The Problem.

God, I hate cardio. Hate, Hate, Hate, Hate... Notice all the capital H's?
Anyway, I have two new points of motivation. One which we can discuss right now, the other at a future time because its rather personal. More to come.

In doing some Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities related research I read this: "...obesity rates in adults are highest in those with the lowest family incomes (33.6%)...By contrast, rates
of overweight are lowest in those with incomes at or below FPL(FEDERAL POVERTY LINE) (30.1%) and rise
progressively with higher income to 38.8% of those with incomes exceeding
300% FPL (P<0.001).
These statistics are from the Ohio Family Health Survey's report on "Obesity in Children and Families Across Ohio in 2008."

So, to put it simply, the more broke you are, the fatter you tend to get.
This runs counter to any point in history other than the modern day. Even just a century ago, if you didn't have real money coming in, or actually produced food (which only comes from having some means, if not money to do so) you would more likely be malnourished, or even starving. Food insecurity meant a real threat of going hungry.
Now, food insecurity (especially for children) means dying early of heart disease, complications from diabetes, etc.

Fast Food man. Sheesh.

In many low income communities, the freshest food one might find might actually be at McDonald's. Can you believe that? Mcie D's has fresh vegetables- iceberg lettuce, tomatoes mainly, and is faster and easier for a parent that might work 2 or three jobs to procure for her children than going to a very out of the way grocery store to buy food there.
Its an amazingly awful cycle- self perpetuating, detrimental, and epic in scope.

We're in a bad way.