By: Michael Beiter

Nearly everything we work on together results from humanity's insane progress.

Paradoxically, our progress in certain areas has led to us regressing in others. I don't think this is OK.

By nature of you being here, you agree to some extent.

You may not crusade and start a business to correct the regressions as I did, but you believe you have a responsibility to yourself, your family, and your friends enough that you commit to working out and eating right.

That is a big deal because many people take little or no responsibility for these things. What a spit in the face to those who came before us and created this progress. What a disservice to those immediate to us and those who will come after. By not taking care of yourself, you rob both parties.

We created a system to manage our food so we don't overeat and become unhealthy. An eating system is progress because the number one killer of people for the most extended amount of time was the opposite: starvation from not enough food. In less than 200 years, we went from a world full of malnutrition to one full of obesity.

We created a system to get enough physical activity daily. Hunter-gatherers - the people who go out and kill and collect their food accumulate an average of 19.8 miles of movement daily. This style of living prevailed for thousands of years before the agricultural age. It has dropped since the beginning of the one we live in now: the technological age. The average American saunters about a paltry 1.5 to 2 miles daily. This reduction in movement represents progress because we no longer have to move to have the basic necessities of life. Food, shelter, clothing, and friendships are all available while remaining planted on our asses - progress.

Such a lack of activity contributes heavily to obesity and cardiovascular disease, killing more people in a year than terrorist attacks, automobile accidents, and war combined.

We manage our thinking and free time in a way that contributes to a healthy individual. Before the 20th century, free time was reserved for the elites. Now our days are flush with it. The average American now enjoys as much leisure time as the Royal classes of centuries past. One study suggests from 1900 to 2006; the average American reduced his annual work hours by 550. That's a lot of extra time to do what you please. But many are using that time in a passive, nonproductive way and contributing to the fattest populace ever.

When I started learning about how far and how fast we've come, I felt a renewed responsibility to use the resources I have for good.

I would help others with my work, but not before I helped myself - yet another sign of how good things are.

I would mind my activity and food so as not to be one of the assholes who eat and lounge in excess.

Lastly, I would spread these ideals to whoever would hear them. They are those of the enlightenment. Being woke isn't just about political or civil topics. I think it's most important to start by waking up to the progress we enjoy and using it to be healthy.

Not just for you but your family, friends, community, and everyone who came before you, because giants built the progress we too quickly take for granted.

I titled this blog 'Great progress creates great responsibility.' It's a near copy of "With great POWER comes great responsibility," a quote Uncle Ben told Spider-Man just before he died.

We might not be superheroes, but the progress humanity has experienced takes us pretty close, and I'll be damned if I don't take responsibility and do my part.

It looks like eating just enough when we could eat it all, moving when we could be sitting, and doing something when time demands we do nothing.