Hello my name is.......and I am OBESE

[madwife2002]

When I googled the word obesity I was astonished to find that I had 156,002,803 results.

What is Obesity?

• Wikipedia describes it as a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) describes obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A crude population measure of obesity is the body mass index (BMI), a person's weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of his or her height (in metres). A person with a BMI of 30 or more is generally considered obese. A person with a BMI equal to or more than 25 is considered overweight.

There's even a society for Obesity: Home - The Obesity Society

Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Once considered a problem only in high income countries, overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings.

So my question is how does all this information help me?

• I love eating ... there's no question and I love eating foods which are 'bad' for me ... I can't help it - they are delicious.
• So why can't I stop eating?
• Why can't I change my lifestyle?
• How can I stop the delicious foods cravings?
• And, I know that 95% of diets fail ... 1 in 20 dieters will succeed.

We discussed this at work recently and decided that you can do without cigarettes and drugs; and, you can freely move around in society without ever coming into contact with them.

Unfortunately, you cannot avoid food. You have to eat - there are no two ways around it!

In all societies, we eat food for pleasure! We have restaurants, weddings, christenings, birthday parties, July 4th parties ... you name it we have a party and it all includes FOOD. Our mouths drool at the thought of all the delicious food we are going to eat.

If the food is bad then we complain and moan, for days, weeks and even years. We remember.

If the food is good we compliment that person, party, or restaurant, for days, weeks and years. We return to good restaurants for ever or as long as the food is good.

So how is it possible to lose weight and stay slim?

We read about success stories in magazines, newspapers and television.

We the OB's have to stay away from food because we can diet, and we do diet a lot, but we can't stop returning to the food which pleasures us!

I diet one year - lose 30lbs easily. I am almost starved to death whilst I am losing it. Then one day my resolve is broken ... just one candy, just one or two chips, a small bite of the cookie or the cake, an extra serving of potato and WHAM I am right back to square one! Then I feel comforted inside - Oh boy the food I am missing tastes soooooooooooooo ... it is not in my imagination it is real!!

I love the feeling of being slim I really do it is great but the problem is I love food more. The 30lb's I lost is now 50 lbs gain. How did it happen? I really don't know but who cares ... who really cares ... only ME.

Everywhere I go there is food! It's on the TV, there are cooking programs which make food look so yummy, movies and tv shows have everybody eating, at work people are eating, machines give us food, free samples in supermarkets ... you name it there it is!

I can change my lifestyle but I love my lifestyle. That's where the problem lies-it's not against the law to eat! You don't beat people up, murder or cause fights and arguments in the home, it doesn't make you abuse children or women. It is socially acceptable to eat, food is sold everywhere-you don't have to go down a back alley to deal food.

Honestly, it frightens me that I am killing myself with my weight problems-but I am happy and contented as long as nobody takes my photo.

I really don't know anybody who has weight problems and has kept off the weight! Every single person I know replaces the lost weight within a couple of years and puts more on.

This is the area we have to look at, not how to diet because I am sure every single person who is overweight knows how to diet! The problem is keeping it off. Yes! You have to change your lifestyle but I think the problem is we like our lifestyle-to change it means we can't go out every week to eat or to people's houses for meals, or go to the food parties because Temptation is why we return to our bad eating habits! If we were strong willed we would all be a size 6-10 I guarantee that.

So to all the diet companies out there...

We all know how to diet! We have been on a diet and most of us still exercise. We don't eat more, we just can't stop the weight from piling on. We need more than just salads, chicken, or fish no carbs, no cakes, no chips, choc, or candy. Give us something that is close to what we normally eat - allow certain treats. It's by no means the answer but it can help those who stray from their diets.

I want to stop this yo yo diet

Quote

The only diet that works is a change of life style. You might be able to loss weight and stay off in a few months. However, you will bounce back if you stop dieting. A recent research found women that are frequently on yo yo diet ( if they gain/lose more than 10 pound for 10 or more time in their adulthood) are 2.5 time more likely to get kidney cancer than those who have stable weight (even if they are overweight).

Yo Yo diet - How typical dieter failed to lose weight and became heavier in long term

[luvschoolnursing, LPN]

Type 2 diabetic food lover here. For the past 2 weeks I have been following the South Beach diet. First time I have not been hungry. My only complaint is there is so much food preparation and cooking involved. I hope I can stick with this as it is truly a lifestyle change I need, not just a diet. I have probably lost 1,000 pounds over the last 25 years, 25-50 at a time, regaining that and then some each time. Good luck to all of you who are fighting the fight.

[greenfiremajick]

HcG diet

HCG DIET INFORMATION - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HCG DIET

What is hCG?

hCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, a hormone naturally produced by the placenta in pregnant women and...

How much weight will I lose on the hCG diet?

Most hCG dieters report a loss of 1 to 2 lbs a day. At the very least, .5 pound a day, and at the most...

[John20]

"Its the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with. I come from a family of foodies and fatties but like the Dr said "genetics don't prepare your meals" '

Amen. I'm tired of our society constantly making excuses for everything they fail at. Losing weight is not hard, landing on the beaches of Normandy under constant fire with death all around you, yet still pushing forward is hard. Society needs to redefine our current version of "Hard" or we're doomed to failure by our weakness. And yes I see obesity as a weakness, as does the silent majority in society.

Calories in= calories expended; and you cannot be obese (unless you already are, in which case you'll need a negative ratio). It's simple law of math. Nobody is going to motivate you. It's your job as a living animal to motivate yourself to be healthy.

[nononsense]

You are not alone in this issue.

I'm here to offer resolutions; not to have a pitty party for the obese/overweight population.

http://www.oa.org/

Our fate is in our own hands.

Best of luck to you!

[HumptyDumpty]

When are people going to get out of this "dieting" mind set? Dieting never works, it just does not. The only way you are going to effectively loose weight, keep it off, and develop an optimal health is through lifestyle changes. Stop eating processed junk, plain and simple. Eat veggies, fruits, meats, and nuts. If you read the ingredients on a product and it looks as if you could not make it in the kitchen, don't eat it. When you go to the grocery store, only shop on the outside. Everything in the middle isles of the grocery store is complete processed junk minus a few things, and I honestly mean a very FEW things. Instead of spending your Sundays gorging yourself watching football, get out and do something. Park at the back of the parking lot, get out and mow your own lawn, etc.... Use your imagination to get some movement. Lifestyle change is the only way you will accomplish optimal health. If anyone needs any help, PM me... I am passionate about the issue.

[vegas2009]

Well, in my case... my problem isn't pigging out on food (except for Japanese food) and occasional chocolate. But, mine is I don't get enough exercise. I don't sweat enough. I have control on food, but when I stuff myself too much -- my natural GAG reflex takes over. IF I put in another small bite, sure enough, everything comes out (Literally)! Honestly, I don't like to GAG since I hate the idea of having all that stomach acid come up on me! This is why I don't usually overeat. I have my cravings but it's only twice a month (usually something sweet or salty, but not both at the same time).

Chocolate ice cream is one of my weakness though. Maybe more people should listen to their natural gag reflex. I know that for many, this is hard to do. I still don't know why people gorge themselves on food. I struggle with breathing when I eat too much! So, I stop myself way before that on most foods.

I watch those documentaries on TLC and Discovery Health at times. I've seen people weigh a ton and I don't understand how anyone can let themselves go like that? Geez, I've seen some shows that showed the morbidly obese eating A BUFFET just for breakfast and two more BUFFETS for lunch and dinner. The snacks are unbelievable! The amount of food they eat is what I would probably eat in six months or so? AND most of the stuff they eat, I wouldn't include as part of my daily intake.

As I watch these shows, they make me think that the internal organs of the morbidly obese must be super human! Since they can still exist being as huge as a truck! As for me, I have difficulty breathing just from being overstuffed.

Great point though--- being addicted to food is MORE accepted in society than being addicted to anything else. I don't think that's about to change, not in America. Food is just everyone's favorite past time! Food, friends and Family -- they all go together.

[carluvscats]

For the diabetics who are posting, I would recommend the book "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution" by Dr. Richard K. Bernstein. My husband (diabetic) and I bought the book a few years back, and he had incredible results as far as lowering his a1c and maintaining his daily sugars. I followed it, too, to support him and because I needed to lose weight.....we both lost a lot of weight and didn't struggle with hunger. I say all of this in the past tense because when we went off it, I put nearly all of it back on. My husband actually got discouraged because he lost *too* much weight. Dr. Bernstein's methods may seem severe to some (he is extremely low-carb), but compared to facing amputations, blindness, ED, etc..... The man is a diabetic himself and knows his stuff. The book is like 2 inches thick.

For me, it is always about the comfort aspect that food offers. So until I stop running to it, I will never achieve permanent weight loss, this I know. But I'll never quit trying. :)

[llg, PhD, RN]

HumptyDumpty wrote:

"When are people going to get out of this "dieting" mind set? Dieting never works, it just does not. The only way you are going to effectively loose weight, keep it off, and develop an optimal health is through lifestyle changes. Stop eating processed junk, plain and simple. Eat veggies, fruits, meats, and nuts. If you read the ingredients on a product and it looks as if you could not make it in the kitchen, don't eat it. When you go to the grocery store, only shop on the outside. Everything in the middle isles of the grocery store is complete processed junk minus a few things, and I honestly mean a very FEW things. Instead of spending your Sundays gorging yourself watching football, get out and do something. Park at the back of the parking lot, get out and mow your own lawn, etc.... Use your imagination to get some movement. Lifestyle change is the only way you will accomplish optimal health. If anyone needs any help, PM me... I am passionate about the issue. "

But be honest ... "lifestyle changes" is just another way of saying "Be on a diet for the rest of your life. Engage in activities you don't enjoy (i.e. physical exercise) regularly for the rest of your life."

People telling us fatties what to do always tell us "This is not a diet" just before they give us a strict list of foods we can no longer eat. Be honest, cutting your favorite foods out of your diet forever IS A DIET. That's what a "diet" is.

Get real. Most of us don't need people telling us what foods are good for us and bad for us. We already know that. And we certainly don't need people telling us that giving up all your favorite foods and eating stuff we don't enjoy is not a "diet." We know that is not true. What we need is honest empathy and help.

[SweetOldWorld, BSN, RN]

I know it is possible to lose weight and keep it off, because I have done it. I lost 80 pounds over the course of a year, and I have kept it off for 6 years now.

I joined Weight Watchers, and was extremely fortunate to have a leader who got the science behind it and taught me how to use the tools effectively. Unfortunately, I think she was a rarity, because when we moved I never again found such a motivating Weight Watchers employee. She was full of wisdom, tips and tricks. I still use the things she taught me. She taught me how to make realistic, concrete, achievable goals, not vague impossible ones. For example, one of my goals was to be able to walk up a hill by my house without getting short of breath, by the end of the summer. And I did it!

She taught me the saying, "Feedback, not failure." So I messed up. What happened? What can I do so things will go differently next time when I find myself in similar circumstances?

I learned how to eat differently in a way that is enjoyable and doable. I began exercising, first walking 20 minutes 5 times a week, then increased that to 40 minutes. After a year of that, I joined a gym. I exercise regularly now, doing things I enjoy. I look forward to it.

I didn't realize how bad I felt, until I lost weight. I never want to go back there.

I maintain my weight by:

1. Writing down everything I eat, every day.

2. Weighing in at Weight Watchers monthly, at a minimum. If I have been slipping, I weigh in weekly. It motivates me to be good. I don't have to pay any more because I am a lifetime member. I don't want to ever have to pay again. But even if I do go over goal, I will pay again and use the tools to get back where I need to be. It happens.

3. By always having healthy foods in the house that I enjoy. I plan ahead. I can always eat something if I am hungry. I never eat something I don't enjoy. I make every single calorie count.

4. By exercising almost every day. I have never been in better shape.

5. I joined the National Weight Control Registry, an organization that studies people who have lost weight and kept it off. I fill out their survey annually. I'm proud to be able to do that. National Weight Control Registry

6. I periodically reread "Thin for Life: 10 Keys to Success From People Who Have Lost Weight and Kept it Off" by Anne Fletcher. She interviewed people who have done just that. They used various methods, some joined programs, some did it on their own.

7. I weigh myself every day. That doesn't work for everybody, but it does for me. I have a weight limit, and if I find myself over that limit, I take some time to examine what's going on and change some things around. It doesn't take long to get back on track.

Yes, it's possible!

[John20]

Can't help those who don't help themselves.

Lose weight or get diabetes, decrease your quality of life, and/or DIE earlier. Isn't that enough motivation? Isn't that reason enough to make managing weight one of the defining priorities in your life? If not, just do what you do.

[RedhairedNurse, BSN, RN]

I got up to 180 at my largest when I started working nights. When I saw that, I said I'm going to Nip this in the Bud, Now!

I wasn't about to let it get any more out of hand than it already was. I'm a naturally thin person, I don't know how this happened to

me. I didn't really change my eating habits, but I didn't exercise as much.

I can tell you that I am addicted to exercise. I love how it makes me feel. I love the HIGH it gives me, the endorphin high is better

than anything drugs I have ever done in my life time. I truly don't understand how and why people let themselves get so big. I have

sympathy for them, but some of my pts are so big, they look like they're choking on their own fat when laying in bed.

Okay, I know I'll probably be flamed for this. But why not take action before it gets this bad? I did. I just can't imagine people letting

themselves go so bad. It's selfish! What about your children, what kind of example are you setting for them. They will be fat right

along with you, don't you think?

It's all in the way you think about food. Do you have underlying problems, psych problems maybe? Do you turn to food for comfort?

You have to dig deep to find out what it is that makes you want to turn to food. I use food as fuel for my body. I don't eat a lot in carbs

and to be honest with you, i don't feel hungry a lot of times, but know I have to make myself eat. Eating the carbs just raises your blood

sugar and makes you crash and therefore you feel hungry again. Eat more protein, it makes you feel fuller.

Do something a little more constructive than eating. Try exercising instead or something. There is nothing wrong with treating yourself

to that cheesecake every so often. You feel bad, you feel depressed so you eat. Well, you're just going to feel that much worse and make

matters worse by doing that. Look at the alcoholic, he/she drinks to make themself feel better, does it work? Heck No, they feel worse as

time goes on and the problems are still there.

Go ahead and flame me if you wish, but as your obese comments are you thoughts, these are mine. Take control of your life and say

No more! Use food the way it's suppose to be used, for fuel, no pleasure.

[imenid37]

I just got my MSN and was so busy for the past tow years, I did many unhealthy things. I love your blog! I share many of the same traits and feelings. I love to eat too. I was once very thin, but have gained 40 pounds in the past 12 years or so. I did lose 15 lbs with great effort about 5-6 years ago, but it was not something I could realistically keep up. I think working night shift for 16 years and the stress of nursing had a lot to do with my weight gain. I like to exercise, but even when I was able to exercise every day i was still "fat." I hope to go back to it. I have started walking my dogs more, but I have two "bad" knees and I need to be careful. I am trying to eat out less now that I have time to prepare meals at home. It used to be very important to me to be thin and attractive, but now I would rather feel good physically and psychologically. I can probably get to that point without the added burden of needing to be "Barbie" again. I am sure I will look better too, but that is just secondary. I would love to stop coloring my hair. What a pain that has been! I wish I would have just said it is okay to be grey at 33 and moved on. Now I am sure growing it out will be an experience. I am very much contemplating going "natural". I will probably be able to get the senior citizen meal at restaurants. Usually the portions are small so that could also be a plus too!