Obesity Can Be Healthy, Dammit!- Page 6

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 4/27/07 at 11:59pm

damn now i'm hungry

[CostumeMistress]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 11:08am

When I stepped on the scale last Christmas and the weight read 208, I knew that I had to get my weight under control. I was often tired, cranky, and none of my clothes fit right. I made it my goal to weigh 150 (I'm 5'7") by Christmas of next year. Nothing too fast.

First I eliminated all white bread/flour from my kitchen. Next I eliminated all ready-to-eat meals. No Hamburger Helper. No Mac 'n Cheese. No frozen dinners. No Bisquick. If I want to eat, I have to make the food from scratch - that way I know exactly what's in my meals. Next I eliminated soft drinks from my house - I will never buy soda or pre-made lemonade. I'll still enjoy those drinks occasionally when I eat out, but I don't keep them at home.

Next I stocked up on dessert recipes that were heavy on oatmeal. Lots of low-sugar oatmeal cookies and bars that use raisins and vanilla or a small handful of chocolate chips for sweetening. I still have my sweets, but all the oats are still very friendly to my body.

This year I gave up meat for Lent, and made it all 40 days! I still eat fish or poultry sometimes, but I now eat very little meat.

I'm down to 199, so progress is slow, but more important than weighing less, I feel healthy. And that's a VERY good feeling. I have a job as a medical assistant that keeps me on my feet all day, and I love having the energy to run up stairs or walk to the Subway down the street for lunch.

It's funny - when I was in high school, I weighed 145. and thought I was FAT. I hated my body. Now I want my high school body back! Still, though, I'm happier with who I am at 200 lbs. than I was when I actually was 145. I've realized that I'm built like my dad - broad shoulders, strong back, muscular legs - and so I'll never be a size 2. My hips are too wide to ever fit into size 2 jeans, and that's just the way it is! However, I've finally started really taking care of my body - taking my vitamins, drinking lots of water, and feeling happier about myself.

So, yeah. I'm no diet expert, and I'm still chunky. But I can attest that making all those small changes really does make a body - and a person - happier and healthier, and it's SO worth it.

Updated On: 4/28/07 at 11:08 AM

[misschung]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 11:31am

Good for you! But really you should only lose like a pound or two a week if you're making small, permament changes.

I have to say that even when I was at my thinnest I still thought I could lose a few pounds because lets face it - I am just not meant to be "skinny." I think you can drive yourself crazy if you become really obsessed with weight, which is why I'm an advocate for exercise and eating right instead of crash dieting. I mean theres more fun things to do in life, lol

cute birds, btw!

[Jellylorum]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 12:12pm

I used to be 140 pounds, and I was always unhappy about the fact that I was fatter than everyone else. A lot of that was probably muscle because I played a lot sports and always got at least 90 minutes of exercise everyday. But that didn't change the fact that most of the other girls were size 2 and I was an 8.

I don't exercise as much anymore, so I gained about 27 pounds, and I gained another 10 pounds after I stopped being a vegetarian. Now when I look at my old photos, I realize that a size 8 is not fat, and I'd be really happy to be that size again. I'm also slightly taller than a lot of girls and have a big bone structure, so anything below a 6 is just wishful thinking.

Updated On: 4/28/07 at 12:12 PM

[Elphaba]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 12:51pm

bravo to both Rath and mistress as they are doing something about it.

I tend to snack late, which I have recently stopped. I am not happy with my weight, but I don't beat myself up either.

There are weeks when no sweets in the house, and then suddenly there are three pints of ice cream (only I eat ice cream).
I have made the decision not to have certain foods in the house, one which is sweets.

Thanks for the idea about oatmeal in deserts mistress, got any recipes?

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 1:41pm

elphaba, i think you cam substitute oat flour for regular flour in recipies and it will have the same effect

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 1:45pm

Elph-I'm doing something about it too! very slowly, but surely.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 6:27pm

I've realized that I'm built like my dad - broad shoulders, strong back, muscular legs

I'm not sure if this is appropriate or not, CostumeMistress, but would you mind too terribly much if I asked you to give your dad my card?

[soapguy17]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 6:35pm

Namo, did you ever know that you're my herooooo?

[misschung]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 7:36pm

lol!

[soapguy17]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 10:53pm

I'm watching FAT: What No One Is Telling You right now, it's amazing and really eye opening.

[shira467]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 11:00pm

It was on the other night as well. Extremely interesting.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 11:04pm

soapy - thanks for remind me! I'm watching it on the site right now.

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/28/07 at 11:05pm

Check out Mary-she's so adorable!

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 12:32am

this was on another board i go to...


HEALTH QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION
Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... Don't waste them on exercise . Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables . So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
A: You're not listening.... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable. It's the best feel-good food around!!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape! !

[shira467]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 12:35am

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Oh that was great!! Thank you, Abba.

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 12:37am

Oh SH*Te! When I read number one, I was thrilled to death, taking it seriously. As I read down, I saw it was a joke. What a bummer.

Loved it Abba, thanks!

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 12:40am

lol jane.... i actually thought that was true when i was a little kid. i think i heard it on garfeild. i remember getting really concerned in gym class when the teacher said we had to raise our heart rates.

when i first read it, i went into geek mode right away and thought "pffftt.. doesn't whoever made this list know that they discovered a type of squid that's larger than a whale? god what a loser!"
*pushed glasses up on nose*

[shira467]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 12:42am

Abba, I think you actually just geekified yourself. Squid?! Serioously?

More imporatntly, can I get that squid fried with some marinara?

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 12:44am

lol... i'm VERY into marine life, specifically those creatures that fall into the feild of cryptozoology. this collasal squid discovery was quite the buzz on the crypto boards!

[shira467]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 12:45am

Sounds cryptic!

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 12:48am

lol... now i'm going to REALLY geekify myself.

cryptozoology = the study of hidden animals... think bigfoot, the loch ness monster and the chubacabra!

[Jane2]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 12:50am

Sounds interesting-how about the Manatee?

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 12:52am

nope. not crypto. but a very cool aniamal.

here's a VERY short list of some of the more commonly known cryptids
http://theshadowlands.net/creature.htm

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 4/29/07 at 10:53am

I have Diabetes and I am...not Obese just over weight. I think obesity counts over 250 right? I dunno. I am exactly 200. I chechled yesterday. I do need to loose weight and I should be concentrating on my Diabetes more than I am. Obesity can not be healthy in any form. I am not a healthy person. I know that. But just because someone is living a normal life style and are not in the hospital, it does not mean they are healthy.