While it might not be accurate to say that Donald Trump is the most unhealthy president we’ve ever had he’s certainly in the running — although one struggles to picture him managing a form of locomotion that could even be generously described as running.
The man is morbidly obese which, while not a character flaw in and of itself, is irresponsible given that the leadership (if you can call it that) of the world’s most powerful nation hinges on the continued survival of his shriveled, cholesterol-clogged heart. There is a bitter irony involved as well, given that during the campaign, Trump questioned Hillary Clinton’s health and fitness.
Trump’s doctor’s claim in January that Trump weighs just 239 pounds was met with skepticism by many, given the fact that he appears to weigh much more in photos. One wonders if the White House would ever admit Trump was in terrible physical shape and risk throwing the markets into a downward spiral.
Regardless of what is his real weight is, it’s clear that the president’s habits are aggressively bad for his wellbeing and have been for a very long time. That said, Trump — who doesn’t believe in physical exercise because he thinks the human body is like a “battery” that is born with a “finite amount of energy”— seems to be finally heeding the criticism of his unhealthy lifestyle.
According to CNN, Trump is actively attempting to lose weight. He has hired dieticians, switched from burnt steak drowned in ketchup to fish, and stopped eating the top bun on his hamburgers.
Efforts to cut back on his caloric intake have led to more vegetables being incorporated into his meals, although CNN adds that it’s unclear if Trump actually eats them.
Despite the new diet regimen, Trump still refuses to exercise, echoing his old and completely paranoid belief that it does more damage than good. It appears that the closest the president comes to strenuous physical activity is playing golf, an activity which he prefers to governing if the number of trips he’s taken on the taxpayers’ dime is any indication.
It remains to be seen if Trump will succeed in shedding the amount of weight he wants, but the entire conversation around his weight and refusal to exercise matters because it once again points to the rotten hypocrisy at the heart of his character. He slammed his opponents during the campaign for being low energy and repeatedly went after Clinton over her health. Meanwhile, he’s been destroying his body for decades and his sudden decision to reverse course is proof that he’s known it all along.