrants can go to the emergency room and receive treatment, certainly an American citizen who desperately needs it can receive treatment as well, right?

Webb lived in a trailer - oops, I mean mobile home - so pardon my judgment, but he probably didn't have the best health education. In fact, most Americans do not. Children should be taught at an early age what can happen to them if they continually indulge and don't exercise. Let this be a lesson to anyone who is thinking about skipping their gym workout tonight. One pounds turns into two, two pounds turns into 20, and before you know it, you're 800 pounds.

If you need help losing weight, consider joining a free support group like Overeaters Anonymous (OA), in addition to seeking help from your physician. If you do not have health insurance and cannot afford to see a doctor, I assure you there are clinics out there for people just like you. You just have to find them. Try to cut simple things out of your diet like cookies, and walk more. It just takes little effort to see big changes.

Don't starve yourself, and don't beat yourself up if you fall off of the food wagon. Aim for 1800 calories a day of "real" food, not processed food. Opt for lean protein like turkey, vegetables, whole grains (e.g. brown rice), low-fat dairy, and fruit. Try drinking water with lemon instead of your usual cola.

Start slowly when it comes to exercise. Walking for just 10 minutes a day three days per week is great for your heart. You can gradually increase the time and effort you put into your exercise program as you feel yourself becoming fitter. Use sites like Craigslist and Freecycle if you cannot afford exercise equipment; chances are someone will have light weights or a treadmill just lying around in their garage.

Don't become a victim like Tillmon Webb. He could have chosen to live by making better decisions, and so can you.

*To read more of Bobbi Leder's articles on Associated Content, click here.